Springfield officials discuss PFAS bill, firefighting gear and Connecticut River fish advisory

City councilors and city officials spent a Springfield City meeting reviewing a state legislative package described as “an act to protect Massachusetts public health from PFAS,” local public-health advisories for the Connecticut River and steps the Springfield Fire Department has taken to reduce firefighter exposure to PFAS.

The bill, refiled this legislative session after hearings in prior years, would aim to both reduce future PFAS exposure from consumer products and fund remediation of existing contamination, legislative staff said. “We want to cut off the PFAS spigot … to get it out of consumer products, to get it out of food packaging, and then also to clean up what's already in the environment,” Meg (legislative staff) said during the meeting.

The discussion also focused on an immediate public-health advisory. Helen Colton, who represented Springfield’s public-health side in the meeting, said the Massachusetts Department of Public Health had identified the Connecticut River among bodies of water with PFAS levels that, in places and for certain species, exceed thresholds for safe consumption. Colton said the city has posted signs along the Connecticut River advising residents not to eat specified species, and that the advisory covers communities served by that stretch of the river.

Fire safety and firefighter exposure were another central topic. Springfield Fire Commissioner Calvi described changes in department equipment and procedures: the city began using PFAS-free turnout shells in 2020, replaced legacy firefighting foam with a PFAS-free product (ChemGuard Green) and is testing newer turnout sets that are advertised as PFAS free. “We went to what was called clear shells back in 2020,” Commissioner Calvi said. He added that a thin PFAS-containing membrane remains encapsulated in some vapor barriers of older gear and that some residue can persist in hoses and lines.

Calvi also warned that removing PFAS from turnout gear has affected durability: “You're seeing more wear and tear because the PFAS acted like a little bit of a lubricant between the fibers,” he said, and noted manufacturers are having trouble meeting the timeline in state law that was discussed during the meeting (a January 2027 compliance date was mentioned).

Legislative details discussed included two broad goals: banning or restricting PFAS in key product categories and funding remediation and education. Meg said the omnibus bill would target categories the interagency task force identified as leading to human exposure — including child passenger restraints, children's products, cookware, fabric treatments, certain personal-care products, rugs and carpets, textiles and upholstered furniture — and would create a remediation trust fund plus resources for an awareness campaign run by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Public Health.

Councilors and residents pressed for practical, near-term guidance for households. Meg advised consumers to replace nonstick cookware and plastic cutting boards that show wear, and to consider avoiding single-use food packaging that may contain PFAS. “Get rid of your nonstick pans,” she said. The meeting also included practical questions about items such as K‑cups and bottled water; officials said evidence about release at particular temperatures varies and emphasized that removing PFAS from packaging and products is the most effective long-term solution.

On testing and signage, Colton said state testing programs inform local advisories and that the most recent state advisory affecting the area was issued in May 2024; she said the state typically resumes sampling in April and that new results are expected in the coming testing cycle. She also offered to have environmental-health staff distribute and check advisory signage along river access points and to participate in neighborhood outreach.

Participants urged civic outreach while the bill advances through the Legislature. Meg described how residents can track the bill on the Legislature’s website and sign up for hearing alerts; she encouraged councilors to submit testimony or organize local testimony. Residents and neighborhood leaders offered to circulate the meeting link and host informational sessions at senior centers and other community events.

No formal votes were taken at the meeting; officials and councilors said they expect further local meetings with the city’s water and sewer department and additional public outreach as the state process continues.