Name
Can't bury it forever – PFAS pathways from landfill leachate to biosolids and treatment implications
Description

The presence of PFAS in biosolids is an area of increasing focus from the United Kingdom and Europe to the United States and Australia. This presents growing regulatory and operational challenges for biosolids managers, especially as disposal pathways become more restrictive. Landfill leachate can pose a significant risk to treatment facilities as a potential major contributor of PFAS loading in wastewater, often containing higher levels of terminal PFAS compounds and PFAS-precursors compared to other municipal wastewater contributors. This presentation will highlight trends in leachate PFAS levels and evaluate the role that leachate plays in biosolids PFAS levels. Key observations include the partitioning between long- and short-chain PFAS between liquid and solid streams, and the contribution of PFAS-precursors to biosolids. The presentation will also cover potential treatment options, including foam fractionation, regenerable ion exchange resins, and reverse osmosis membranes. Technologies presented will include general design criteria, advantages and disadvantages, operational and maintenance requirements, and planning-level cost estimates. An ongoing case study evaluating leachate treatment at a full-scale facility will be summarized.

Authors
Katie Walker and Andy Thornton, Jacobs, UK