Body & Beauty / Products / Military and Firefighter PFAS-Treated Uniforms (Turnout Gear, AFFF Contamination, Durable Water Repellent, Fluorotelomer Migration, Occupational PFAS Body Burden)

Military and Firefighter PFAS-Treated Uniforms (Turnout Gear, AFFF Contamination, Durable Water Repellent, Fluorotelomer Migration, Occupational PFAS Body Burden) — safety profile

High risk

Military uniforms and firefighter turnout gear are treated with PFAS-based durable water repellent (DWR) finishes containing fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs, C6-C8 chains) and may incorporate PTFE moisture barriers (e.g., Gore-Tex).

What is this product?

Military uniforms and firefighter turnout gear are treated with PFAS-based durable water repellent (DWR) finishes containing fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs, C6-C8 chains) and may incorporate PTFE moisture barriers (e.g., Gore-Tex). Firefighters face compounded PFAS exposure from both their treated gear and aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used in fire suppression, which contains PFOS and PFOA at 1-5% concentrations. A landmark 2020 study in Environmental Science & Technology Letters found that firefighter turnout gear contained total fluorine at 1,000-6,000 ppm, with PFAS migrating through the thermal liner to skin-contact layers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) biomonitoring studies show firefighters carry PFAS serum levels 2-3x higher than the general population, with PFOS and PFHxS as dominant congeners. PFAS are endocrine disruptors, immunotoxicants, and suspected carcinogens linked to testicular cancer, kidney cancer, and thyroid disease. The IARC classified PFOA as Group 1 (carcinogenic) and PFOS as Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic) in 2023. Multiple fire departments and military branches are transitioning to PFAS-free alternatives, but legacy contamination from AFFF training sites affects thousands of communities.

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Durable Water Repellent

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Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific information. Why we built ALETHEIA →