Many are struggling with the problem of decontaminating soil polluted with the so-called "eternal chemical" PFAS. Now, a new method will be tested in Laholm Municipality, where plants that bind and eliminate PFAS from the soil will be used.
The trial will be conducted in collaboration between the municipality and Halmstad University. The idea is to harvest the plants and then dissolve them in a basic liquid.
"This nature-based solution not only improves the environment but also contributes to the development of future decontamination technologies," says Thor Gunnar Bjelland, chairman of the urban planning committee, in a press release from Laholm Municipality.
PFAS are human-made chemicals that break down extremely slowly and therefore accumulate in nature and in our bodies. Some are toxic and can increase the risk of various negative health effects.
PFAS have, among other things, been found on and near firefighting training sites, since the chemical is present in firefighting foam. In Laholm, elevated levels of PFAS have been found in soil and groundwater near such a training site.
