The staggering costs of PFAS Remediation

Arp, Hans Peter H.

doi:10.5281/zenodo.17256273

Abstract

This presentation summarizes the work of the Forever Lobbying Project and ZeroPM to ascertain the costs of PFAS remediation (https://foreverpollution.eu/). It was presented as part of the "Towards toxic-free Forum", organized by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Hazardous Waste Europe, and the Permanent Representation of France to the EU Event title: Addressing the staggering costs of PFAS pollution Background and objectives of the event:Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution poses a significant threat to public health, the environment, and the economy. The widespread contamination of water, soil, and food sources has led to increased costs related to remediation, healthcare, and litigation. Despite mounting scientific evidence and growing public concern, regulatory action remains slow, and affected communities continue to suffer. The polluter pays principle is barely applied, leaving society to bear the unaffordable health and economic costs of pollution.The Chemical Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) recognised that PFAS require special attention due to widespread soil and water contamination, including drinking water, in the EU and globally. Scientists warn that the increasing stock of chemical pollution, including PFAS, is surpassing the safe operating space of planetary boundaries, threatening human health and the environment.A universal PFAS restriction has been proposed by Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden and is currently undergoing scientific scrutiny to enable informed policymaker decisions.France has recently adopted one of the most ambitious laws on PFAS, which is pioneer in the application of the polluter pays principle.This event seeks to raise awareness among Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), European Commission representatives, and Member States on the severe economic and social costs of PFAS pollution. It aims to reinforce the urgency for the European Commission to finalise the action plan for PFAS phase out and improve polluters accountability and support mechanisms for affected communities.

The staggering costs of PFAS Remediation

Author: Arp, Hans Peter H.

Publisher: Zenodo

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17256273

Source: https://zenodo.org/records/17256273/files/EEB_Intro_Costs_of_Remediation_Arp.pdf

This p ojec has ecei ed unding om he Eu opean Union’s Ho izon 2020
esea ch and inno a ion p og amme unde g an ag eemen No 101036756.
The s agge ing cos s
o PFAS emedia ion
Hans Pe e H. A p
No wegian Geo echnical Ins i u e (NGI)
No wegian Uni e si y o Science and Technology (NTNU)
Con ac : hans.pe e .a[email p o ec ed]
PFAS con amina ed si es in Eu ope
22,934 known con amina ion si es
21,426 p esump i e con amina ion si es
231 known PFAS use s
20 PFAS manu ac u ing acili ies
Sou ce: Fo e e Pollu ion P ojec
o e e pollu ion.eu
Co dne e al. En i on. Sci. Technol.2024, 58, 15, 6616-6627
No dilu ion o his pe sis en and mobile pollu ion
Su ace uno
G oundwa e discha ge
Leaching o
g oundwa e
Up ake in
plan s
Biomagni ica ion
Seconda y poisoning
Bioaccumula ion
Up ake in aqua ic
o ganisms
Di ec and seconda y poisoning
Seconda y poisoning
PFBA •Pe sis en
•Mobile
•Bioaccumula i e
•Toxic
Zhang e al (2021) Eng In . h ps://doi.o g/10.1016/j.en in .2021.106856
Legacy scena io
B unn, H., A nold, G., Kö ne , W. e al. .En i on Sci
Eu 35, 20 (2023). h ps://doi.o g/10.1186/s12302-
023-00721-8
TFA
Eme ging scena io
PFBS
PFBA
PFP A
Technological and cos limi a ions
Scheu e e al. (2017). Wa e esea ch,126, 460-471.
Legacy PFAS
0.02-0.20 €/m3
Eme ging Scena io (wi h
b ine des uc ion)
5-10 €/m3
•TFA emo al om wa e is Re e se Osmosis
ollowed by Supe c i icial wa e oxida ion (ca 8
€/m3)
ca. 100 billion € /yea
+ all wa e syn he ic
+ huge impac om g een house gas emissions
+ In as uc u e upg ade no ealis ically plausible
Upscale o all wa e om
PFAS con amina ed si es

Legacy Scena io Eme ging
Scena io
Ta ge ing long-chain
PFAS
Ta ge ing all PFAS,
including TFA
Hea ily con amina ed soils 1-5 B €/yea 5-30 B €/yea
D inking wa e 0.2-0.7 B €/yea 16-65 B €/yea
Land ill leacha e 0.0004-0.01 B €/yea 0.02-0.7 B €/yea
Was ewa e e luen No included 20-70 B €/yea
Was ewa e sludges o
ag icul u e
No included 8-20 B €/yea
The cos o inac ion
inc eases as PFAS
sp eads
•Legacy Scena io
€38 -100 billion o e 20 yea s
•Eme ging Scena io
€2 illion o e 20 yea s
•Would add ess less han 1% o
cu en PFAS uses in he EU
•P e en ion/Reduc ion only
easible op ion
•Who will pay?
Acknowledgemen s
Thanks o unding om he Eu opean Union’s Ho izon
2020 esea ch and inno a ion p og amme unde g an
ag eemen No 101036756
2021-2026
h ps://ze opm.eu/
h ps://ze opm.eu/ emo al-wo kshop/
Ali Ling (Uni e si y o S . Thomas School o Enginee ing)
Raphaëlle Aube (Le Monde)
Eu ydice Be si (Repo e s Uni ed)
S ephan Ho el (Le Monde)
o e e pollu ion.eu/