A rapidly biodegradable, fluorine-free fire suppression foam which fully complies with stringent new environmental regulations being proposed in Queensland and Western Australia has been developed by Sandvik Fire Suppression.
Developed and produced in Adelaide, Eclipse can be used in all new and existing Sandvik-compliant fire suppression systems used on vehicles, plant and equipment involved in surface and underground mining, construction, forestry, waste management, materials handling, freight handling and rail.
Sandvik Fire Suppression Sales Manager Michael Sargaison says the new system is the world’s first in this application and complies with AS5062 2006 Fire protection for mobile and transportable equipment, while offering world’s best practice in environmentally sustainable foam-suppression technology.
Sargaison says Eclipse rapidly biodegrades, unlike fluorine-based foams, which, untreated, persist as a hazardous substance in the environment for potentially thousands of years.
“Because of the environmental impacts of fluorine-based foams, Queensland and Western Australia are proposing new regulations imposing strict new requirements on the use of these foams,” he says.
“In addition to its environmental benefits, Eclipse is superior to fluorine-based foams in that it delivers faster knock-down while still maintaining post-fire protection — making it more efficient at putting out mobile equipment fires.
“At the same time, it saves on money and time involved in the costly clean-up and EHS reporting required with fluorine-based foam systems,” Sargaison says, adding that the cost of the new foam is “very similar” to fluorine-based foams.
He says the company aims to convert all Sandvik-compliant fire suppression systems that the company services across to Eclipse over the next 12 months.