The Connecticut Airport Authority is now working with state building officials to determine if firefighting foam systems using PFAS in certain airport hangars can be replaced with water.
PFAS foam is known cause potentially dangerous health effects.
The FAA mandates that the foam be used on all firefighting trucks, but not in hangars.
CAA Executive Director Kevin Dillon says 17 hangars that have PFAS foam systems, mostly at Bradley, are now under consideration to see if they can use water instead.
Dillon says replacing foam with water could reduce the number of PFAS foam spills caused by malfunctions.
“Naturally when you have hangers where there’s a lot of maintenance activity you really need to have the systems in place but we think there are other conditions here at Bradley other hangers where we probably can get away without not having the system,” Dillon said.
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In June more than 40,000 gallons of firefighting foam spilled into the Farmington River after a malfunction with the foam system at Signature Air’s hanger.
Dillon says once state building officials give the go ahead, the process to replace the foam with water could happen quickly.