dumps, landfills and emerging contaminants in the … · innovation that provides sustainable...

Innovation that Provides Sustainable Solutions to Complex Local Challenges, Worldwide

Dumps, Landfills and Emerging Contaminants in the Canadian NorthMonica Danon-Schaffer, PhD, P.Eng.

CH2MHill

2015 RPIC Federal Contaminated Sites Regional Workshop

Edmonton, Alberta

June 2015

2 Innovation that Provides Sustainable Solutions to Complex Local Challenges, Worldwide


1. Emerging Contaminants of Concern2. Why Do We Care?3. Challenges in the Canadian North4. Sources of Emerging Contaminants5. End-of-Life Management6. Landfills and Dumpsites7. Policies8. What Happens Next?

Topics of Discussion


•Any chemical mixture or hazardous material with the potential to cause adverse human health, public safety, or environmental effects

•Any synthetic or naturally occurring chemical not typically monitored in the environment but recently detected in the environment

•Limited toxicity information available•Concern with the length of exposure time•Compounds designated as candidate Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

What are Emerging Contaminants?


What if we have emerging contaminants in…

Source: Alex Stone, WA Department of Ecology

• upholstery• mattresses• electronics• white goods• vehicle parts• auto shredder

residue

6


Why Do We Care?

•Persistent, bioaccumulative, long-range transport (PBT)

•Find their way into food chain and human population

•Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)•Concentrations in the environment have been increasing since the 1970s

•Leach out of products; end up in sewage•Persist for decades; end-of-life disposal implications


Challenges in the Canadian North

• If contaminant is detected in the Arctic, automatically presume it is persistent, subject to long range transport and likely bioacummulative

• Environmental pollution trends

– Many declined in Arctic over past 20 years

– Others influenced with no visible trend

• Criteria met for definition of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

• Extent and degree of contamination poorly understood

• Release of contaminants

• Contaminants stored in: permafrost, sea ice, glaciers


Challenges in the Canadian North

•Problems with landfills (dumpsites) across Canada•Canadian North (i.e. north of 60o N)•Most dumpsites unlined, some adjacent to water bodies, unauthorized dumping and/or uncontrolled access

•Northern dumpsites contain different waste streams than southern Canada

•Need to know nature and presence of emerging contaminant problem at dumpsites across the Canadian North

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Want some pictures here of uncontrolled dumps


Emerging Contaminants in the Canadian Arctic

•Background on current POPsLegacy POPs – 23 (historical use)Bioaccumulate, persistent, toxic, long range transport

•Emerging chemicalsMany hazardous chemicals still being used

commerciallyNo yet regulated nationally/internationally: BFRs,

PFOAs, current used pesticides, heavy metals (Hg, coal burning, accidents)

Radioactive material (Chernobyl 1986, Fukushima 2011): incomplete decommissioning, inadequate storage of waste


What if these emerging contaminants were…

• Originating from consumer goods, ending up in dumpsites?

• Degrading and showing up in leachate, indicating their persistence in different environmental media?

• More common in southern landfills than in northern landfills?

• BPA, PBDEs, TBBPA, HBCD, PFCs, PCNs, SCCPs, PCPs/PCAs, PCBs, NPs


New Chemicals of Concern

•Chemicals undergoing current screening in Arctic*:Perfluorocarboxilates (PFCAs)

Perfluoroalkylsulphonates (PFSAs)

Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs)

Perfluorosulphonamido-alcohols (PFTOHs)

Siloxanes

Organophosphate flame retardants

*Northern Contaminants Program


Current Emerging Chemicals of Concern

• Stockholm Convention assessing (October 2014): Dicofol: organochlorinated pesticide related to DDT Deca-BDE: bioaccumulation/biomagnification

discussion and its debromination to lower brominated congeners

Short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs): used as plasticizers, flame retardants, additives in metal working fluids, in sealants, paints and coatings

Dicofol Deca-BDE SCCP


Emerging Contaminants of Concern

•Dicofol•Short-chained chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs)•Pentachlorophenols (PCPs)*•Pentachloroanisole (PCA)*•Hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD)**•Chlorinated naphthalenes•Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)•Perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOs)*•Deca-BDE

Risk profilephase

Elimination under Stockholm Convention (May 2015)

Risk managementevaluation

*Restricted use; **Unintentional production


• Siloxane: Intermediates in silicon polymer production• SCCP: lubricants, surface coatings, rubber/leather finishing; highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates and algae, toxic to liver, kidney, thyroid; persistent, bioaccumulates.

