Chemical durability of reinforced and nonreinforced polymeric geomembranes in PFAS and chlorinated water

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Geomembranes (thin plastic sheets) are used as part of the barrier systems in waste containment facilities to protect the surrounding environment from the migration of contaminants. In Canada, over 95% of waste generated is disposed of in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills which are among the largest applications that are required to be constructed using geomembranes as part of their liner systems. The design concepts and regulatory requirements for MSW landfills were developed prior to 2005 to manage the contaminants of concern in the last century. At the time, per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were not considered contaminants of concern. PFASs can be found in many consumer goods, industrial activities, and sewage sludge and hence they inevitably end up in our landfills. Recently, efforts have been made to quantify the types and levels of PFAS in the fluids to be contained by landfill given their significant risks to human health if they are released into our environment. However, the effectiveness of liner systems to contain these contaminants of emerging concerns is still unknown. This project seeks to understand how polymeric geomembranes will interact with PFAS contaminants by examining their long-term performance using accelerated ageing tests. It also seeks to devise a new test method to rapidly undertake the assessment of the geomembrane's resistance to PFAS environments without conducting long-term immersion studies. The proposed work aims to reduce the risks associated with the current uncertainty regarding the long-term performance of geomembranes in containing PFAS to provide more effective and reliable environmental protection. Queen's University has the unique expertise and equipment necessary for simulating the field exposure conditions in the laboratory. Collaboration with a leading geomembrane manufacturer will ensure the experimental conditions will simulate field conditions and that the research findings are applied to real-life challenges that are currently facing the industry. This research is expected to benefit Canada's environment and public health by making our landfills more resilient to PFAS. This Project will involve the training of five HQP.