PFAS & Landfill Leachate
Three significant studies of levels of PFAS in landfill leachate and impacts on PFAS levels in wastewater treatment facilities where the leachate is processed have concluded that accepting landfill leachate usually does not raise PFAS levels in wastewater and biosolids signficantly - unless the landfill leachate is a very high percentage of total wastewater flow.
National Waste & Recycling Association Carolinas Chapter: Collective Study of PFAS and 1,4-Dioxane in Landfill Leachate and Estimated Influence on Wastewater Treatment Plant Facility Influent, March 10, 2020
VT DEC reports on PFAS in landfill waste & leachate, February 5, 2020
MI Waste & Recycling Association report, March 2019
VT DEC PFAS report, including leachate, July 2018
VT DEC testing of leachate & effluent, May 2018
Australian report on landfill leachate, 2017
From Michigan Waste & Recycling Association, 2019. Statewide Study on Landfill Leachate PFOA and PFOS Impact on Water Resource Recovery Facility Influent, March 2019. https://www.michiganwasteandrecyclingassociation.com/
“The report concludes that the most significant contributors of PFAS are residential materials, such as textiles, furniture and carpets. ”
Concerns about landfill leachate PFAS impacts have been in the media:
“DEC: PFAS common at Coventry Landfill…” - VT news on PFAS in landfill waste & leachate, February 5, 2020.
A November 5, 2019 article in the Boston Globe resulted in the Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility deciding not to continue accepting landfill leachate from a large New Hampshire landfill. NEBRA modeled the likely contribution of PFOA in the leachate in comparison to the total daily flow of the facility (Figure 1), finding a very small percentage, likely not really measurable in the measurements of PFOA in the Lowell effluent. This demonstrates the findings of the Michigan and others’ studies: although it has relatively high concentrations of PFAS, in most cases, leachate is in relatively small volumes compared to total daily flow of receiving facilities.
Wastewater facility managers should, however, review landfill leachate volumes and concentrations to understand whether or not the mass of PFAS from that source is significant to their particular operations.
Figure 1: The details matter. Accepting landfill leachate does not necessarily significantly increase measurable PFAS levels in wastewater effluent.
“To the Editor: We are disappointed by the Globe’s story today (“Toxic chemicals can be dumped into Merrimack River, federal and state officials say”). The story and its headline are inaccurate and misleading, and we wish to set the record straight for the public.
The Turnkey Landfill has had a permit to send leachate to the Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility (LRWU) since 2012. The LRWU was receiving leachate during the period in which the sampling reviewed by EPA was done. That sampling did not detect PFAS chemicals in drinking water.
While a local permit issued by the LRWU (not by US EPA or Mass DEP) authorizes the landfill to send up to 100,000 gallons per day to the Lowell treatment facility, the actual discharge is 75% less (an average of 25,000 gallons per day).
When considering public comments on the LRWU’s permit, EPA concluded that the available data did not require permit conditions for perfluorinated compounds. However, the agency noted that it could take further action during the permit term if new information showed a need to do so. EPA will continue to carefully monitor water quality data and take steps necessary to protect public health.”