• SCCP use in China: amount could exceed entireexisting historic worldwide usage of PCBs (30 fold increase to >600,000 tonnes, between1990-2007)

• PCN: cable insulation, wood preservative, engine oil additive, capacitor fluids, dye intermediate, flame retardant

• PCP/PCA (penta chloroanisole): PCP is breakdown product of HCB (hexachlorobenzene) and HCHD (hexachlorohexane). PCP transformed into PCA and back into PCP. Both need to be considered together

Emerging Contaminants – Common Uses


Some Sources of Emerging Contaminants

Agricultural sources:farming

Consumers: pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials in personal care products (e.g. sunscreens), detergents (e.g. fluorescent brighteners)

Industrial sources:Pharmaceuticalsnanomaterials


Specific Emerging Contaminants


Organic Chemistry 101


Brominated Flame Retardants

Br

Br Br

Br

BrBr

HH

HH

HH

HH

HH

H H

H

HH

H

HH

Br

Br

Br

Br

OHOH

CH3

CH3

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)

O

BrX BrY

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)


Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs)

– Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)• Electric and electronic equipment (EEE), carpets, polyurethane

foam in sofas, vehicle interiors

• Additive flame retardant

• Persistent, bioaccumulative, long range transport

• Added to products to reduce ignition

– Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)• Thermal insulation in buildings (polystyrene)

• Backcoating of textiles in upholstery (extruded polystyrene foam)

• Electric & electronic equipment (EEE) (High impact polystyrene)

• High bioaccumulation potential, additive flame retardant


• One billionth of a metre in size• Proven toxicity to microorganisms, fish, and humans• Canadian legislation addressing nanomaterial through CEPA (1999) via

risk management• Potential for toxicity upon recombination with other products or degradation• Products containing nanoparticles: powder-coated products, flat screen

televisions• Behaviour and fate in landfills not understood, environmental

consequences being studied• Contain:

– Silver: antibacterial agent– Silicon oxide (SiO2): polishing/binding agent– Titanium oxide (TiO2): solar cells– Zinc oxide (ZnO): UV absorber in sunscreens

• Potential release of nanomaterials in landfills due to harsh conditions – los pH, high reducing conditions enhance polymer breakdown

Nanoparticles


What do these products have in common?


OR these…???

Bisphenol A (BPA)


Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs)

•Fully fluorinated hydrophobic linear carbon chain attached to 1 or more hydrophilic heads

•WWTP: non-ionic PFCs transform into PFOS and PFOA, with minimal removal efficiency

•Sewage sludge and hence crop uptake•No known degradation; thus it is one of the most persistent chemicals

•Long half lives - years


Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs)

•Perfluorooctane sulphonate salts (PFOS) – used mostly in fire fighting foams

•Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) – used as emulsifier to produce fluoropolymers (PTFE or Teflon)

•Persistent, non degradable, toxic, bioaccumulate•Uses: surface treatments, stain repellant, coating surfaces (non-stick cookware, electronic components), fire-fighting foams, waxes, food packaging


End of Life (EOL) Management


End-of-Life (EOL) Management

• Thermal treatment• Landfills• Wastewater treatment

– Granular activated carbon, reverse osmosis

• Recycling– Mechanical: sorting, dismantling– Feedstock: recovering bromine and energy in electronic

equipment

• POPs stockpiles and wastes– Handled, transported, stored – environmentally sound


• PBDE EOL management:– Separate products containing BFRs prior to recycling– Establish national control implementation plans to recycle

PBDE-containing waste and reduce further contamination– Implement efficient screening and separation techniques for

PBDE-containing materials– Prevent export of products containing PBDEs

• PFOS EOL management:– No landfilling unless leachate is properly treated– Analyse drinking water from reservoirs and wells in close

proximity to landfills

End-of-Life (EOL) Management


Waste management 101

Waste management: landfills, dumpsites

– EOL management

– PCBs in transformers

– PBDEs and HBCDs in electronics, building insulation, vehicles

– Fluorescent light bulbs – mercury containing

– Releases emphasize importance of continued monitoring of these regulated chemicals

– ~300,000 chemicals in use around the globe, increases by 300/yr (AMAP, 2015)


Typical landfill• solid waste• glass• paper• compostables• plastics• furniture• metals• carpet waste• haz waste• white goods• electronics• demo material• sand, soil and

ash• road

construction


Landfills vs. Dumpsites…really???

•Landfills: geomembrane layers, leachate and gas collection systems

•Dumpsites: unorganized areas of rubbish collection

•Location, socioeconomic conditions, disposal methods, age, sampling and sorting procedures

•Evolution and changes in leachate composition driven by pH, O2 and temperature to waste layers

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Best case scenario: engineered to capture leachate runoff and use methane gas to heat homes Worst case scenario: ad hoc dumping of illegal material


Leachate Formation in a Landfill/Dumpsite

•Leachate generation•Typical contaminants•No material completely impervious to leachate• Improper leachate control may not be noticed until years later

• Water from precipitation, snow and waste percolates through rubbish layers

• Metals, organic compounds, (i.e. carcinogens, EDCs, etc.), PBDEs, and dissolved organic matter

