Qualification and Use of High-Performance Foam Suppressants (February 2012)

The purpose of this guide is to specify the conditions for applying foam solutions to extinguish tank containment fires when using foam concentrates that are deemed “particularly effective.”
This is the December 2023 revision of the guide recognized by the DGPR.

In 2023, the vast majority of high-performance foam concentrates used by manufacturers are “film-forming” types, with an experimental application rate of 2.0 L/min/m².

The film-forming property of a foam concentrate is provided by fluorinated surfactants (PFAS), which allow it to spread rapidly over a burning liquid and form a film that prevents reignition.

These PFAS contain carbon-fluorine bonds, which are very strong bonds that do not break down after use; as such, PFAS are Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

Since the early 2000s, Europe has been concerned about the health and environmental impacts of these POPs and has been gradually phasing out the use of PFAS.