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Flying High: A Large Scale AFFF Decommissioning at a Private Airline Hangar
Learn how we removed 800 gallons of AFFF from an active airport — ahead of schedule and with minimal downtime.Byline: BTB Author
September 4, 2025 / Time to read: 5 minWhen the owners of a private airline hangar at Frederick Municipal Airport needed to remove 800 gallons of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), we rose to the challenge and got the job done in three days.
The Challenge
AFFF is a specialized foam designed to suppress fuel-based fires. While it is an effective firefighting agent, it contains
In November 2023, we were contracted to dismantle and remove the AFFF system at a private hangar at Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, MD. The biggest challenge? While there were no planes in the private hangar, managing a large-scale AFFF disposal project at an active airport presented several obstacles.
For starters, a mezzanine area was inaccessible by manlifts. Because the AFFF piping was mounted on a 20-foot ceiling, it was especially important to use proper access and fall-protection equipment, such as harnesses, manlifts, hard hats and ladders. There were also built-in tool benches that obstructed the area, making it more difficult to work around.
Additionally, the system was decommissioned to perform the work, thus compromising the facility's fire protection capabilities. To safeguard our crew, airport staff and visitors, fire watch personnel were stationed on site.
The Solution
Using poly and drop cloths to maintain a clean work environment throughout the course of the AFFF disposal project, OSHA-trained personnel performed the following:
- Depressurized and isolated the AFFF system from the sprinkler system
- Drained AFFF from the system into totes for proper disposal
- Removed, sized and placed all components of the AFFF system — including a 500-gallon steel tank, 2000 feet of piping, hangers and pneumatic actuator piping — into a roll-off container for disposal
- Sealed penetrations between hangars created by the AFFF system removal using fireproof expanding foam
- Transported all waste off-site for proper disposal at Cycle Chem in Elizabeth, NJ where it was consolidated with like material and shipped to a Subtitle C landfill
The Outcome
The AFFF sequestration, transportation and disposal was completed safely, ahead of schedule and in full compliance with all environmental and hazardous waste disposal criteria.
The successful three-day operation was made possible through close collaboration between our expert remediation team, a local fire protection company, the airport fire chief, general manager of the hangar and airport staff.
Safe and Compliant AFFF Disposal
Republic Services offers a single-source solution for the responsible management of AFFF- and other PFAS-impacted waste. With a wide network of specialized facilities designed to dispose of or treat these types of complex waste streams, you can count on us from coast to coast for turnkey
Our Industrial Services experts are equipped with the latest training and technology to safely and efficiently decommission large-scale AFFF deluge hangar fire suppression systems and manage handheld fire extinguishers.
- Evacuating AFFF concentrate from fire suppression system tanks
- Dismantling tanks, hose reels, piping and valve removal
- AFFF bladder removal
- Transportation and disposal of AFFF and rinse waters in drums, totes or bulk tankers
- Containerization, transportation and disposal of debris and piping
- 24/7 emergency response
Learn how our
