PFAS Risk: Investigation & Treatment
Sweco has been working with PFAS for more than 20 years and has extensive experience in investigating these substances and identifying appropriate measures.
PFAS is a global environmental problem as it is difficult to break down and spreads via air, particles and water, ultimately ending up in the drinking water or the food we eat.
Awareness of PFAS has increased in recent years. The group of substances is found in a large number of products in society and is being detected in an increasing number of places in the environment. The need for research and cost-effective solutions is increasing as a result of new and updated legislation.
Sweco uses a risk-based assessment to determine whether there is a real need for remediation measures. This also includes methods for tracking sources of PFAS and prioritising different sub-areas. This way of working works for both smaller, simple projects and large, complex projects.
If action is necessary, Sweco has a variety of remediation methods that can be evaluated to assess their suitability for the site in question. Such an assessment is sometimes based on a cost-benefit analysis that we conduct together with the customer and possibly other interested parties.
What are PFAS?
PFAS is a complex group of chemicals with functions such as water, grease and dirt repellent. There are more than 10,000 different substances within the group and all are produced artificially. PFAS stands for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, but is also called highly fluorinated substances.
Where are PFAS used?
PFAS are used in thousands of different products. The substances can be found in household products such as cleaning agents, food packaging, certain pots and pans with non-stick coatings and cosmetics. PFAS are also found in, for example, impregnating agents for textiles and paper, paints and hydraulic oil. PFAS are also used in many different industrial sectors, such as the paper industry, the surface treatment industry and the electronics industry. The most notable use of PFAS is in foam-forming fire extinguishing agents. Because PFAS is so common in society, the group of substances is common insewage treatment plant and waste facilities.
When and how are PFAS detected in water and soil?
PFAS are found in soil and water investigations in areas where products or materials containing PFAS have been used, for example at fire training sites, fuel depots with automatic extinguishing systems and industries where these substances have been used in production. PFAS are very common in storm water and groundwater in these areas.
The challenge with PFAS in contaminated soil?
PFAS have a complex behaviour in the environment. In addition, guideline and limit values are often very low, sometimes lower than background levels in soil and water in Sweden. In order to assess risks and the need for action, it is therefore often necessary to conduct in-depth investigations so that risks are not overestimated, which would lead to unnecessary costs and remediation measures.
Sweco has long developed evaluation methods within contaminated areas which are specially adapted for PFAS and which means that risks and the need for action are assessed in a realistic way.
In terms of measures, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find reception facilities for PFAS-contaminated soils and the cost of reception is often significantly higher than for soil contaminated with other substances. Several of the PFAS that are regulated have properties that mean that established remediation methods other than trench remediation are unsuitable. This primarily means that methods based on the degradation of substances in the environment do not work because several PFAS are very resistant to degradation.