NEW ULM – Brown County Commissioners approved contracting with GEI Consultants to created a PFAS treatment system for county landfill.

PFAS are group of long-lasting chemicals chemicals (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl)that have been linked to cancer development. Due to the wide use of PFAS chemicals in many products, PFAS has been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in water, aid, fish and soil locations across the nation. PFAS has even been found in animal and human blood.

Recently, new laws have gone into effect to prevent the further spread of PFAS. Brown County is required to take steps towards treatment of PFAS in leachate generated by the county landfill. Leachate is water that has percolated through a solid and leached out some of the components. Many landfills, including Brown County’s, produces leachate that could include PFAS from waste material made with the forever chemicals.

GEI Consultants proposed researching and assisting the county and Mathiowetz Construction, the landfill operators, in choosing a PFAS treatment system.

Brown County Assistant Zoning Administrator Amanda Lang said due to the levels of PFAS in the landfills leachate, using it as a spray on farm fields or hauling it to New Ulm’s wastewater treatment plant might be possible. The county is working to recirculate the leachate, but this will not handle all of the leachate generated by the landfill.

Lang clarified GEI Consultants proposal was to develop different options for the county to implement. GEI’s proposal was not to exceed $9,750.

Commissioner Anton Berg made the motion to approve GEI Consultants in developing a plan.

“This is just an obvious step we have to take to handle the leachate,” Berg said. “PFAS is a big item in the news right now and it is going to remain that way.”

The motion was approved by the board.

As of Wednesday, Jan. 1, the first wave of prohibitions on products with intentionally added PFAS will go into effect in Minnesota under Amara’s Law. As of the new year, consumer products spanning 11 categories will be banned from sale in Minnesota if they contain non-essential, intentionally added PFAS. The 11 product categories include: carpets or rugs, cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, dental floss, fabric treatments, juvenile products, menstruation products, textile furnishings, ski wax and upholstered furniture.