“A change in the NFPA standard could have reverberations in the US and beyond, according to Kyla Bennett, a scientist and attorney with the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), which has advocated for PFAS-free protective clothing.
If the substances are phased out of firefighting gear, it could impact what consumers look for in their own clothing. ‘People will start to say ‘this stuff is bad’,” Dr Bennett said. It could “be a big deal, not just nationally but worldwide’