Landfills in the United States
Environmental Impacts and Health Hazards Landfills play a crucial role in waste management, but their environmental impacts and potential health hazards are often overlooked. In the United States, the consequences of extensive landfill use are becoming increasingly evident, raising concerns about the well-being of both the environment and nearby communities. Environmental Impacts Landfills generate various […]
Withdrawing Opt-Out Elections
in the 3M Water Settlement The $12.5 billion 3M Public Water System class settlement presents an opportunity for the recovery of costs spent by water systems to respond to the PFAS crisis. However, Public Water Systems who opted out of the settlement could recover nothing. Fortunately, those who opted out may opt back in, provided […]
Dupont Water Settlement Deadlines & Payments
DuPont agreed to pay $1.085 billion to settle all damages caused to public drinking water systems by PFAS contamination. In sum, the Settlement Class includes all public water systems in the United States that draw from water sources that tested positive for PFAS at any level. The settlement divides water systems into Phase One and […]
EPA Announces New Steps to Protect Communities from PFAS
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced new measures to safeguard communities and the environment from the health risks associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are persistent chemicals with slow breakdown rates, commonly used in various consumer, commercial, and industrial products. The EPA is proposing two rules to enhance its comprehensive strategy […]
PFAS in Landfill Leachate: A Growing Concern
Introduction Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have emerged as significant environmental pollutants. They come from various products like non-stick cookware, water-repellent fabrics, and firefighting foams. Landfills receive a vast range of waste, becoming critical sources of PFAS. Leachate, the liquid that drains or ‘leaches’ from a landfill, often carries these chemicals into the environment. PFAS […]
Summary of 2023 Purdue Study of PFAS and Testicular Cancer among U.S. Air Force Servicemen
Scientists worldwide are actively exploring the potential health risks associated with PFAS. While researchers have traditionally focused on the health impacts of PFAS through public drinking water exposure, recent scientific investigations are expanding their scope to consider other potential sources. Mark Purdue of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute led this […]
Health Risks of PFAS Exposure
Scientific investigators around the world continue to explore the human health risks of PFAS. The chemical group PFAS includes reference to PFOS and PFOA chemicals. Dupont and 3M created PFAS chemicals and hold patents on their chemical composition. Although most research primarily concerns drinking water exposure, scientific investigations have turned to look at other exposures, […]
Water Treatment for PFAS Contamination
The synthetic PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, pose a significant threat to drinking water supplies in the U.S. Their characteristics make them resistant to natural breakdown over time. Moreover, their high-water solubility contributes to significant mobility in soil and an affinity for leaching into groundwater. Therefore, these chemicals pose a heightened threat to municipalities drawing […]
The Environmental Impact of Firefighting Foam
A Deep Dive into PFOS and PFOA Firefighting Foam (AFFF) has long been a critical tool in addressing flammable liquid-based fires, but its impact on the environment has come under scrutiny, particularly with the generation of PFAS substances like PFOS and PFOA. This essay explores the composition of firefighting foam, the enduring nature of PFOS […]
Evolution and Advancements in Firefighting Foams
In 1902, Russian engineer and chemist Aleksandr Loran spearheaded the development of the first firefighting foam. Loran’s innovative solution addressed the inefficiencies of water in combating oil and flammable liquid-based fires. NRL and 3M Collaboration in the 1960s Delving into the 1960s, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) collaborated with the 3M Company to enhance firefighting […]