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Water from precipitation, snow and waste percolates through rubbish layers Metals, organic compounds, (i.e. carcinogens, EDCs, etc.), PBDEs, and dissolved organic matter


Electronics / optics

Catalysts/ fuel cells

Water treatment

Medical devices

Cosmetics / textiles

• ~1,300 items in

consumer products (2011)

• 520% increased from

2006

• Potential for broad range

of future applications

(www.nanotechproject.or

g)

Growing concerns over adverse effects of ENPs to biota

Applications of Engineered Nanoparticles (ENPs)

34


Nanomaterials – fate in landfills

• If nanomaterials bound in liquid/gel products (cosmetics, sun screens, hair products), from manufacturing processes – transferred to leachate stream

•More work needed to determine what happens when they enter leachate stream or percolate thru geomembrane liner


Uncontrolled landfill


Uncontrolled landfill cont’d…


Nanomaterials: Fate in Landfills

• Definition: particles with 3 dimensions < 100 nm.

• Nanomaterial defined: 1 dimension between 1-100 nm

• Properties: thermal, catalytic, electronic

• Engineered nanomaterials (NM) used in health and fitness products

• Fate of disposed NM probably be a function of product matrix and NM surface characteristics

• Yearly production approximately: 350 tonnes/yr for nano-Ag, 500 tonnes/yr for carbon nanotubes, 5000 tonnes/yr for TiO2

• Fate and behaviour in landfills not understood – need to evaluate potential particle releases


Policies


The Precautionary Principle



• Introduced in Germany during the 1970s• Responsibility to protect people from exposure to harm if a credible risk exists

• Burden of proof falls on those who advocate policy• First step

– Experience gained from pesticides (think ‘Silent Spring’, 1962) (cancer)

– Influenced current regulations on pesticides– Safety factors used in risk assessments

• Second step– Modern environmental movement (think ‘Our Stolen Future’,

1996) (endocrine disrupting chemicals)


•Burden of proof regarding harmful chemical need not apply for action to be taken

•Apply proactive approach with end-of-life management

•Potential for toxicity during upon degradation or debromination into other products

•Early action to fully assess chemicals before they are released for use



Chemicals Elimination and Management

•Stockholm Convention•Basel Convention•Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)

•UNEP: Minamata Convention on Mercury (2013)•Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) – Economic Commission for Europe


Stockholm Convention onPersistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

• Criteria for POPs: Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic, Long Range Transport

• Original ‘Dirty Dozen’ + Mercury (1998)• Precautionary Principle applies• Candidate POPs in consumer products: PBDEs, PFCs

• Candidate POPs in industrial chemicals*: SCCP, PCN, HBB

*SCCP: Short-Chained Chlorinated Paraffins, PCN: Polychlorinated Napthalenes, HBB: Hexabromobiphenyl

Presenter

Presentation Notes

SCCP uses: lubricants, surface coatings, rubber/leather finishing; highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates and algae, toxic to liver, kidney, thyroid; persistent, bioaccumulates. PCN uses: cable insulation, wood preservative, engine oil additive, capacitor fluids, dye intermediate, flame retardant, similar properties to CBs HBB uses: flame retardant in thermoplastics for industrial and electrical products, EDC


Basel Convention on Transboundary Movementsof Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal

•Protects environment and human health against adverse effects regarding movement and disposal of hazardous wastes

•Regulates international movement of hazardous waste

•Addresses environmentally sound storage, disposal and export of hazardous wastes

•Allows PBDE-containing waste products to be exported


What Happens Next??


Here’s what we know…(or not)…• Fukushima Daichii nuclear power plant

– Thousands of kilometres away from Arctic but can still pose a risk

– Because of environmental monitoring data (from AMAP) the radioactive isotopes from Fukushima were fingerprinted

• Big lag time between emergence of chemicals of concern and regs put in place to control the production and release to atmosphere

• Do we have emerging contaminant problem in Yukon, NWT, NT?

• Are monitoring wells properly installed to capture DNAPLs?• Do we have sufficient data to add these emerging

contaminants to the Stockholm Convention list?


What Happens Next?

•Need to control emerging chemicals of concern•Pathways of exposure for PFCs are not well known•Fate is not confirmed in some cases•PFC intermediate for potential toxicities needs investigating

•Chemical properties of other PFCs lacking•Research on fluorinated polymer degradation•NM fate in landfills poorly understood


What happens next (cont’d)

• Environmentally sound disposal and recycling operations for PBDEs are not well defined

• Little testing conducted on many chemicals released into environment every year

• AMAP can help compile data to evaluate effectiveness of new contaminants and provide supporting info to add a contaminant to the Stockholm Convention

• Monitoring studies/time trends for 10-15 years before statistically significant data can be evaluated properly

• Focus on challenges associated with test methods, risk management, alternative technologies, and proper end-of-life disposal


Thank You

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