DEQ study: All samples from sludge-applied fields found PFAS contamination
On April 29, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) presented the findings of its 2023 study, which examined PFAS levels in wastewater and wastewater treatment to inform future minimization and regulatory decision-making. PFAS contamination was found widely across the samples examined.
“There are no regulations for PFAS in biosolids, state or federal, and there are no surface water quality standards for PFAS either,” Julie Grzyb, deputy director of the DEQ, told the committee. “There’s very limited standard out there.”
Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for drinking water are projected to be implemented in 2029, according to DEQ.
The study reported perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were found in influent, effluent, biosolids, and soil samples. PFAS can enter biosolids via industrial or residential users. Treatment plants that are 100% domestic had, on average, lower influent (going into the treatment plant) and effluent (being discharged from the treatment plant) PFAS levels than municipal and industrial treatment plants. According to the study, PFAS mass exiting wastewater treatment plants was discharged to surface waters, while 2-13% remain in biosolids.
Biosolids refer to sewage sludge that has been treated to meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements, “Standards for the Use of Disposal of Sewage Sludge.” Land application is the primary use of biosolids in North Carolina, according to the DEQ.
According to the study, Perfluorooctane Sulfonate or Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS), a legacy PFAS compound with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standard, is detected in 85% of biosolid samples and in finished compost samples. Out of 26 facilities, PFOS has been detected in biosolids at 24 of those facilities. The concentration of biosolids is comparable to that of other states.
PFOS has been detected in all soil samples collected from land-applied fields, according to the study. Levels in the field that receive municipal biosolids are comparable to those receiving biosolids from industrial or mixed sources. The study found one exception: high PFOS levels in a field that received municipal biosolids.
DEQ has proposed monitoring and minimization rules for PFAS, PFOS, and GenX to reduce PFAS in wastewater from direct and indirect dischargers. Public hearings have been held, and the DEQ is currently accepting public comment.
Drinking water quality in some areas is impacted by historical land applications, according the DEQ, who says partnering with academic researchers is helping the DEQ better understand and pinpoint PFAS in wastewater and biosolids. The DEQ is continuing efforts to provide alternative water and to understand the extent of water contamination.
Committee chair Rep. Jimmy Dixon, R-Duplin, stated that during his 16-year tenure, he has not seen this level of understanding and analysis on this particular issue.
“We are consumers, and the more affluent we get, the more things we consume,” said Dixon. “The more things we consume, the more waste we produce.”
The purpose of these dialogues is to determine the scope of regulatory and enforcement actions the DEQ may take regarding the discharge of these chemicals, according to Dixon.
DEQ proposed water quality standards for PFAS, but the Environmental Management Commission did not approve them; it decided to go with the minimization plan. “That is usually the framework from which we work, water quality standards,” said Gryzb.
“DEQ has been operating under the department’s PFAS action strategy which prioritizes identifying communities with affected drinking water or land, examining sources of contamination, and holding polluters accountable,” a DEQ representative told the committee.
The committee did not take any action during this meeting.
“DEQ study: All samples from sludge-applied fields found PFAS contamination” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.
