2024 Interim Guidance on the Destruction and Disposal of PFAS Released by EPA

April 2024 – The EPA released an updated Interim Guidance on Destroying and Disposing of Certain PFAS and PFAS-Containing Materials. The guidance contains a new technology evaluation framework that enables technology developers to assess emerging innovative destruction and disposal methods. The revised document builds on guidance EPA issued in 2020 by incorporating information distilled from new EPA test methods as well as recent findings pertaining to destruction and disposal of PFAS-containing materials.

In addition to performance and testing data, the 2024 guidance identifies other, high-priority data gaps that need to be addressed by researchers across government, academia, and industry for EPA to provide meaningful updates on effective destruction and disposal practices. Eurofins is proud to have supported many of the studies which generated robust and reliable data that could help to inform method development initiatives and updates made to this guidance.

In January 2024, the EPA released a new analytical test method, OTM-50, that will help collect more data and answer some of these questions which remain—such as those concerning products of incomplete combustion. The updated interim guidance encourages testing with a range of methods at thermal treatment facilities before accepting large quantities of PFAS-containing materials (Section 3). These and other technologies are discussed in the interim guidance, plus testing and research needs to improve technology performance, improve understanding of PFAS behavior, and reduce uncertainties (Section 5).

The new guidance is especially timely given the imminent release of EPA's national drinking water standards for several PFAS and the forthcoming release of a final CERCLA rule designating two PFAS as “hazardous substances” - both of which will expand demand for PFAS destruction technologies and disposal options.

As the leader in PFAS testing, Eurofins is poised to support all of your testing needs for OTM-45, OTM-50, and even OTM-55 (in development). We would be honored to support any research endeavors aimed at improving upon understanding PFAS behaviors in these processes or technology performance.

EPA will accept comments on the interim guidance for 180 days following publication in the Federal Register to help inform a future update to this guidance. Comments can be submitted to the public docket at Regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0527.