5 critical PFAS insights worth remembering
At a glance
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic compounds used for firefighting and in a wide variety of consumer products due their water and stain repellent properties and thermal resistance. These compounds are persistent in the environment, migrate easily, and can concentrate in the food chain.
5 surprising ways PFAS persist in the environment, travel through ecosystems and build up in the food chain and How GHD can help.
As an emerging contaminant of concern, what is known about how to manage PFAS? Here are 5 key takeaways you need to know.
- Understanding release points and pathways: unlike many other organic compounds, PFAS do not breakdown in the environment and are soluble and mobile. The result is that contamination can spread very quickly and cover very large areas of land, and volumes of water. Developing an appropriate management strategy requires a comprehensive understanding of those release points and pathways in soil and groundwater.
- Contaminated infrastructure can be a significant source of PFAS contamination: large quantities of PFAS can soak into concrete and be released, for a long time treatment and remediation must be designed to account for this. Coatings are being trialed but at commercial scale, none so far have been shown to successfully mitigate this concern.
- Long-lasting effects within equipment: imagine an empty bottle of dish detergent - if you fill that with water and squeeze, it will still be releasing dish detergent. Similarly, aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) will remain in the piping and joints of equipment long after a product substitution, unless the equipment is properly decontaminated first.
- Still a lack of data and evidence to support safety factors: Across Australia and much of the US, we are seeing extremely low criteria being established, similar to those of toxic compounds such as dioxins/furans/benzene/vinyl chloride, for which there are substantial data to support these concerns. With PFAS, the evidence is simply not yet there to support OR refute such conservative assumptions. Because of this uncertainty, different jurisdictions are applying safety factors differently and at times not even looking at the same PFAS compounds.
- A strong stakeholder engagement plan is required: heightened public awareness of PFAS and uncertainties around its toxicology and exposure exacerbate the challenge of effectively communicating with stakeholders who may be impacted by on or off-site contamination. Both the time to implement screening technologies and decision timeframes can be compressed, and outcomes need to be clearly communicated. The lesson learned from Australia is that a strong stakeholder engagement plan is required, and those tasked with communicating the exposure risks of PFAS really need to understand the underlying science and uncertainties.
There are no simple solutions to addressing PFAS. It is critical to apply the principles of risk and evidence based mitigation strategies in response to groundwater, drinking water, and surface water and biosolids contamination. This will require new ways of thinking and will require the recognition of new sources, pathways, and receptors that may not have been considered previously.
How GHD can help
Our experienced global water and environment teams are working together to provide comprehensive, practical, risk-based solutions to our clients including site investigations and development of conceptual site models, risk assessments, and innovative control and remedial technologies. GHD tracks the fast changing regulatory and technical aspects of PFAS at both the state and federal levels and is committed to sharing all the latest insights.