PFAS and closed landfills

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of nearly 5,000 different synthetic chemicals that are used widely in products and industrial processes. A few of the most studied PFAS are known to be hazardous to human health. Since PFAS contamination was detected in drinking water in the eastern Twin Cities in the early 2000s, the chemicals have been found in water, sediment, soil, and fish all across Minnesota.

The MPCA tested for PFAS in groundwater at 102 of the 111 sites in the Closed Landfill Program:

• PFAS were detected at 100 landfills.
• At 62 landfills, PFAS levels exceeded Minnesota Department of Health drinking water guidance values.

98% of assessed closed landfills have PFAS contamination.

Closed landfill sites with PFAS detections