Frequently Asked Questions

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of thousands of man-made chemicals characterized by their carbon-fluorine bonds. They have been widely used in industry and consumer products such as non-stick cookware, food packaging, candy wrappers, textiles, cosmetics, firefighting foams and more since the 1940s. PFAS are repellent to water and oil and are resistant to heat and chemical reactions. These characteristics contribute to their environmental persistence and bioaccumulation.

PFAS are ubiquitous in our modern society and studies estimate over 97% of the United States population already have measurable concentrations of PFAS in their blood, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some studies show that exposure to certain PFAS may be linked ot harmful heath effects in humans and animals. For this reason, companies have stopped production or have begun changing manufacturing practices to reduce the amount of or eliminate these chemicals in their products.

For more information on PFAS, visit: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/our-current-understanding-human-health-and-environmental-risks-pfas

PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) are two of the most widely studied PFAS chemicals out of a family of thousands. These two PFAS were produced in the largest amounts in the United States and are commonly found in our environment. PFOS and PFOA can be found in air, soil, and water (ground and surface water) after release from the manufacture, use and disposal of products that contain these chemicals. PFOA and PFOS have been phased out of production in the United States, but other countries may still manufacture and use them.

PFAS compounds are commonly used in many home goods, industrial and emergency fire-fighting products, and other applications. Examples include surface protection products for such items as carpeting, clothing and non-stick cookware; coatings for paper, furniture, and some food packaging materials (e.g., microwave popcorn bags, fast food containers, candy wrappers, and pizza boxes); and personal products like shampoo, dental floss, nail polish, eye makeup, etc.

Industrial uses of these chemicals include, but are not limited to, photo imaging, metal plating, semiconductor coatings, medical devices, printer and copy machine parts, rubber and plastics. They typically are used to resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water.

PFAS also has been found in widely used fire-fighting products such as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), which has been used at military facilities, airports and industrial facilities, and by local fire departments.

Human exposure to PFAS has been primarily attributed to food and drinking water. Potential mechanisms of PFAS transport to the environment, including drinking water, can be through surface spills/discharges, domestic septic systems, and landfills. Common household products, food packaging, etc. can contain PFAS. When those products are disposed, PFAS have the potential to leach from those products and enter the surrounding environment. For example, if a cleaning product or cosmetic item containing PFAS is used and is then washed down the drain, PFAS may end up in the groundwater by way of the septic system.

The issue of potential PFAS contamination from the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) is not unique to the State College Regional Airport and is a national challenge, as commercial service airports across the country certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) historically have used AFFF for fire suppression and in firefighting exercises.

AFFF is a man-made foam developed in the 1960s to extinguish chemical/hydrocarbon-fuel fires. PFAS are some of the primary compounds in AFFF because of their unique chemical properties which increase fire control efficiency.

Commercial service airports across the country that are certified by the FAA have been required to use AFFF to conduct testing and fire training exercises – this includes the State College Regional Airport. Even after questions were raised about the use of PFAS in fire-suppression foam, the FAA’s mandate remained in place and no replacement suppression foam was identified until 2023, when the FAA approved alternative suppression foam. New fire-fighting foam that is PFAS-free and approved by the FAA is now available at the State College Regional Airport. The rollout of PFAS-free firefighting foams at airports across the nation is in its early stages. The State College Regional Airport was the first in Pennsylvania to purchase the new PFAS-free foam.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has established standards to limit the risk of exposure to certain PFAS in drinking water. In Pennsylvania, at the time of preparation of this FAQ response (November 2024), the drinking water maximum contaminant level (MCL) for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) is 18 parts per trillion (ppt), and the MCL for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is 14 ppt. PFOS and PFOA are two of the most widely used chemicals in the family of thousands of types of PFAS. In April 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently established national drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS of 4 ppt. In addition, EPA established individual compound standards of 10 ppt for perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexanesulphonic acid (PFHxS), and hexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO-DA; commonly known as GenX chemicals). These are additional found in the PFAS family.  

More information pertaining to PFAS in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is provided on the DEP website.

From 2019 through 2023, Penn State and DEP continued to sample areas in and around the State College Regional Airport. To date, DEP has sampled over 60 private supply wells in the community and has collected soil, groundwater, potable water and surface water samples for PFAS throughout the Benner Township PFAS investigation area. Penn State has sampled 18 well, 13 of which are residential water supply wells, and also has collected soil samples. All Penn State sampling has been shared with DEP.

Sampling results of some residential drinking water wells in the vicinity of the airport revealed PFAS concentrations above the applicable drinking water maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). The analytical results from these samples have been used by DEP to determine where to install carbon filtration systems, known as point-of-entry treatment (POET) systems. The DEP provided bottled water to these residences until such time as POET systems could be installed.

The data collected by DEP and the University will be described in a work plan and used to design the University’s planned investigation. This work plan will be submitted to DEP for review prior to implementation of the investigation.

Additional information on the Benner Township PFAS Investigation is available on DEP’s website.

Penn State is committed to protecting groundwater in the region and has been working in partnership with DEP over the past four-plus years to acquire additional testing results from various locations. Given how prevalent the use of PFAS are in so many applications, there are other potential sources of PFAS beyond the Federal Aviation Administration’s mandated use of fire-fighting foam, according to DEP. Other potential sources of contamination outside of the State College Regional Airport property are not known and are still under investigation.

