Course Description:
The occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in environmental media is not at all an unexpected finding considering the widespread presence of these substances in consumer products, firefighting foams (AFFF), and commercial/industrial materials associated with manufacturing and services. While sources, pathways and receptors may vary from place to place, a ubiquitous presence in the environment is being realized across urban, commercial, industrial and residential land use areas where there are undoubtedly many sources of PFAS to the environment. This situation presents challenges in attribution of impacts to responsible parties, and in an evolving regulatory landscape with few comparative standards and guidance, assessing investigative results to determine what levels constitute the need for some remedial action. This presentation explores several case studies of site investigation for PFAS in environmental media including air, groundwater, surface water and sediment using various techniques to examine source to environmental pathways to receptors for development of conceptual site models that become the basis for determining the need for those remedial actions.
Course Instructor:
Chris Wenczel is a Senior Project Manager at P. W. Grosser Consulting and a NYS-licensed professional geologist with over 39 years of experience investigating and remediating contaminated sites particularly in the realm of organic and inorganic contamination at Federal and NYS Superfund, and RCRA realms. Mr. Wenczel's academic degrees are a BS in Geology and an MS in Hydrogeology. As an ERM PFAS subject matter expert, he has experience since 2017 developing remedial actions providing strategic advice, regulatory interface/negotiations, supporting outside counsel, off-site characterization, conceptual site model development, and remediation. Mr. Wenczel is past-President of LIAPG (current Vice-President) and Vice-President of the NYSCPG.
