The Fuss about PFAS

July 1, 2022 Wastewater Treatment

What are PFAS?

PFAS is the acronym for “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances”. It is commonly pronounced like floss, “P-Foss”, though it is sometimes pronounced “P-Fass”, and “P-Foz”. Its name and acronym are a mouthful—and appropriately hint at the complexities of this family of human-made chemicals.

There are more than 5,000 PFAS chemicals. The backbone of all PFAS molecules is the carbon (C) and fluorine (F) chain. The C–F bond is very strong, making it difficult to break these molecules apart. PFAS are known as the “forever chemicals” because they persist and accumulate over time.

Manufacturers use PFAS for creating “slippery” surfaces and products that resist water, heat, and grease. This is why they have been useful in products like non-stick cookware, fire-fighting foam, stain and water repellants, and food packaging. Because of the prolific use of PFAS since the mid-1900s, the chemicals can be found everywhere.

Why should we care?

Some studies have shown that exposure to PFAS may have adverse health effects on cholesterol levels, immune response, fertility and pregnancy, cognitive development, and liver function; they are also linked to certain types of cancer. The primary sources of exposure are food and food packaging, furniture, carpeting, clothing, and drinking water.

Two of the most-studied and problematic forms of PFAS (PFOS, PFOA) were voluntarily phased out of production by 3M in 2002 (3M). In 2006, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) signed an agreement with nine other manufacturers, including DuPont, to eliminate the use of PFOS and PFOA in the U.S. 3M announced in December 2022 that it will discontinue all PFAS manufacturing and the use of PFAS in its products by the end of 2025. Despite efforts to limit manufacturing and use of PFAS, these chemicals are still detected in the environment and are likely to remain there for some time based on the persistent nature of these chemicals.

Locally, PFAS contamination has been associated with fire-fighting foam used at various locations, including training facilities at the Duluth Air National Guard Base and the Duluth Airport. In response to this contamination, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) tested wells and nearby bodies of water and is mediating the situation. Some local waterways were found to contain PFAS including Wild Rice Lake and Fish Lake; fish consumption advisories have been issued for these lakes. PFAS have been found in a limited study of Lake Superior smelt resulting in a consumption advisory by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WI DNR) and Department of Health Services (DHS) in 2021 and 2022. The MDH issued an advisory for Lake Superior smelt as well out of an abundance of caution in response to the WI DNR’s findings.

What is being done in Minnesota about PFAS?

The Minnesota Department of Health tested both Lake Superior and Duluth’s treated drinking water for PFAS compounds in 2019. None were detected. The MDH has a goal to test all community drinking water sources for PFAS across the state.

The Minnesota Legislature is addressing PFAS by providing funding to identify sources of PFAS and is also in the process of implementing a ban on the manufacturing, distribution and sales of some specific products that intentionally contain PFAS. Minnesota already passed a bill to ban food packaging containing PFAS by January 1, 2024, and to prohibit the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam for testing and training.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) released the Minnesota PFAS Blueprint in February 2021 that identifies a plan to first prevent PFAS pollution, then manage pollution when prevention is not feasible, and lastly, clean up PFAS pollution at contaminated sites. While measurement and removal techniques for PFAS have existed for drinking water, technology for accurately measuring PFAS in other substances has taken longer to develop.

How can WLSSD help with PFAS pollution prevention?

WLSSD and other wastewater treatment plants have the unique opportunity to measure PFAS used in a community by testing wastewater. The MPCA recently released a testing protocol WLSSD will use to measure PFAS levels in our community’s wastewater. The aim of this strategy is to help us to identify and reduce sources of PFAS in our community through pollution prevention strategies. We anticipate PFAS levels in our community’s wastewater to be low based on a couple resources:

The MPCA tested for PFAS at wastewater treatment plants across the state in 2007-2008 using the methodology available at that time. The PFAS levels in wastewater coming into WLSSD from community sources was low. Since then, prohibitions on the use of certain PFAS in industrial and residential products, the closure of some businesses that may have been a source of PFAS, and an overall decrease in flow to WLSSD due to community and industrial wastewater reduction have further limited potential sources of PFAS.
WLSSD surveyed our industrial partners/permittees in the district and all who were surveyed reported no known use of PFAS.

WLSSD is also committed to providing PFAS education and pollution prevention programming to residents in the communities we serve.

What can we all do to reduce PFAS pollution and exposure?

Progress has been made nationally to reduce manufacturing and distribution of PFAS-containing products, and we can go a step further in limiting our exposure by making informed consumer choices.

To reduce exposure to PFAS and prevent pollution in the environment, consider the following action steps:

Learn more about household products that contain PFAS. Some products to be aware of are non-stick cookware, popcorn in microwavable bags, food containers/packaging, clothing, and carpets. These articles and websites provide more insight:
Research your drinking water sources. The MDH has a goal to test community drinking water sources across the state, but this will likely not include your personal well unless you are in a known area of contamination. You may want to consider testing your well water for PFAS. Learn more about private wells at Private Drinking Water Wells | US EPA. Water filters are available that are certified to lower levels of PFAS: Learn about certified in-home water treatment filters. A good resource for more information is the MDH website: Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) – EH: Minnesota Department of Health (state.mn.us).
Stay up-to-date on fish consumption advisories. The WI DNR and DHS issued a fish consumption advisory after finding a limited number of smelt near the Apostle Islands that contained PFAS (specifically PFOS). The WI DNR and DHS advisory recommends limiting consumption of smelt to one meal per month. The MDH followed suit and also has an advisory for smelt in place based on Wisconsin’s findings (Enjoy the Smelt, Limit the Meals | Minnesota Sea Grant (umn.edu). As previously mentioned, some local waterways were found to contain PFAS including Wild Rice Lake and Fish Lake; fish consumption advisories have been issued for those lakes. A good resource for fish consumption advisories is “Lake Finder”. Enter in the lake you are interested in and click on “Fish Consumption” from the list on the left: LakeFinder | Minnesota DNR (state.mn.us). More information can be found at the MDH website: Waterbody Specific Safe-Eating Guidelines for Tested Lakes and Rivers and Contaminants and Minnesota Fish.