More on PFAS

By Don Smolenski, Contributing Editor | TLT Machinery February 2024

There are more pollution challenges for us to tackle.
This column follows up on two previous TLT columns.1,2 The downside is that the more we look, the more we find PFAS pollution. The upside, however, is that there are many, many more efforts focused on eliminating or at least reducing this problem. PFAS continues to be in the news. The U.S. EPA has ordered three chemical companies to provide physical and chemical property information on HFPO-DAF, a key part of GenX technology,3 specifically on whether or not it causes significant eye damage. They also may have to test for skin damage, organ damage and cancer. EPA has started collecting data on PFAS (and also lithium) in water systems.4 They released the first data set in August 2023, which represents 7% of the data that EPA will be collecting over the next three years. Utilities are required to monitor only 29 of the thousands of PFAS and do not have to report PFAS detectable levels below the reporting limits. As expected, environmental groups are critical on both counts. 

The data reveal that there are detectable levels of PFAS in 431 sites. This clearly highlights the scale of the PFAS problem in the U.S. The August 2023 data show the number of public and private water systems in U.S. communities (3,186 locations in 50 states, the District of Columbia and two territories) that are confirmed to be contaminated with PFAS. Even more concerning, this continues to grow at an alarming rate. The Environmental Working Group has developed an interactive map of sites.5 I suggest accessing the map at www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/pfas_contamination/map/. It is at least informative and could possibly be a little terrifying. 

There is a lot more focus on how PFAS gets into drinking water. Most commonly it comes from fire training/response sites, industrial sites, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. Often PFAS originates in cleaning products, non-stick cookware (remember when Teflon pots and pans were all the rage?), water-resistant fabrics such as rain jackets and tents, stain-resistant coatings used on carpets, upholstery and even personal care products like shampoo, nail polish, dental floss, etc. What about the food we eat? It is most likely found in meats—organ meats in particular—and in dairy products. High PFAS levels have been found in lakes and rivers, most notably in Pennsylvania and Michigan, resulting in “do not eat” advisories for fish in some bodies of water in these states. These are many more challenges for environmental scientists and engineers.

REFERENCES
1. Smolenski, D. (2023), “Pollution,” TLT, 79 (10), p. 96. Available here.
2. Smolenski, D. (2023), “More on pollution,” TLT, 79 (12), p. 112. Available here.
3. “EPA orders tests on PFAS chemical used in GenX,” Chemical and Engineering News, Aug. 28, 2023, p.14.
4. “EPA releases data on PFAS, Lithium,” Chemical and Engineering News, Aug. 28, 2023, p. 15.
5. Click here.
 
Don Smolenski is president of his own consultancy, Strategic Management of Oil, LLC, in St. Clair Shores, Mich. You can reach him at donald.smolenski@gmail.com.