The State College Regional Airport (previously the University Park Airport) and Penn State have acted at all times in strict accordance with the requirements and mandates issued by the FAA governing the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) containing PFAS to assure the health and safety of passengers. However, due to past required practice and operations, this activity may be a source of PFAS contamination found on the airport property. Therefore, Penn State has entered into a Consent Order and Agreement with DEP to investigate and remediate releases of PFAS that may be associated with the historic use of AFFF at the airport.

A consent order and agreement is a legally binding agreement between DEP and another party to address regulatory issues similar to a settlement agreement. DEP and Penn State have entered into a Consent Order and Agreement because the University has agreed to investigate and remediate releases of PFAS that may be associated with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) mandated use of PFAS-containing aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) at the airport and to pay a portion of the response costs incurred by DEP in the Benner Township PFAS investigation. The investigation and remediation will be performed under Pennsylvania’s Act 2 process and subject to DEP approval, as specified in the Consent Order and Agreement.

Before the Consent Order and Agreement between DEP and the University is finalized, there will be a 60-day period for the public to comment on the terms of the agreement.  

On the federal level, the Environmental Protection Agency has said it does not intend to pursue response actions or costs against publicly owned airports or similar parties and will focus enforcement on parties who significantly contributed to the release of PFAS chemicals into the environment, including those that have manufactured PFAS.   

A copy of the Consent Order and Agreement between DEP and Penn State will be made available by DEP.

Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling Program (also known as “Act 2”) was established by a series of legislative actions, and specifically aims to encourage private sector voluntary clean-up of contaminated commercial and industrial sites. Act 2 is built on the following principles: uniform cleanup standards, liability relief, standardized reviews and time limits and financial assistance.

To participate in Act 2, an initial Notice of Intent to Remediate must be submitted to DEP. Subsequently, a Remedial Investigation Work Plan is prepared and submitted to DEP to outline the proposed field investigation to determine the type, concentrations and locations of the targeted PFAS released at the airport that may be found in soil, groundwater and surface water. Several iterations of the remedial investigation may be anticipated, with the findings from earlier studies used to design subsequent phases of the field investigations. After the investigation has determined the type, concentrations and locations of the contaminant—in this case PFAS in the soil, groundwater, and surface water at the airport—a Remedial Investigation Report and Cleanup Plan is typically prepared and submitted to DEP for evaluation and approval. Upon approval, remedial action is implemented (if deemed necessary) and then a Final Report is prepared.  

After the 60-day public comment period has passed and DEP has addressed any comments received, within 30 days of the effective date of the Consent Order and Agreement between Penn State and DEP, a Notice of Intent to Remediate and a proposed schedule to implement the remedial investigation will be submitted to DEP.

Subsequently, a Remedial Investigation Work Plan will be submitted and, upon approval from DEP, Penn State will proceed with the proposed investigation. Once the remedial investigation is completed to the satisfaction of both DEP and Penn State, a Remedial Action Work Plan will be prepared (if deemed necessary). Upon approval by DEP of the Remedial Action Work Plan, remedial action will be implemented (if deemed necessary) and then a Final Report will be prepared.

These steps are outlined in the Consent Order and Agreement, which will be made available by DEP.

To this point in time, DEP has covered the costs associated with the Benner Township PFAS investigation. In the Consent Order and Agreement, Penn State has agreed to reimburse the DEP for a portion of those costs ($564,767). Either DEP or Penn State may seek to recover costs from additional parties.

Pennsylvania’s Office of Attorney General in June took action against DuPont and two other chemical companies for the continued manufacturing and distribution of products containing PFAS by filing a lawsuit seeking restitution, civil penalties, and other costs to be determined. 

 Both the state and the University are seeking to hold accountable the companies that sold and profited from their PFAS-containing products.

It is too early to estimate when the investigation will be complete.

For more information regarding the DEP’s Benner Township investigation, please visit the DEP’s website.

The University will attempt to keep the public reasonably informed of progress throughout all stages of the investigation and remediation, and all documents produced by or published by DEP related to the investigation will be in the public domain.

For more information regarding DEP’s Benner Township investigation, please visit DEP’s website.

The Department of Environmental Protection will publish a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and the Centre Daily Times containing a summary of the terms of the Consent Order and Agreement. The notice will include the terms of the settlement and the manner in which to submit written comments during the 60-day public comment period.

In 2020, the Department of Environmental Protection for the state sampled Penn State’s water provided to campus and the results were non-detect for PFAS. Penn State’s water treatment facility uses granulated activated carbon, one of the best available technologies for removal of PFOS and PFOA (>99%) from water.

As noted, new fire-fighting foam that is PFAS-free and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now being used as part of fire-suppression training. The State College Regional Airport was the first airport in Pennsylvania to purchase the new foam. A new Aircraft Rescue and Fire-Fighting (ARFF) vehicle equipped with a testing system that contains all fire-fighting foam internal to the vehicle was acquired in 2023 and will further minimize any environmental impact that may be associated with ARFF testing. The new ARFF vehicle carries the new PFAS-free, fire-fighting foam and is the primary fire response vehicle for the State College Regional Airport.

Penn State is proactively taking additional steps to hold the manufacturers of these chemicals and their products accountable. In addition to our efforts to protect our community and environment, we are pursuing legal action against AGC Chemicals Americas, Inc., BASF Corporation, Carrier Fire and Security Americas Corporation, and others for their involvement in the manufacture and sale of per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The University is seeking compensation for the damages incurred. We are committed to ensuring that those responsible bear the financial responsibility for the consequences of their actions. 

The University will continue to follow all regulations issued by both the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the state DEP in this evolving area, as Penn State is committed to protecting groundwater and the natural resources in the region.