Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become a significant environmental and public health concern. Known for their persistence in the environment and potential adverse health effects, PFAS are often referred to as "forever chemicals." Despite growing awareness and scientific evidence of their risks, the question remains: do we have all the tools in the toolbox to manage PFAS risks?
Use of high energy approaches (for example ball milling or applying pressure treatments) to break down the strong bonds within the PFAS molecules and destroy the compounds is promising. However, the requirement for pre-treatment e.g. soil drying and the need for additives such as potassium hydroxide to increase effectiveness add to the complexity of treatment and ultimately the cost making these treatments less attractive.
The most commonly applied technology currently available uses granulated activated carbon to lock in the PFAS compounds and prevent them migrating. Whilst this technology achieves significant reductions in leaching potential, the long-term efficacy or performance in more extreme environments such as a landfill (which is often where the soil ultimately ends up) are less well understood.
The Current Regulatory Landscape
Regulatory bodies worldwide have taken steps to address PFAS contamination. However, critics argue that these measures are insufficient. The regulatory focus often lags behind the latest scientific findings, and the pace of policy implementation can be slow, with a clear disconnect between allowable use of PFAS in consumer and industrial products yet onerous restrictions on soil management or water discharges.
But it’s not that simple…
One of the primary challenges in regulating PFAS is their sheer number and the diversity of compounds within the PFAS group. With thousands of different PFAS compounds in use, creating comprehensive regulations is a daunting task.
The complexity of PFAS chemistry also makes detection and assessment of PFAS contamination challenging and hugely costly.
In many ways we are fortunate in New Zealand. The PFAS National Environmental Management Plan (2020 National Chemicals Working Group of the Heads of EPA Australia and New Zealand) provides a robust set of guidelines for investigation and management of PFAS contamination in the environment. The document is under regular review as the science supporting this guideline set grows. The New Zealand EPA has also started to address the double standards that have allowed PFAS to continue to be used in consumer products and packaging yet imposed challenging restrictions for PFAS concentrations in soil and water. The ban on PFAS in some personal care items commencing on 31 December 2026 in New Zealand is an important step in commencing the removal of PFAS from our environment and ultimately our food chain.
Key priorities
While removal and reduction of PFAS from inclusion in consumer and industrial products is unlikely to happen quickly, a key priority should be investment in technologies for remedial treatment.
The potential health impacts of PFAS exposure are becoming apparent as the science around exposure grows. They include links to cancer, liver damage and negative effects on the immune system. The persistence of these chemicals in the environment means that even small releases can lead to long-term contamination of water sources, soil, and wildlife. In this context, it is imperative that we have more tried, tested and affordable tools in the toolbox to facilitate cleanup. Without these there will potentially be a reluctance to investigate this issue, risking more PFAS mass discharging to the environment and ultimately the food chain.
In my view, collaboration between policy makers, regulators, technologists and contaminated land practitioners as well as the waste industry is imperative to developing affordable remediation solutions and achievable guideline limits that facilitate better management of this risk, reduce exposure and encourage cleanup to get underway.
To this end WasteMINZ’s Disposal to Land Sector Group are currently considering a review of the Technical Guidelines for Disposal to Land to provide more support to waste produces, disposal companies and regulators around the ongoing management of PFAS in our waste streams.
About the Author
Carole Smith, Technical Director Environment - WSP
Carole is a Certified Environmental Practitioner with a specialism in Contaminated Land. She has over 30 years of experience in contaminated land and landfill investigation and consenting including for a number of sites with PFAS related issues. Carole is a member of the disposal to land sector group and in 2025 will be focusing on updates to the Disposal to Land Guidelines to incorporate PFAS risk.
