The Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF), Raleigh, North Carolina, announced it will hold its “Summit on PFAS in Leachate” Aug. 14-15 at the Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
This summit will bring together practicing engineers, academics, industry professionals, government personnel and policymakers to provide various perspectives and facilitate discussions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in landfill leachate.
PFAS are a group of man-made compounds that have been manufactured for the last 50 years that are commonly used in industrial processes and consumer products. Due to their ability to make products stain-resistant, water-repellent or nonstick, they are typically found in food packaging, fire-fighting foams, metal plating, outdoor gear, popcorn bags, food wrappers, facial moisturizers and more.
PFAS have become a topic of concern for waste professionals due to the management challenges they present. Conventional treatment processes are ineffective for the removal of PFAS in leachate. There are also analytical challenges in detecting PFAS in landfills leachate and gas samples.
Despite the widespread use of PFAS in everyday products, there are still significant knowledge gaps associated with the management of these compounds. EREF’s summit aims to fill in some of these gaps, providing open dialogue to discuss the challenges.
Topics for discussion to be covered during the summit include:
- What are PFAS?
- Sources and sinks
- State agency responses to PFAS
- Testing for PFAS
According to EREF, Liesl Clark, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, will share what she and her colleagues are learning as they work to protect public health by identifying and addressing exposures at contaminated sites and in Michigan’s surface water and public water supplies.
To view the full agenda and register, click here.