The Firefighting Agents section – FFA sees itself as the European representation of the fire protection industry in Europe and deals with all aspects in connection with research, development, production and application of extinguishing agents such as foams, wetting agents, powders, extinguishing gases, etc. (except water).

Our duties

European regulations for hazardous chemicals

• Gain influence/priority access to information:
• Identification of known and networked trade organizations for cooperation and exchange (e.g. CEFIC, SEPAWA) as well as the establishment of a working platform.
• Identification of European target organizations (e.g. ECHA, European Commission, etc.) and the establishment of a working platform.
• Development and control of the definition of “green”:

While everyone is looking for an ecological firefighting foam, nobody seems to know what qualifies a fire fighting agent as ecological. Instead of waiting for an authority to provide a definition that the market should adopt, we should discuss and agree on a strategy of sowing seeds at the European level and developing an official definition of “green” (e.g. acute vs persistent toxicity; heavy metal test for soils yes/no?).

Fluorine-containing chemicals in extinguishing foam:

The good, the bad and the evil:

• At best, the market discussion is partly wrong and very confusing for all parties, concerned consumers and national authorities.  Their reaction is to overshoot the target in some cases and thus create even more confusion. Our duty is therefore:
• To collect data on the environmental impact from uncontrolled and controlled fires.
• To help develop a European position on fluorine-containing chemicals.

Labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures

• Fire extinguishers are subject to CLP labelling (CLP = Classification, Labelling and Packaging of substances and mixtures):
• The position of the German REACH information center and other national information centers.
• Agreement on an internal position that can be proposed to European authorities.

Guiding principle for the Section Fire Fighting Agents

The FFA is the professional organization for all matters concerning the use of firefighting agents and the mouthpiece of the European fire protection industry. The FFA bundles, broadens and communicates the expert knowledge of its members on extinguishing agents and their application by promoting research and development, as well as exchange with other organizations and interested parties (e.g. the chemical and petrochemical industry).

The objectives of the Section Fire Fighting Agents

It is the aim of the Eurofeu FFA:

• to strengthen transnational cooperation between European associations and companies in the fire protection industry and to coordinate communication and knowledge exchange with the aim of improving the performance and efficiency of extinguishing agents and their toxicological and eco-toxicological properties;
• to make the utilization of extinguishing agents safer and fire protection in Europe more efficient through handling and application recommendations, and the promotion and dissemination of best practices, and thus to further develop them overall;
• to improve the quality of fire protection legislation by supporting legislators at European level and to promote the smooth implementation thereof by informing members.