AFFF/PFAS Fire Suppressant Foam Disposal Program

Luzerne County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and LEPC have discussed and decided to implement a program for Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF)/Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Fire Suppressant Foam Disposal Program.

This program will help protect our first responders, especially firefighters, from the recently classified hazmat commonly used as "fire retardant/extinguishers" on organic volatile chemical fires to help eliminate oxygen from the fire source. This hazmat is called AFFF/PFAS or simply known as Foam.

AFFF contains a chemical called PFAS, a poly fluorinated chemical, originally developed as "Teflon" and now is classified as a carcinogen. This chemical is known as a "forever" chemical as it does not break down in nature and will accumulate in human tissue. As such, there is a nationwide effort to remove this firefighting chemical and replace it with a safer one.

An e-mail was sent to all County Fire Departments wishing to participate in the disposal program for their AFFF/PFAS inventory. The compiled inventory records gave and approximate total of 200 five-gallon containers/pails and nine (9) 55-gallon drums. The estimated total number of gallons to be safely collected and disposed of is 1,552.

AFFF/PFAS is to be collected in two containment forms:

• 55 gallon drums
• 5 gallon containers/pails - can be palletized and wrapped for transport

The Luzerne County EMA will notify local fire companies of a specific date, time and collection site for them to bring their AFFF/PFAS inventory for proper disposal once a signed contract has been completed with the proposer awarded the project. The winning proposer will be certified as a Hazardous Materials Response/Disposal Team. The team will safely and properly pick-up all AFFF/PFAS inventory at the designated collection site. Once collected and packed for transport the team will then transfer the material to a proper disposal site. Once the material has been safely and properly disposed of an invoice and documentation showing proper disposal will be sent to Luzerne County EMA at 185 Water Street, Wilkes Barre, PA 18702.

Each proposer must submit one (1) original unbound and two (2) copies of their proposal sealed with the attached label from page two (2) on or before **Friday, November 6, 2026 at 4:00 PM EST** to:

Luzerne County Purchasing Department, Attention: Mary Ann Amesbury, Penn Place Office Building, Suite 223A, 20 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711

All proposers must complete the cost proposal form in Appendix A-1.

All proposers must have **required** Pennsylvania certifications as a Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT) or Contractor and provide copies of the certifications with their proposal. If the requested documentation is not provided the proposal can be rejected.

The contract term will be one (1) year with a two (2) one (1) year extension's at the County's discretion. The anticipated start date will be 12/1/2026.

Bid security: No. Performance bond: No.

The County shall consider the following criteria: 1) price; 2) reputation of Responder and of its goods and services; 3) quality of the Responder's goods and services; 4) extent to which the goods or services meet the County's needs; and 5) Responder's past relationship with the County.

Insurance: Commercial General Liability **$1,000,000** Each Occurrence / **$3,000,000** General Aggregate; Automobile Liability **$1,000,000** Combined Single Limit; Excess (Umbrella) **$2,000,000**; Professional Liability **$1,000,000** Each Occurrence / **$3,000,000** General Aggregate.