National Estimate of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Release to U.S. Municipal Landfill Leachate

Landfills are the final stage in
the life cycle of many products
containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and their presence
has been reported in landfill leachate. The concentrations of 70 PFASs
in 95 samples of leachate were measured in a survey of U.S. landfills
of varying climates and waste ages. National release of PFASs was
estimated by coupling measured concentrations for the 19 PFASs where
more than 50% of samples had quantifiable concentrations, with climate-specific
estimates of annual leachate volumes. For 2013, the total volume of
leachate generated in the U.S. was estimated to be 61.1 million m3, with 79% of this volume coming from landfills in wet climates
(>75 cm/yr precipitation) that contain 47% of U.S. solid waste.
The
mass of measured PFASs from U.S. landfill leachate to wastewater treatment
plants was estimated to be between 563 and 638 kg for 2013. In the
majority of landfill leachate samples, 5:3 fluorotelomer carboxylic
acid (FTCA) was dominant and variations in concentrations with waste
age affected total estimated mass. There were six PFASs that demonstrated
significantly higher concentrations in leachate from younger waste
compared to older waste and six PFAS demonstrated significant variation
with climate.