Illinois bans PFAS in firefighter gear

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois firefighters will soon be protected by gear free of PFAS — toxic “forever chemicals” linked to cancer — under a new law signed by Gov. JBPritzker.

The Deputy Chief Pete Bendinelli PFAS PPE Act sets a 2027 deadline for phasing out gear containing the chemicals, which are commonly used for water and heat resistance.

Chuck Sullivan, president of the Associated Firefighters of Illinois, said the law is a major step forward in protecting first responders from long-term health risks.

“Up until about 8 to 10 years ago, little did we know that our bunker gear actually contains extremely dangerous forever chemicals,” Sullivan told The Center Square. “We’re putting this on and taking this off 15 to 20 times a day. Cancer has become the leading cause of duty-related deaths for firefighters.”

Illinois joins states like Massachusetts and Connecticut in setting a 2027 cutoff, though Sullivan said the law allows flexibility if manufacturers fall behind.

“If that 2027 date isn’t realistic, we have no issue with moving the date somewhere in the future,” he said.

State Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, a firefighter himself, said the legislation was driven by firefighter advocacy groups and not by gear manufacturers. He acknowledged concerns that the timeline could favor larger companies already investing in PFAS-free technology, but said the public safety benefits outweigh market worries.

“Are bigger companies that invested in research and development earlier going to be the first ones out the door that departments have to buy from? That could be,” Anderson said, “But I don’t see it as a big issue, because we’re not cornering the market by setting this date. Smaller companies may come in later, but we can’t delay something that’s for the good of public safety just because only a couple companies are ready at first.”

Anderson also emphasized that the law won’t force departments to replace gear overnight. Most equipment is already replaced on a 10-year cycle under National Fire Protection Association standards.

“There is a mechanism in the bill that it’s not like they have to all change the gear right now,” Anderson said. “There’s a lead-in to it.”

While PFAS-free gear may come with a higher price tag, Anderson said the long-term savings — especially in reduced cancer-related costs — could be substantial.

“If we can curb a cancer-causing chemical in the gear that we wear that will cause less cancer, that is less liability on the department,” he said. “It can also be looked at as a cost-saving measure.”

Sullivan agreed, noting that the financial burden of cancer-related disability pensions far exceeds the cost of safer gear.

“The cost of just two firefighters contracting cancer and the pension disability cost probably far outweighs the cost of a set of PFAS-free bunker gear,” he said.

Anderson added that if future testing shows PFAS-free gear doesn’t meet current heat resistance standards, lawmakers are open to revisiting the issue.

“As a legislator, I’m willing to sit down with the industry and firefighters if it turns out that non-PFAS gear is only rated for 400 degrees instead of 700,” he said. “That’s a conversation we would need to have to understand the implications and determine the best path forward.”