Blog
April 4, 2023
PRESS RELEASE • APR 4, 2023
EAGAN, Minn., April 4, 2023 (Newswire.com) – Emergency Technical Decon (ETD), a state-of-the-art cleaning solution provider tackling the high firefighter occupational cancer rates, in partnership with Cool Clean Technologies, a solution provider of liquid CO2 technology innovations, today released findings of a preliminary study investigating the removal of lithium residue or lithium-ion batteries (LIB) fire contamination from firefighter protective clothing using CO2+ cleaning technology.
LIB fires generate a range of toxic combustion products, including but not limited to acids, soot, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), toxic gases, and metals such as cobalt and lithium products. As green technology’s presence increases and new solutions requiring lithium-ion batteries come to market, so do fire-related incidents surrounding their existence in communities.
Following protocols developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), ETD in conjunction with Cool Clean Technologies conducted a preliminary test to evaluate lithium removal efficiencies using CO2+ cleaning technology. The technology uses liquid CO2 with environmentally friendly cleaning proprietary detergents, which has been demonstrated to remove a wide range of hazardous residues from firefighter gear. The results proved successful, with an average lithium removal rate of about 80% from test samples.
“We’re excited that the fire service finally has an option to address contamination from electric vehicle- and battery-related incidents and similar calls,” said Emergency Technical Decon President Mike Duyck. “Firefighters are responding to fires involving these technologies at a rapidly increasing rate with, until now, no solution that significantly removes these carcinogens from their protective gear. Water extractor washing techniques were failing, so we knew we had to push to find a solution quickly.”
Using these test results as a baseline, ETD and Cool Clean Technologies look forward to continued innovation that increases the effectiveness of the removal of carcinogens and toxins with the aid of CO2+ technologies.
“We are pleased with the results of this first lithium removal study showing significant toxic residue removal from firefighter gear exposed to lithium-ion battery combustion products,” said Cool Clean Technologies R&D Director Nelson Sorbo, Ph.D. “As with other toxic compound removal capabilities, the goal is to reach complete decontamination of firefighter gear. Our team will be working hard to achieve this important milestone.”
ETD has been verified by Underwriters Laboratory as an Independent Service Provider (ISP) under NFPA 1851, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, 2020 Edition. This preliminary study is a continuation of the company’s commitment to constant quality improvement and creating the best process possible to ensure firefighter health and safety.
