AC24 Impact of PFAS on Biosolids Management in New England

CWEA Members: $20.00
Non-Members $30.00
CWEA Contact Hours: 1.0 contact hours towards CWEA Certifications: LAB, AWTO

This presentation will review the cost to manage biosolids in various New England states, and the impact that PFAS has had on utilities’ operating budgets and operations for biosolids management. Maine’s land application moratorium, signed by the governor, will be discussed, including its short- and long-term impacts. The reactions of nearby states such as New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts’s to EPA’s PFAS roadmap; Maine’s moratorium; and growing negative public perception will be reviewed such that California agencies can learn from New England utilities’ experiences. We will also review successes in these states, where progress has been made working with regulators, communities, activist groups, and local legislative bodies.

EPA currently has not set any policies on PFAS in NPDES permitting, nor PFAS in biosolids. However, CERCLA has recently proposed designation of PFOS and PFOA as hazardous materials, which could impact water reclamation facilities and potential liabilities. States are taking matters into their own hands, ranging from a “do-nothing” approach to instituting a statewide ban on the land application of biosolids (Maine) which has severely disrupted biosolids management . Many states are moving toward “report only” requirements in NPDES permits for influent, effluent, and biosolids to increase the database of PFAS in the environment.

What should California do? To date, most states have not imposed PFAS standards in NPDES permits or biosolids, but Michigan’s EGLE has done precedent-setting work on PFAS in WW and mitigating sources. Utilities and consultants need to be prepared to educate communities, the legislature, regulators, and other stakeholders on the direct and indirect impacts of regulations and legislation around PFAS and water reclamation facilities. Industries discharging to WRFs need to participate in the conversation and become part of the solution through source control. In parallel, the science needs to continue to be developed and expanded, to better understand the true health and environmental implications of these compounds. This presentation aims to continue the conversation and information sharing so measured and thoughtful actions can be taken to address this issue in a fiscally and environmentally responsible manner, and so Californians can benefit from and implement the best practices.

Attendee Takeaways: 
Understand the value of biosoli.
Understand the value of biosolids to our communities and impact of PFAS regulations.
Success ways to communicate with regulators, legislature and other key stakeholders.
Understand the state of the science and current understanding of PFAS in Biosolids.ds to our communities and impact of PFAS regulations."

Registrants who view the live webinar to see the slides and hear the audio and then enter the correct attention check code (directions below)1.0  contact hours towards CWEA's Contact Hours. LAB,  AWTO

To receive your contact hours for viewing the live webinar, please note the one (1) attention check code that will be displayed during the webinar in the top left or right corner of the presentation for approximately 90 seconds.  Please enter this code in the Attention Check Code component under the "Contents" tab.  

Please note, all user activity of CWEA certification holders on the Online Wastewater Education Network is subject to the CWEA Code of Ethics standards for professional conduct and ethics. Certification holders should receive credit for a training only once within the same contact hour period. Any attempt to undermine the certification process may be subject to ethics procedures and possible sanctions. It is not possible to receive contact hours for both attending the live webinar and viewing the recording.  

Once you have entered the correct attendance check code, you will be able to create and download an electronic "Certificate of Completion" under the "Contents" tab.