Patrick Butler retired from the Kalamazoo Township Fire Department in 2009 after almost 35 years of fighting fires. โI figured, Iโm home free,โ he said. His next fight was with cancer.
Three years ago, Butler was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Since recovering, he attributes the cancer to his exposure to PFAS-laden firefighting foam. Butler discovered a plant-based, PFAS-free firefighting foam. His latest mission is to convince Michigan fire departments to swap out the harmful foam for the biodegradable foam. PFAS are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances that are known to cause cancer, liver damage, birth defects and autoimmune diseases. The synthetic chemical is widely used to make products resistant to stains, grease and water. PFOs, PFNAs and PFNBs are just a few of the thousands of PFAS โforever chemicalsโ that build up in the air, water, soil, fish and wildlife instead of breaking down over time.
