Release of Volatile\nPer- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances\nfrom Plant Fiber-Based Food Packaging and Municipal Solid Waste to\nGas under Simulated Landfill Conditions

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