New Jersey Takes Action Against Cancer-causing Firefighting Foam

WHO:

CBS News - Jacobstown Volunteer Fire Chief Robert Gancarz expressed concerns about firefighting foam.

CBS News - Rick Gillespie is the CEO of Revive Environmental, an Ohio company specializing in PFAS destruction.

CBS News - "Boots" Gancarz, Robert Gancarz's father, is a 76-year-old firefighter diagnosed with colon cancer.

WHAT:

CBS News - New Jersey fire departments are disposing of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) due to health concerns.

CBS News - Over 150,000 gallons of AFFF have been collected from fire stations in New Jersey.

CBS News - Robert Gancarz's fire department disposed of 580 gallons of AFFF.

CBS News - New PFAS-free foam used by the fire department is made with soybeans.

WHERE:

CBS News - The actions are taking place in Burlington County, New Jersey.

CBS News - AFFF is being transported to Revive Environmental in Ohio for destruction.

WHEN:

CBS News - Jacobstown's fire station has used AFFF since the mid-1980s.

CBS News - Boots Gancarz was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2024.

WHY:

CBS News - AFFF contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), linked to higher cancer rates among firefighters.

CBS News - Firefighters are concerned about the health risks associated with PFAS in their equipment.

HOW:

CBS News - Revive Environmental processes AFFF through super critical water reactors, resulting in clean water.

(UPDATED July 12, 2026 02:54 UTC)

In Burlington County, New Jersey, fire departments are taking significant steps to dispose of aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF, due to health concerns linked to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS. Jacobstown Volunteer Fire Chief Robert Gancarz reported that his department has disposed of 580 gallons of AFFF, part of a larger effort that has seen over 150,000 gallons collected statewide, with the foam being transported to Revive Environmental in Ohio for destruction. The new PFAS-free foam used by Gancarz's department is made with soybeans, reflecting a shift towards safer firefighting practices amid growing health concerns, especially as Gancarz's father, a veteran firefighter, battles colon cancer, a diagnosis he received in 2024.