Weighing the Options: Current Strategies for Managing PFAS in Leachate

Speaker: Stephanie Bolyard, PhD, Research and Scholarship Program Manager, Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF)
Moderator: Liz Bothwell, Head of Content and Marketing and NothingWasted! Podcast Host, Waste360The treatment of PFAS has been a topic of discussion among the solid waste industry for the last few years, which has led to the development of the EPA’s interim guidance for PFAS management. There have been numerous presentations and articles that touch on currently available technologies, or “off-the-shelf” options, as well as innovative technologies. Until a few years ago, these “off-the-shelf” technologies were probably never thought of to be used for treatment of “forever compounds,” but thanks to the affinity of PFAS for these treatment technologies they are being adapted for removal of PFAS from leachate and other liquid waste streams. Treatment methods currently available include destruction and concentrating approaches where the latter takes PFAS from one waste stream and moved it to another.

But why is the science behind PFAS compounds and the treatment technologies so important? If the goal is to remove these abundant compounds from the environment, we need to fully understand the implications of these treatment options relative to the chemical make-up of these compounds and what this means for the solid waste industry.

During this session Stephanie Bolyard, PhD, Research and Scholarships Program Manager at Environmental Research & Education Foundation will discuss the following topics with Liz Bothwell, Head of Content & Marketing at Waste360:

• PFAS minimization as a primary management strategy and the fate and transport of PFAS when these substances are used
• Recently drafted EPA interim guidance and its key focus areas
• Removal mechanisms of the PFAS treatment technologies focused on destruction, concentrating, and sequestration
• “Off-the-shelf” and innovative treatment technologies
• How science is advancing how we think about treating PFAS

Speaker:Stephanie C. Bolyard, PhD
Stephanie C. Bolyard is the Research and Scholarships Program Manager for the Environmental Research & Education Foundation. Stephanie has a PhD and M.S. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Central Florida, as well as a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Florida. Collectively, she has twelve years of academic and professional experience in various fields, including solid waste management, domestic wastewater permitting, and environmental compliance. She has published numerous papers in the area of post-closure care, leachate treatment, PFAS management, and emerging contaminants in leachate.Moderator:Liz Bothwell
Liz Bothwell is head of content and marketing for Waste360, proud host of the NothingWasted! podcast, and ghostwrites for others to keep her skills sharp and creative juices flowing. She loves family, football, her French bulldogs, and telling stories that can help to make the world a more sustainable place. You can follow her on Linkedin.