The pink fire retardant that are saving Los Angeles homes
Fighting deadly infernos from the air
The MVP-Fx product comes with some warnings, such as avoiding unnecessary contact with it and removing it from eyes, skin, and clothing. Perimeter Solutions described MVP-Fx as “minimally irritating to the eyes” and “non-irritating to skin” in the MVP-Fx product data sheet. However, inhaling it may cause irritation to the respiratory tract.
Compared to the wildfires themselves, the warnings on Phos-Chek MVP-F are tame. Wildfires not only burn people but also produce toxic smoke that can linger for weeks to months. Daniel McCurry, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Southern California who was part of the research team that found metals in fire retardants, told NPR that people in a fire zone likely have more pressing worries than the Phos-Chek. “In terms of immediate concern, the main thing I’d be worried about, regardless of whether there’s fire retardant used or not, is just air pollution — like particulate matter,” McCurry said. “If you’re walking around in an area that’s been burned, it’s probably still very smoky. So it’d be a good idea to wear a respirator.” The primary environmental concern associated with the retardant is the presence of heavy metals. A study last year suggested that one version of Phos-Chek had higher levels of metals like cadmium and chromium than is considered safe according to regulatory thresholds. Heavy metals are not directly added to the product but may come from naturally occurring impurities.
