New Jersey Fire Fighting Foam (AFFF) Lawsuit

What is AFFF?

Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) is a firefighting foam used to fight petroleum-based fires. These firefighting suppressants are usually used by firefighters, the military and at airports.

AFFF is primarily made with PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) which are both considered PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These chemicals are sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals” because of the extremely strong elemental bonds between the carbon atoms. This means that even in the environment or in our bodies, the chemical will take “forever” to break down due to the eight carbon atom chain. The chain of eight carbon atoms is why all of these chemicals are categorized as C-8 chemicals.

Side Effects of AFFF

When a chemical that is difficult to breakdown enters your body, it can do a lot of permanent damage. The most common severe side effects linked to AFFF are:

  • Kidney cancer
  • Testicular cancer
  • Thyroid cancer
  • Thyroid disease
  • Liver cancer
  • Ulcerative colitis

AFFF Contaminated Areas in New Jersey

Although the chemicals in question are in the firefighting foam, direct exposure to the foam isn’t the only way to be exposed to PFAS. When AFFF is discharged, it is absorbed into the environment. It also gets into drains which discharge to larger bodies of water. The water eventually makes its way into the bodies and bloodstreams of people in the area who share the same water system.

The following are locations where AFFF was stored and used:

  • Deepwater, NJ in Salem County
  • Trenton-Mercer Airport / Former Naval Air Warfare Center Trenton
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (McGuire Air Force Base) in Burlington County
  • Naval Weapons Station Earle in Monmouth County

New Jersey AFFF Contamination Lawsuit

If you or someone you know were contaminated with AFFF and are now diagnosed with kidney cancer, testicular cancer, liver cancer, thyroid cancer, or ulcerative colitis, please feel free to contact our experts at Douglas & London. You may be entitled to compensation and you don’t pay unless we win. To apply for a free consultation, fill out the form on the side of the screen, chat with us or give us a call at (212) 566-7500.