The presence of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking and wastewater water systems has generated major media headlines and spurred a rapidly-changing shift in regulatory attention. As the EPA and state environmental regulators develop new regulations, industrial site managers and municipal authorities across the U.S. are beginning to plan for changes to their treatment processes. A new white paper from SUEZ – Water Technologies & Solutions demonstrates the importance of balancing current mandates with future requirements in the selection of treatment technologies.
“PFAS issues are uniquely complex and both industrial and municipal facilities are facing huge challenges as they determine the best way to identify, treat and dispose of these chemical compounds.” said Kevin Cassidy, executive vice president of engineered solutions at SUEZ – Water Technologies & Solutions. “This white paper summarizes a best approach for characterizing site conditions, selecting technologies, and designing treatment solutions. We hope it helps site operators find the right path forward in their efforts to remove PFAS from wastewater streams and water sources.”
Around since the 1940s, PFAS are man-made chemicals used in a wide array of industrial and commercial products such as firefighting foam and non-stick cookware.. The chemicals enter the environment from industrial wastewater discharges at facilities that either make or use PFAS in the manufacturing of other products; and through discharges of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) at oil refineries, airfields, firefighting training facilities, and military bases. Due to chemical properties that make them highly resistant to biodegradation, PFAS compounds persist in the environment and accumulate in the human body.
The white paper, “Addressing PFAS Contamination: Treatment Considerations for Complex Applications,” provides an overview of PFAS, highlights the issues and emerging risks of PFAS substances and examines the considerations for
treating PFAS. The white paper highlights the:
- overview of PFAS and use in the U.S.
- existing and evolving regulations
- importance of analyzing complex waste streams
- available treatment technologies
- treatment considerations and strategies
- challenges to the destruction of PFAS
The paper also contains two case studies that highlight the complexity of PFAS remediation and the need for customized solutions at each site.
Download the white paper here.