Landfill PFAS Investigation

Kent County needed to address uncertainties related to PFAS at several County owned landfills, including North Kent Landfill (NKL) and requested F&V assistance with the investigation, pilot-study, treatment system design and installation and ongoing monitoring at North Kent Landfill.

F&V provided a plan to the County to canvass nearly 100 residential/commercial/industrial properties located the landfill where nearby properties rely on private groundwater wells for their potable water. F&V subsequently engaged multiple sampling crews to collect a water sample from each property’s potable well for analysis of PFAS. Properties with wells that were contaminated with PFAS were offered whole-home granular activated carbon treatment systems to reduce PFAS to less than detectable levels. The systems were installed based on a Point of Entry Treatment system plan created by F&V. F&V continues to conduct quarterly/annual drinking water well sampling of the properties located near NKL to monitor PFAS concentrations and evaluate the treatment systems effectiveness for removing PFAS from the drinking water.

F&V also tested leachate at NKL for PFAS. Based on the results, F&V evaluated treatment and pilot study options as part of a basis of design for a treatment system to remove PFAS from landfill leachate. The evaluation considered the performance, reliability, capital costs, operational complexity, operation and maintenance, and replacement costs for various treatment options. Treatment by granular activated carbon and ion-exchange was selected for use in a full-scale pilot test at NKL.

• New building to house the proposed treatment system
• Granular activated carbon treatment vessels
• Modifications to the existing equalization tank
• Pumping systems and site piping modifications for the leachate and underdrain collection systems
• Replacement of the existing lift station pumps
• Underdrain lagoon cleaning and reconstruction of the east lagoon
• Electrical and controls
• Certified Operator (B-3b)
• Coordinate with EGLE Industrial Wastewater Division
• Coordinate with North Kent Sewer Authority

Pilot test included:

PFAS Sampling to Evaluate System Performance:

• Raw Leachate Influent
• Lead GAC Effluent
• Lag GAC Effluent

Geochemical Samples to Evaluate System Performance

• Raw Leachate Influent
• Lag bag filter Effluent
• Lead GAC Effluent
• Lag GAC Effluent
• Ion Exchange Effluent/Treated Water

Collect Waste Profiling Sampling of Bag Filter Waste per requirements of US Ecology

• pH
• TCLP RCRA 8 Metals
• TCLP semi-volatiles organic compounds
• TCLP volatile organic compounds
• PFAS (Modified US EPA Method 537.1 for 28 Michigan minimum parameters)

F&V designed the multi-vessel leachate treatment system and new treatment building to house the system at NKL. The system was also designed to allow for a planned phase II expansion to treat PFAS contaminated groundwater. The system is currently in operation and is consistently removing the PFAS from the leachate stream to non-detect levels.