New Jersey PFAS firefighting foam phaseout compliance deadlines and steps

New Jersey PFAS firefighting foam deadlines and the amended use cutoff

New Jersey set a phaseout for PFAS-containing firefighting foams under P.L. 2023, c.243, and the timing matters for every fire department still holding this material. The New Jersey Division of Fire Safety FAQ states that the original January 8, 2026 restriction was amended. Under that amendment, fire departments may continue to use covered foam through December 31, 2026.

That change gives departments more time to remove stock through the state program, but it does not change the direction of travel. The Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Community Affairs have both framed the program around helping departments comply with state legislation that bans the use and storage of these foams after January. The practical takeaway is simple: treat December 31, 2026 as the last date for continued use under the amended timeline, and use the extra time to get every container identified, scheduled for collection, and documented.

The state also signaled that this is not a small pilot. In a March 20, 2026 announcement from Trenton, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs said the state-led effort had already helped hundreds of fire departments remove PFAS-containing firefighting foams at no cost to them. New Jersey described the effort as one of the largest cooperative collection programs of its kind in the nation, funded through a $16.6 million state appropriation.

For compliance planning, that means the deadline question is no longer the only issue. The next issue is execution: inventory what you have, separate covered foam from non-covered products, arrange collection, and avoid carrying PFAS stock into 2027.

Fire departments covered by the phaseout and foams subject to the ban

The New Jersey materials identify PFAS-containing firefighting foams as the target of the phaseout, and they specifically name aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) as the most common example. If your department stores or uses AFFF that contains PFAS, that stock belongs at the center of your compliance review.

The state program described by the DEP and DCA is aimed at fire departments across New Jersey. The March 20, 2026 announcement says the collection and destruction effort is helping fire departments comply with state legislation banning the use and storage of these foams. That makes local fire departments, volunteer companies, municipal departments, and other New Jersey fire service organizations the practical audience for the phaseout and the collection program.

For day-to-day compliance, the most useful dividing line is not the brand name on the pail. It is whether the foam is a PFAS-containing firefighting foam. Because the state materials call out AFFF as the most common PFAS-containing foam, departments should review all Class B foam stock with that question in mind and match each product to the department’s purchasing records, safety data sheets, and any manufacturer information already on file.

If a department has already transitioned to fluorine-free products, that does not remove the need to check old reserve stock, training stock, apparatus compartments, satellite storage, and mutual-aid caches. The compliance risk is often the forgotten tote, drum, or pail that stayed on a shelf after a product change.

Exemptions and continued use through December 31, 2026

The clearest point in the New Jersey FAQ is the amended timing: fire departments may continue to use covered foam through December 31, 2026. That is the key exception fire departments need to understand right now, because it replaced the earlier January 8, 2026 restriction date for these departments.

In practice, this continued-use window functions as a limited extension for departments that still have covered stock on hand while the state collection program operates. It is not a reason to delay inventory work or disposal planning. The state’s own messaging ties the collection effort directly to compliance with the ban on use and storage, so departments should use the extension to finish removal, not to carry old foam as routine inventory.

If your department is trying to decide whether it falls within the continued-use period, the safest reading is to focus on the exact New Jersey FAQ language and the Division of Fire Safety policy documents. Confirm the product is covered, confirm the department’s current stock levels, and confirm the collection path. Then set an internal deadline well before December 31, 2026 so there is time to resolve scheduling issues, transport questions, and paperwork.

Because the provided New Jersey materials do not list additional exemption categories in detail here, departments should avoid assumptions. Use the FAQ: New Jersey Law on PFAS in Firefighting Foam (P.L. 2023, c.243) and the Class B Firefighting Foam Policy as the controlling references for any edge case.

State collection and disposal program for PFAS-containing foam

New Jersey did not leave departments to solve disposal on their own. State law adopted in 2024 directed the Department of Environmental Protection to establish a collection and disposal program to address the risks posed by PFAS-containing firefighting foams. The March 20, 2026 state announcement says the program collects and safely destroys PFAS-containing foam from fire departments across the state at no cost to them.

The same announcement says the program is funded through a $16.6 million state appropriation. That matters for compliance because disposal cost is often the reason old stock sits in storage. New Jersey’s approach removes that barrier and gives departments a direct path to lawful removal.

The state also described the operating model. Two regional sites have been collecting firefighting foams for destruction by an out-of-state contractor. One of the collection events highlighted by the state took place at the northern regional collection site in Hunterdon County. The public message from DEP Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak was direct: departments should step up, get rid of these foams, and keep PFAS out of the environment.

