Amid PFAS Phase-Out in MA, Graphene Emerges as a Potential Alternative

In August 2024, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed An Act relative to the reduction of certain toxic chemicals in firefighter personal protective equipment, which requires manufacturers and sellers, by January 1, 2025, to notify buyers of firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) if and why the equipment contains poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS; Commonwealth of Massachusetts 2024). By January 1, 2027, manufacturers and sellers must end all sales of firefighting PPE with intentionally added PFAS.

The bill follows research demonstrating the toxicity of PFAS at low levels, as well as high rates of cancer in firefighters associated with PFAS use. The bill has been praised by Richard MacKinnon Jr., president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, David Melly, legislative director of the Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM), Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, and many others.

As a member of the DIAGONAL project, Vireo has been involved in the risk assessment of alternatives to PFAS-enabled firefighting PPE, namely graphene-enabled functional fabric. The results of our toxicity meta-analysis, critical literature review, data gap analysis and nanomaterial life-cycle risk assessment (Nano LCRA), published in NanoImpact, suggest that graphene poses a low environmental and human health hazard. While data gaps remain concerning the hazards of graphene composites and certain ecotoxicity metrics, the preliminary data point to graphene-enabled functional fabric as a potential, safer alternative to PFAS-enabled firefighting PPE.