PFOS is restricted by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Perfluoroalkyl compounds represented by PFOS are a typical group of new pollutants under key control in China. An important use of PFOS is as an ingredient of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF). Due to its fast firefighting efficiency, good effect and long storage time, AFFF has long occupied a dominant position in the market of fire extinguishing agent for fires caused by liquids or meltable solids (i.e., class B fire) in developed countries since its introduction for decades, and plays an irreplaceable role in class B fire scenarios such as large oil and gas storage tanks and special chemicals. China has ceased the production of PFOS by 2021, and the replacement of PFOS in AFFF in a safe, environmentally friendly and sustainable manner is the focus and bottleneck of China's comprehensive elimination of PFOS.
In order to effectively promote relevant industries to comply with the requirements of the Convention, the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center (FECO) of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) of China has cooperated with the World Bank to develop and implement the GEF Project "Reduction and phase-out of PFOS in priority sectors in China". The project has selected 4 typical domestic AFFF manufacturers, and completed the research and development and trial production of AFFF alternative products with no PFOS. Fire products are related to social public safety and national economic construction safety. The China Certification Center for Fire Products of the Ministry of Emergency Management (hereinafter referred to as CCCF) carried out PFOS control and reduction sub-project activities in the fire industry with the support of the project, and prudently promotes the reduction and replacement of PFOS substances in the fire industry in China.
In December 2022, CCCF organized physical fire extinguishing test of 100m3 flammable liquid storage tank in 10 batches to verify the effect of PFOS free AFFF alternative products in small-scale physical fires based on safety, reliability and performance requirements, which took place in Hua 'an Test Base in Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province. This test provided technical parameters and product selection basis for further carrying out large-scale physical fire extinguishing tests, and is a solid step from the "laboratory" to the "field" of PFOS replacement in AFFF products, and makes a positive contribution to promote the comprehensive elimination of PFOS and other typical new pollutants in China.