Comparison of PFAS soil remediation alternatives at a civilian airport using cost-benefit analysis
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2023

Contamination of soil and water systems by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) due to uncontrolled use of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) at firefighting training sites at civilian and military airports is a universal issue and can lead to significant human health and environmental impacts. Remediation of these sites is often complex but necessary to alleviate the PFAS burden and minimise the risks of exposure by eliminating the hotspot/source from which the PFAS spreads. This study presents a probabilistic cost-benefit analysis (CBA) for evaluating PFAS remediation alternatives, which includes monetisation of both direct costs and benefits as well as externalities. The method is applied for a case study to compare five remediation alternatives for managing PFAS contaminated soil at Stockholm Arlanda Airport in Sweden. The social profitability, or the net present value (NPV), of each remediation alternative was calculated in comparison to two reference alternatives – ‘total excavation’ of the site (Alt 0) or ‘do nothing’. Sensitivity analyses and model scenarios were tested to account for uncertainties, including small or large PFAS spreading and simulating different values for the magnitude of annual avoided cost of inaction (i.e., aggregate benefit) from PFAS remediation. In comparison to total excavation, four of the five studied remediation alternatives resulted in a positive mean NPV. Excavation and stabilization/solidification of the hotspot on-site combined with stabilization using activated carbon for the rest of site (Alt 2) had the highest NPV for both spreading scenarios, i.e., Alt 2 was the most socially profitable alternative. Simulations of the annual avoided cost of inaction enabled estimation of the breakeven point at which a remediation alternative becomes socially profitable (NPV > 0) compared to ‘do nothing’. Alt 2 had the lowest breakeven point: 7.5 and 5.75 millions of SEK/year for large and small spreading, respectively.

Gentle remediation options (GRO)

Decision-support

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA)

Sustainable remediation

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Ecosystem services

Författare

Paul Drenning

Chalmers, Arkitektur och samhällsbyggnadsteknik, Geologi och geoteknik

Yevheniya Volchko

Chalmers, Arkitektur och samhällsbyggnadsteknik, Geologi och geoteknik

L. Ahrens

Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU)

Lars Rosen

Chalmers, Arkitektur och samhällsbyggnadsteknik, Geologi och geoteknik

T. Soderqvist

Holmboe & Skarp AB

Jenny Norrman

Chalmers, Arkitektur och samhällsbyggnadsteknik, Geologi och geoteknik

Science of the Total Environment

0048-9697 (ISSN) 1879-1026 (eISSN)

Vol. 882 163664

Utvärdering av innovativa och skonsamma in situ behandlingar för att hantera risker och förbättra ekosystemtjänster (PILOT-GRO)

COWI A/S (APE/knl/C-147.01), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Statens Geotekniska Institut (SGI) (1.1-2104-0303), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Formas (2021-01428), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Nordvästra Skånes Renhållnings AB (NSR), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Sveriges Geologiska Undersökning (SGU), 2021-05-01 -- 2024-08-01.

Ämneskategorier

Miljö- och naturvårdsvetenskap

Annan naturresursteknik

Miljövetenskap

DOI

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163664

PubMed

37088381

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2023-05-10