For a fire chief or municipal administrator, the compliance value of this program is straightforward:

• It gives departments a state-backed disposal route.
• It is designed specifically for PFAS-containing firefighting foam.
• It reduces the chance that old stock remains in storage past the cutoff.
• It supports recordkeeping because the removal happens through an organized program rather than an informal local workaround.

Departments should treat the collection program as the default path unless the Division of Fire Safety or DEP gives a different instruction for a specific stock type or container condition.

Compliance checklist for removing stock, ending storage, and documenting disposal

Use this checklist to move from inventory to completion before the December 31, 2026 cutoff.

A simple documentation file should include the department name, station locations, inventory date, the person who verified stock, the date of collection, and the final quantity removed. Keep that file with your hazardous materials or procurement records so it is easy to produce later.

How fire departments can use the regional collection program to meet the deadline

The New Jersey program works through two regional sites, with foam collected for destruction by an out-of-state contractor. For departments trying to meet the amended deadline, the best approach is to work backward from December 31, 2026 and build a short internal process.

1. Confirm your stock list. Before contacting the program, make sure your inventory is complete and limited to PFAS-containing firefighting foam that belongs in the collection stream.
2. Use the Division of Fire Safety materials. Check the FAQ: New Jersey Law on PFAS in Firefighting Foam (P.L. 2023, c.243) and the Class B Firefighting Foam Policy for current instructions tied to fire department participation.
3. Prepare containers for handoff. Keep original labels in place where possible and match each container to your inventory log.
4. Schedule early. Do not wait for the final weeks of 2026. Regional collection capacity, staffing, and transport logistics are easier to manage when your department is not competing with every late mover in the state.
5. Assign one point of contact. A chief officer, fire official, or municipal administrator should own the inventory, scheduling, and records file from start to finish.
6. Close the loop after collection. Once the foam leaves your custody, update the inventory to zero out removed stock and note the collection date and program details.

A realistic example: if a department in Hunterdon County finds old AFFF in a training building, on a reserve engine, and in a municipal public works garage, it should combine those findings into one inventory, route all covered stock through the state collection process, and keep one final disposal file rather than three separate informal notes. That makes the department’s compliance story clear and easy to verify.

Practical next steps for New Jersey fire departments before December 31, 2026

Take these steps now so the amended deadline does not turn into a last-minute problem:

• Pull your current foam inventory and verify whether any stock is PFAS-containing AFFF.
• Check every station, apparatus, training area, and off-site storage location.
• Read the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety FAQ and Class B Firefighting Foam Policy side by side.
• Set an internal removal deadline that lands well before December 31, 2026.
• Assign one person to manage collection scheduling and records.
• Use the DEP and DCA regional collection program instead of leaving old stock in place.
• Save all inventory and disposal records in one file.
• Update purchasing and storage procedures so PFAS-containing foam does not return to inventory after removal.

If your department has not yet started, the most useful first move is an inventory walk-through this week. The state has already built the collection path and funded it. Your part is to identify the stock, move it through the program, and document that it is gone before the end of 2026.

When did New Jersey change the fire department use cutoff for PFAS foam?

The New Jersey Division of Fire Safety FAQ says the original January 8, 2026 restriction was amended so fire departments may continue to use covered foam through December 31, 2026.

Does New Jersey offer a no-cost disposal option for PFAS-containing firefighting foam?

Yes. The Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Community Affairs said New Jersey’s state-led program collects and safely destroys PFAS-containing firefighting foam from fire departments at no cost to them.

What foam is New Jersey targeting in this phaseout?

New Jersey’s materials target PFAS-containing firefighting foams, and they identify aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) as the most common example.

How is New Jersey handling collection and destruction?

The state said two regional sites have been collecting firefighting foams for destruction by an out-of-state contractor.

What records should a fire department keep after disposal?

Keep your inventory log, collection confirmations, transfer records, dates of removal, and the name of the person who verified the stock. Those records show the department removed covered foam and ended storage before the cutoff.

Sources

• Sherrill Administration Highlights Success of Historic Program Helping Hundreds of Fire Departments Remove PFAS-Containing Firefighting Foams
• FAQ: New Jersey Law on PFAS in Firefighting Foam (P.L. 2023, c.243)
• Class B Firefighting Foam Policy

Last updated

April 22, 2026