State Senator Janeen Sollman sponsored the foam bill. passed the Senate with only one vote against. A petroleum industry group that had opposed the bill withdrew its opposition after the amendment process. SB 91 wasn’t the only attempt to rid Oregon of forever chemicals this legislative session. A second bill, much broader in scope, House Bill 3512, targeted a host of consumer products. Supporters expected it to elicit opposition from numerous industries that rely on PFAS throughout their supply chains. And with a record number of bills before the Legislature this session, they ultimately thought the timing might be off and pulled back. “It often takes more than one session to make sure everyone has a good understanding and is able to get behind it,” says Crystal Weston, policy director for the Oregon Environmental Council, a chief supporter of both bills. “[HB 3512] was a bit more ambitious, and with a record number of bills, it was just a bit harder to get over the line.” Sen. Janeen Sollman, sponsor of the “foam bill,” SB 91, learned about efforts in other states to ban PFAS at a 2024 legislative conference. Back home, she went on ride-alongs with local fire agencies and learned they’d already phased out their PFAS foams, and that the Port of Portland had switched to a safer alternative at Portland International Airport. She wanted to ensure all remaining foam containing PFAS is phased out, as well. “We need to do all we can to protect those who protect us,” she tells Oregon Business. With a July deadline, SB 91 would allow agencies to use up existing stock, then purchase new foam that doesn’t contain PFAS, which is now readily available. For companies that want to transition sooner, a number of private businesses assist with PFAS cleanup and disposal of existing stock. The formal job of collecting and disposing of the state’s remaining PFAS fire foam would fall to the Department of Environmental Quality, which has a plan for collection and disposal involving the Columbia Ridge Landfill in Arlington. Elimination Factor For its fire- and water-resistance, PFAS are found today in many consumer products from waterproof clothing to carpets to nonstick pots and pans. These chemicals are also highly mobile in the environment, which allows them to travel easily through soil, water and air. Over time, they build up in the environment as well as in human bodies, and they’re now known to cause severe risks to both. PFAS firefighting foam, developed in the 1930s, is so common today because it’s so effective, according to Karl Koenig, president of the Oregon State Firefighters Council, which represents most of the state’s firefighters. “There’s just nothing else that works as well,” Koenig says. “But what makes it so effective also makes it so harmful in nature.” Tracking down the last remaining PFAS foam won’t be easy. By this point, most of Oregon’s more than 300 fire stations have already switched to safer alternatives. This includes all of the heaviest PFAS users, like Portland International Airport, one of the first major U.S. airports to move entirely to the P3 alternative. Last year the Pentagon started phasing out PFAS at military Karl Koenig is president of the Oregon State Firefighters Council. 15
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