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Routt County approves PFAS cleaning, foam buyback and transition to fluorine-free foam at YVRA
Summary
Board authorized Clean Harbors cleaning of two ARFF trucks and purchase of fluorine-free (F3) foam; Colorado's buyback program will offset much of the cost.
Routt County commissioners voted Oct. 7 to approve cleaning of two aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicles and to purchase fluorine-free (F3) firefighting foam for Yampa Valley Regional Airport (YVRA). The board authorized a Clean Harbors closed-loop cleaning process for the two trucks at a cost of $124,425.07 and approved sole-source procurement for National Foam Inc. F3 concentrate (purchase order to Municipal Equipment Supply) in the amount of $43,605.
Airport staff said the FAA has directed airports to transition ARFF fleets from PFAS-containing foam to fluorine-free (F3) products. Casey Hume, YVRA operations and safety superintendent, and Tenille Gerber explained that Clean Harbors' proprietary closed-loop system treats rinseate through filtration and carbon-mat media to below-detection PFAS levels and then returns water that can be disposed under the airport's stormwater plan. The state of Colorado has a statutory buyback program for PFAS concentrate established by legislation in 2021; staff said the Colorado Department of Public Health will reimburse counties for documented PFAS quantities and that a payment from the state is expected before physical pickup.
Net cost and schedule: airport staff said the net county cost after the state buyback is estimated at about $55,000 to fully transition existing trucks and the new spring 2026 ARFF apparatus will arrive pre-equipped with F3 foam. County Commissioner discussion touched on vendor selection: staff said Clean Harbors is the only provider with the closed-loop, low-detectable-level process identified in the office's review and that other methods consist of triple-rinse approaches that produce hazardous rinseate requiring disposal.
Why it matters: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are persistent environmental contaminants of regulatory concern. Airport staff and a Clean Harbors representative said the treatment approach reduces environmental disposal risk and that state reimbursement reduces net county expense. Commissioners authorized the chair to sign the Clean Harbors proposal and approved the foam purchase order and sole-source finding.
Action taken: motion to authorize signing Clean Harbors work in the amount of $124,425.07 and purchase of National Foam F3 concentrate for $43,605 passed by voice vote.
