Release of Volatile Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances from Plant Fiber-Based Food Packaging and Municipal Solid Waste to Gas under Simulated Landfill Conditions

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected in plant fiber-based food packaging and most such packaging is disposed in landfills. The objective of this research was to evaluate the release of volatile PFAS to the gas-phase from PFAS-containing, single-use food packaging materials and from municipal solid waste (MSW) during anaerobic decomposition under simulated landfill conditions. After screening 46 materials for total F and 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (FTOH), packaging materials were classified as high or low F. High F materials included microwavable popcorn bags, natural plates, compostable bowls, biodegradable boxes, bagasse containers and eco-friendly plates, while the low F materials tested were paper plates, eco-friendly food trays and poly coated freezer paper. Summed PFAS release from the high F materials was 62–800 ng PFAS/g sample and 6:2 FTOH comprised 96.8–99.9% of the summed PFAS. The low F materials and MSW released 0.1–0.4 ng summed PFAS/g sample and 7:2-secondary (s) FTOH was the dominant volatile PFAS. PFAS were generally released early in the 123–285-day decomposition cycle, suggesting that some PFAS will be released prior to the installation of landfill gas collection systems. Nonetheless, PFAS have been reported in collected landfill gas, indicating that release occurs over many years.

This study demonstrates the release of volatile PFAS to the gas phase from PFAS-contaminated plant fiber-based food packaging under simulated landfill conditions.