PFAS Evaluation & Leachate Evaporation Treatment Testing at Twin Chimneys Landfill

Evaluating PFAS Treatment & Emissions at an Active Landfill

Increasing regulatory attention on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has led landfill operators to evaluate treatment technologies and potential air emissions associated with leachate management systems. At Twin Chimneys Landfill, APTIM performed testing to evaluate the behavior of PFAS compounds during leachate evaporation and assess the effectiveness of emissions control technologies.

The project focused on particulate emissions, PFAS removal performance, and system operation within APTIM’s E-Vap® leachate evaporation system equipped with a pilot-scale venturi scrubber.

Supporting Leachate Management at a Subtitle D Landfill

Twin Chimneys Landfill is a Subtitle D municipal solid waste landfill located in the southeastern US. The facility receives 1,000 tons of waste per day and is permitted for 42 million cubic yards of waste capacity with an estimated operational life of 50 years.

Site operations include landfill gas collection infrastructure, leachate storage systems, recycling operations, and organics diversion processing. Annual leachate generation volumes ranging from 8 to 10 million gallons created ongoing treatment and management challenges that required further evaluation of treatment technologies and emissions performance.

Conducting PFAS & Emissions Testing

APTIM conducted testing to evaluate the addition of a wet venturi scrubber to the E-Vap® exhaust stream and assess its effectiveness in reducing particulate emissions and PFAS concentrations. The testing program also evaluated PFAS mass balance throughout the treatment process.

Testing activities included:

Independent stack testing and analytical services were performed to evaluate particulate matter, filterable and condensable emissions, and 48 individual PFAS compounds using modified USEPA testing methods.

Applying Leachate Evaporation & Emissions Control Technology

APTIM’s Direct Discharge Leachate Evaporator System (E-Vap®) operates on landfill gas or natural gas to evaporate leachate and reduce liquid waste volumes. The system vaporizes the liquid fraction while returning concentrated residual solids to the landfill waste mass.

A pilot-scale venturi scrubber system was installed during testing to process a portion of the E-Vap® exhaust stream and evaluate particulate and PFAS removal efficiency. Testing was conducted on a system with a nominal evaporation capacity of 40,000 gallons per day operating on natural gas.

The E-Vap® system demonstrated:

Evaluating PFAS & Particulate Emissions Results

Testing results indicated that the venturi scrubber reduced particulate emissions from the evaporator exhaust stream. Filterable particulate removal efficiency ranged from approximately 61% to 82%, depending on operating conditions.

PFAS testing also identified reductions in stack emissions for certain compounds, including:

Testing further indicated that most identified PFAS compounds remained within the residual solids stream and were returned to the landfill mass rather than emitted through the exhaust stream.

Supporting Long-Term PFAS & Leachate Management

The testing program provided data to support continued evaluation of PFAS treatment approaches, emissions performance, and landfill leachate management strategies. Results from the study contributed to a greater understanding of PFAS behavior within leachate evaporation systems and the performance of particulate control technologies.

The project also supported ongoing evaluation of air modeling, emissions testing, and treatment system performance related to PFAS management and environmental compliance considerations.

Partner With APTIM for Solid Waste & PFAS Management

APTIM provides landfill, leachate management, and PFAS consulting services to support solid waste clients managing evolving regulatory and operational requirements. Services include:

• PFAS evaluation & treatment support
• Leachate treatment system design & optimization
• Air emissions testing & modeling
• Landfill gas & emissions compliance support
• Environmental monitoring & reporting
• Solid waste engineering & permitting services

CONNECT WITH APTIM’S PFAS EXPERTS TODAY