How to Dispose Non-Fluorinated Foam After Test?

8/12/2025

How do you dispose of foam after the test (non-fluorinated)?

No one seems to know what to do with it. Thanks in advance.

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5 Comments

Pete H

8/12/2025 06:12:49 am

Check the MSDS of the foam. If it is a hazardous waste or has been exposed to or combined with a hazardous waste - contact a certified hazardous waste removal company.

https://getzfire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/3M-_NOVEC-_1230_FIRE_PROTECTION_FLUID_FK-5-1-12_MTR_AGHS_EN.pdf

Check section 13 called "Disposal consideration". This is for 3M's Novec 1230. I do not know what foam you are working with. See if they have a similar section on their MSDS.

Dan Wilder

8/12/2025 08:35:02 am

There is no foam on the market that allows direct to ground disposal allowances with or without PFAS contained within.

We don't handle it if at all possible, we leave the disposal to the owner. As this is typically just a pass-through cost, adding OH&P when the owner can handle it direct is a better financial decision and a better path for liability to us. Also, facilities that require foam typically already have a waste disposal company on file.

If we are still liable for the disposal, any hazardous waste company with incineration capabilities typically handle it, just make sure to track all the paperwork for insurance.

You can look at https://www.saferstates.org/ and see the regulatory side for all 50 states. The EPA site https://www.epa.gov/pfas as well.

Anthony

8/12/2025 09:25:34 am

Are there any requirements for sewer design, floor drains, retention tanks etc to prevent foam from going to a sanitary system directly upon discharge? Or only for testing not to have the foam go to sanitary?

Dan Wilder

8/12/2025 10:35:08 am

The last couple have gone both ways...

Most hangars have a separate UG tanks to contain spills from aircraft from entering the sewer system. Chem plants also have break tanks or run off retention areas for the same reason.

We (the GC anyway) has plugged drainage points and we "diked" the area for full dumps (overhead generators or open sprinkler). When we can utilize just the hard pipe testing method without overhead dumps, that goes into a frac tank (or tanks) and then to disposal.

Chad

8/12/2025 09:36:26 am

No one has a good answer for this yet. If you discharge the system for a test, you are creating a hazmat situation unfortunately.

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How to Dispose Non-Fluorinated Foam After Test?

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