Remediation management for local and wide-spread PFAS contaminations

Abstract

The group of contaminants known as PFAS is becoming an increasingly important factor to consider in the evaluation of contaminated sites. After several guidelines and methodological approaches for the investigation, assessment, and evaluation of PFAS contaminant impacts have been developed in Germany, nationwide coordinated guidelines providing management tools for the remediation of local and wide-spread PFAS contaminant impacts remain to be established, including standardized specifications for the three phases of investigation: the orienting investigation, detailed investigation, and re-mediation options appraisal. This document, which has been prepared as a type of work-aid or guideline for German authorities within the context of a research project, aims to provide support to German regulative authorities in the selection, evaluation, and determination of appropriate and fitting remedial solutions for localized and wide-spread cases of PFAS contamination. While highlighting relevant boundary conditions and if necessary, any supplementary measures to consider in the analysis, this guideline shall serve as a basis for overall management of PFAS contaminant impacts. Due to the varying properties of the individual PFAS constituent compounds, any evaluation of technical remedial options shall be based on the main PFAS constituent compound of concern. For the relevant remedial options, advantages and disadvantages, technical and German legal requirements, and the sustainability of each respective option are discussed in this guideline. This work-aid also incorporates the results of two Germany-wide technical workshops that were held in the years 2018 and 2019. Quelle: Forschungsbericht

⁠PFAS⁠ -as group of substances- are becoming increasingly important in the treatment of contaminated sites and harmful soil changes. The present work aid "Remediation management for local and area-wide PFAS contaminations" supports the responsible authorities in the pre-selection, evaluation and decision for a suitable and proportionate remediation procedure, shows relevant basic conditions and accompanying measures. Due to the different substance properties of PFAS, the possible remediation procedures must also be evaluated on a substance-specific basis. The advantages and disadvantages, the technical and approval requirements as well as their sustainability are shown for the possible remediation methods.