As many municipal landfills belch out gas from decomposing organic matter, they are also releasing toxic “forever chemicals” into the air, a new study has found. Scientists measured unexpectedly high levels of airborne per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at three dumps they surveyed — demonstrating the ability of these persistent contaminants to escape into the environment.
That invasion could be occurring in similar capacities via both vented gases and liquid by-products, known as leachates, according to the study, published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters. PFAS are notorious for their ability to linger in the environment and in the body and are found in certain firefighting foams, industrial discharge, nonstick pans, cosmetics and waterproof textiles, as well as other household products.
Some of these synthetic compounds, of which are thousands, are already linked to various cancers and other serious illnesses. “While numerous industries are being confronted with PFAS-related management challenges, the burden of remediation and PFAS removal has often fallen on downstream industries — namely, the solid waste sector,” the authors stated.