The Invisible Environmental Time Bomb: Contamination with Capstone B
Capstone B is an unregulated PFAS substitute that has been widely used in stationary firefighting foam systems – often without the operators’ knowledge. This can pose a serious risk to the environment and health.
Capstone B, a modern PFAS substitute used as a fluorinated polymer, has been incorporated into stationary firefighting foam systems millions of times – particularly in foam tanks and sprinkler systems of major industrial facilities, airports, and logistics centers. While public awareness of PFAS is growing, Capstone B remains largely unknown to many plant operators, authorities – and even experts. That’s exactly what makes this substance especially dangerous.
A Problem Nobody Sees – and Hardly Anyone Knows About
Here’s the core issue: Capstone B is not yet banned – and therefore not typically tested for. That means most facility operators have no idea they are storing a serious environmental and health hazard in their systems. In foam concentrate tanks, concentrations in the millions of micrograms per liter are possible. These quantities can enter the environment and ultimately groundwater during leaks, renovations, or fire events – often without anyone even noticing.
“Not knowing what you’re storing in your system is no excuse – it’s a ticking time bomb,” explains a spokesperson from NT Service GmbH, a company specialized in PFAS decontamination.
Pollution That’s Nearly Undetectable
Capstone B is a persistent, mobile, and toxic fluorinated compound. Once released into the environment, it can travel long distances into groundwater, with severe consequences for drinking water supplies. The problem lies not only in the acute danger but in the lack of traceability through standard testing.
That’s because comprehensive PFAS analytics are extremely complex and expensive. Only advanced analytical methods can detect and quantify specific substances like Capstone B. In practice, this means that many operators simply skip testing, either due to cost or a lack of awareness.
This leads to a dangerous outcome: Contaminated land, polluted soils, and diffuse environmental releases remain undetected – and therefore untreated. State environmental authorities are clearly called upon to initiate broad monitoring programs, because public health and drinking water safety must not depend on cost considerations or chance.
Health Risks – Medical Concerns Are Rising
While more is known about the health effects of legacy PFAS like PFOA and PFOS (e.g. liver and kidney damage, hormone disruption, immune suppression), the data on Capstone B remains incomplete. That makes the compound no less dangerous, only harder to evaluate – a classic case of “regulatory gray zone.”
What we do know: fluoropolymers like Capstone B are potentially bioaccumulative, can enter the food chain, and may remain in the human body for years. Early studies suggest PFAS compounds may suppress immune responses and reduce the effectiveness of vaccines, in addition to carcinogenic potential.
Decontaminate or Shut Down
Facilities that have used foam concentrates containing Capstone B cannot simply be decommissioned or scrapped without first being fully decontaminated. Otherwise, severe environmental damage and even criminal liability may result. Cleaning these systems down to below detectable limits (<10 ng/l) is a highly specialized and technically demanding task – one that only a few companies across Europe are equipped to handle. NT Service GmbH is one of these rare specialists.
Capstone B Ban: Just a Matter of Time
Across Europe, lawmakers are moving toward a comprehensive PFAS ban, which experts believe will soon include Capstone B. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is already pursuing a stricter regulatory approach. Internationally, discussions within the Stockholm Convention are also pointing toward broader listings of fluorinated substitutes.
A ban in the coming years is not only likely – it’s virtually inevitable. Operators who continue to use Capstone B today risk facing full operational shutdowns or extremely expensive retrofits under time pressure.
Conclusion: The Time to Act Is Now
Capstone B is an invisible environmental burden hidden inside facilities – but one with potentially devastating consequences for human health, nature, and infrastructure. Operators cannot afford to rely on regulatory loopholes or delays, but must take proactive steps. Those who invest in proper analysis and decontamination now will protect the environment, public health – and their own business survival.
