Solberg, a leading global manufacturer of firefighting foam concentrates is proud to announce and be the first foam manufacturer to achieve Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) Standard 162 Listing for RE-

HEALING™ (RF) foam. RE‑HEALING foam concentrates are formulated using a new high performance synthetic foam technology that is completely free of all fluorinated compounds, be it fluorosurfactant, fluoropolymers, or any other organohalogens. This statement is fully substantiated by independent laboratory analysis, including achievement of the challenging Harmonized Offshore Chemical Notification Format (HOCNF) analysis of Solberg fluorine-free concentrates for use in the North Sea. HOCNF testing involved detailed chemical analysis of SOLBERG RE-HEALING finished product, in addition to every raw material used in the production of RE-HEALING foam, to prove that RE-HEALING concentrates contain no fluorine, chlorine, or other organohalogens. And so it was with great interest when an alleged competing fluorine-free product stated to be “the first and only fluorine free, UL listed foam…” in an advertisement (shown below) at the recent 2013 Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.

BULLETIN #1014

Fluorine Free Foam —

Not All Concentrates Are Equal

In our review of the ECOGUARD® product data sheet, this product is described as an “advanced formulation produces similar firefighting performance as AFFF and Fluoroprotein products while containing no organofluorine components.” These published claims of organofluorine free foam, and the first and only fluorine free foam were worthy of further investigation. The development of ECOGUARD foam concentrate was presented in a technical/industry paper titled “AFFF Fire Performance Without Fluorosurfactant? Yes…With High Molecular Weight FluoroPolymers”, at the Reebok Joint IFE/JOIFF Conference on December 20, 2004, at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton, Greater Manchester UK. The paper was presented by Dr. Kirtland P. Clark, at the time the Vice President R&D for Chemguard, Inc.

This paper presented the fire performance of ECOGUARD foam concentrate, along with details on how the product was formulated. On slide 6 of this presentation, the presenter states “What is Chemguard FluoroSurfactant Free Foam (FSFF)? It has an effective amount of at least one high molecular weight polymer with perfluorinated side chains optimized to stabilize bubbles to Class B fuels.” (Underlining added by Solberg).

FLUORINE FREE FOAM – NOT ALL CONCENTRATES ARE EQUAL | 2

The use of a high molecular weight polymer with “perfluorinated side chains” is NOT a fluorine free foam concentrate. Perfluorinated materials are, by definition and their description, fluorine containing materials.

On Slide 19 of the same presentation, the presenter states “Combining 3% F3 and FSFF Technologies Provides AFFF Type Fire Performance Without Fluorosurfactants and Polysaccharides. Strong performance with less than 0.20% fluorine as Chemguard FP-5102 (High Molecular Weight FluoroPolymer) and 4-6% Chemguard HS-100. Not sensitive to solvent as is the 3% F3 product, yet does not contain fluorosurfactants or polysaccharides.”

FLUORINE FREE FOAM – NOT ALL CONCENTRATES ARE EQUAL | 3

In this statement, the presenter is stating that the product is free of fluorosurfactant, but NOT free of fluoropolymer. To the contrary, the presenter is stating the fluorine content of this finished product. Lastly, on Slide 26, the presenter states “FluoroSurfactant Free Foam (FSFF) Requires High Molecular Weight Polymer (HMWFP).” The presenter is clearly stating that in his view, the product requires high molecular weight fluoropolymer to perform in fire situations.

FLUORINE FREE FOAM – NOT ALL CONCENTRATES ARE EQUAL | 4

In the presentation, the formulation chemist responsible for the development of this supposed fluorine free foam concentrate (ECOGUARD) identifies how this product was developed; by substituting “fluorosurfactant” with high molecular weight “fluoropolymers”. Call it what you may, the use of fluoropolymers in a foam concentrate does not qualify as “fluorine free”. This Reebok presentation regarding the formulation work of the ECOGUARD foam concentrate does not describe a product identified in marketing literature as “the first and only fluorine free, UL listed foam….” or an “advanced formulation (that) produces similar firefighting performance as AFFF and Fluoroprotein products while containing no organofluorine components.” The Solberg Company’s line of RE-HEALING foam concentrates contain no fluorine of any kind, or any organohalogens, whether described as fluorosurfactant, high molecular weight fluoropolymer, or any other description used to describe fluorine chemistry. The Solberg Company also has the third party documentation, from the German Institute of Hygiene to verify our statements that RE-HEALING foam is completely free of fluorine or other organohalogens as both a finished product, and on each and ingredient used in our product. Our recommendation to perspective users of fluorine-free firefighting foam concentrates is to conduct proper due diligence and beware of marketing claims regarding other fluorine free foam products.

FLUORINE FREE FOAM – NOT ALL CONCENTRATES ARE EQUAL | 5

TECHNICAL BULLETIN TB-1014 I June, 2013 COPYRIGHT ©2013 SOLBERG

®, IS TRADEMARKS OF THE SOLBERG COMPANY

OR ITS AFFILIATES. ECOGUARD IS A REGISTERED MARK OF CHEMGUARD INCORPORATED