Application Field
Biopolymer Fire Protection Systems — Deployable in Open Landscapes
Sprayable preventive layer for vegetation surfaces with elevated fire exposure — no halogenated active substances, no PFAS, biodegradable after the exposure period.
Problem Statement
Why Preventive Measures Are Systemically Necessary
Large-scale fire events frequently occur simultaneously and in regional clusters due to weather conditions. Emergency services and civil protection infrastructure — firefighting aircraft, helicopters, ground forces — face capacity constraints in such situations that force decision-makers to allocate resources by priority. A substantial proportion of affected areas remains without active protection during this phase.
Chemical fire retardants based on halogenated organic compounds are under growing REACH restriction pressure. Mechanical methods such as clearing and mulching cannot be scaled across large areas and provide no thermal protection during the critical exposure period.
This creates the systemic need for preventive solutions: areas treated before a fire event require no emergency resources during an incident — they are either protected against ignition or slow the spread of existing wildfires.
Regulatory Context
Schematic layer structure — not to scale
System Approach
Four Complementary Physical-Thermal Levels of Action
The system is applied to identified risk areas during the hazard period — not during an active fire response. The service life is designed for weeks to a few months, covering the critical summer dry phase. After the first significant precipitation event, biological degradation of the layer begins without residue.
Moisture Conservation
The biopolymer film matrix slows the desiccation of treated substrate surfaces through hydrophilic water retention in the surface layer.
Endothermic Cooling
Mineral hydroxides (ATH/MDH) absorb heat through decomposition and release water vapour — maintaining local temperature below the ignition threshold.
Intumescence
Structural components form a porous, insulating char layer upon heat exposure that slows heat transfer and restricts oxygen supply to the substrate.
Thermal Insulation
Phyllosilicates and structural minerals reduce heat flux at the substrate surface, protecting the underlying material from thermal stress.
Application
Application Contexts
Six Use Cases
Forest Edges & Corridor Strips
Vegetation surfaces with elevated wildfire exposure during heat and drought periods — linear structures along pathways, clearings and forest margins with high proportions of dry biomass.
Infrastructure Corridors
Preventive seasonal treatment along rail, road and power line corridors — areas with restricted firefighting access and high damage risk in the event of a surface fire.
Military Training Areas
Preventive vegetation treatment during the fire-prone summer period — particularly on areas with a high proportion of dry biomass and restricted access in the event of an emergency.
Stables & Equestrian Facilities
Stables concentrate high asset values in a confined space and rarely have area-wide fire suppression systems. BPS is developing animal-compatible formulations in cooperation with veterinarians, with independent confirmation of animal safety.
Agricultural Farm Buildings
Barns, machinery halls and hay stores with high fire load. Preventive treatment of the building envelope and adjacent vegetation areas as a supplement to structural protective measures.
Regions with Limited Firefighting Capacity
Areas where the EU civil protection capacity pool (rescEU) does not represent an immediately available resource during simultaneous large-scale events. Preventive area treatment as an independent risk reduction strategy — independent of reactive firefighting capacity.
System Comparison
Biopolymer Prevention vs. Established Methods
| Criterion | Conventional Methods | Biopolymer Fire Protection |
|---|---|---|
| Point of intervention | Reactive — during a fire incident or immediately before | Preventive — weeks to months before the hazard period |
| Area scalability | Mechanical methods (mulching, clearing) cannot be scaled across large areas | Spray application via hydroseeder or aerial — scalable to large areas |
| Regulatory exposure | Halogenated FR under ECHA restriction pressure; PFAS suppressants restricted since 10/2025 | Outside all current restriction frameworks — ATH/MDH explicitly exempted |
| Biodegradability | Chemical residues in soil; PFAS persistent | Fully biodegradable — no residue after precipitation |
| Capacity demand | Requires emergency personnel during acute incident | Pre-treated areas require no firefighting resources during an incident |
Funding Frameworks
Relevant EU Funding Programmes
This application field is relevant for several EU funding programmes in the areas of civil protection and climate adaptation. BPS intends to submit funding applications for validated systems within the applicable frameworks.
EU LIFE Climate Adaptation
Funding framework for climate adaptation measures — sub-area Disaster Prevention and wildfire prevention.
DG ECHO — Disaster Risk Reduction
Directorate-General for European Civil Protection — funding for preventive measures to reduce risk from natural disasters.
EU Forest Strategy 2030
Research and development framework for wildfire prevention — innovation funding for nature-based protection systems.
Interest in preventive fire protection?
Contact us — whether regarding specific requirements on risk areas, potential development cooperations, or veterinary validation for stable environments.