White House Publishes Federal R&D PFAS Strategic Plan
Last month, the Administration’s National Science and Technology Council’s PFAS Strategy Team published the PFAS Federal Research and Development Strategic Plan report. The report is the latest action by the Administration to support its priority to address PFAS contamination, especially within disadvantaged communities. The five strategic R&D activities outlined in the report include:

  1. Understand PFAS exposure pathways to individuals and communities
  2. Address PFAS measurement challenges by developing standards, advanced sampling and analytical methodologies.
  3. Understand toxicological mechanisms, human and environmental health effects, and risks to PFAS exposure.
  4. Develop, evaluate, and demonstrate technologies for the removal, destruction, and disposal of PFAS.
  5. Identify PFAS alternatives and evaluate their human health and environmental effects.

Among the report’s outlined actions, Strategy 2 and Strategy 4 outline actions that are notable for clean water agencies. Under Strategy 2 federal R&D activities revolve around reviewing, reevaluating, and improving existing analytical techniques to detect and measure PFAS. Additionally, there is a focus to develop methodologies and techniques that are capable of accurately detecting and measuring the expanding list of individual PFAS chemicals in the class. Strategy 4 detail activities that will develop effective PFAS destruction and disposal technologies. R&D activities will rely upon collaboration from industry, state governments and the public that are specific to the PFAS’ pathway, such as water and biosolids. As part of this overall strategy, R&D activities will also support implementation of developed technologies through demonstration projects.

The PFAS Strategy Team will coordinate execution of the report’s R&D directives with engagement from outside government stakeholders, as necessary. The Team will then adjust and update the strategic goals as data and information changes.