Emerging Contaminants. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). The AFC write-ups provided below include: • A brief description of the issue/challenge; • The relevant NHDES and EPANE management and technical staff contacts; • A description of what a successful environmental, public health, or efficiency outcome looks like; • Proposed major milestones and/or action steps (with estimated deadlines, where available); and • Anticipated resource needs or constraints, as well as any known barriers or major disinvestments required. To maintain a high level of attention on the new AFCs, and to gain the greatest benefits of a cooperative, problem-solving approach, close communication between both agencies is necessary throughout the Agreement period. Appropriate staff from the two organizations will provide coordinated, narrative updates to senior leadership at least annually to ensure that desired progress is being made on the selected AFCs. At the end of each year, the Areas for Collaboration will be reviewed and amended, as necessary. It should be emphasized that exclusion of a particular issue or program area from the “Areas for Collaboration” section does not indicate a low priority or that significant work is not being accomplished in that area. All core NHDES and EPANE services are ongoing and remain essential to protecting the environment and public health in New Hampshire and in New England. The separate, but closely-related Priorities and Commitments Lists and NHDES Comprehensive Work Plans that will be developed under the authority of the over-arching PPA during FFY 2022 – 2025 will document in writing the specific work tasks associated with each of the Areas for Collaboration, as well as many other critical, ongoing work tasks across a wide range of program areas and issues.
Emerging Contaminants. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS); and
Emerging Contaminants. Emerging Contaminants: Ongoing efforts to prioritize and assess the potential impacts from emerging contaminants and develop management strategies (e.g., other PFAS, flame retardants, and Pharmaceuticals & Personal Care Products [PPCP]), including maintaining involvement in PFAS and PPCP research with UMASS, USGS and other research groups, and maintaining awareness of PFAS and PPCP/EDC health and environmental levels. Issue waivers from household hazardous waste collection regulations to municipalities and others collecting waste medications from residents. Assess and update as necessary risk-assessment protocols to protect children’s health and implement (as feasible) via air guideline derivations, drinking water and MCP standards. Hazardous Waste Management: BAW MassDEP has been successfully implementing the program that ensures that hazardous wastes are properly managed at the site of generation and safely transported to licensed, well-run Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs). Over the next few years we will be continuing to use a combination of assistance, reporting, inspections and enforcement to ensure that hazardous waste generators, transporters and TSDFs continue to comply with program requirements. The agency also will continue to implement the streamlined TSDF licensing process developed through a joint EPA-MassDEP LEAN initiative. Hazardous Waste – Compliance Oversight Complete annual TSDF inspections. Inspections of large quantity hazardous waste generators; as-needed inspections of small and very small generators, and compliance report reviews as per our ACMS. Follow-up enforcement in response to compliance problems. Registration of hazardous waste generators. Hazardous Waste TSDF license renewals. Hazardous Waste Transporters and transportation vehicle identification numbers (VIDs) license issuance. Management of the hazardous waste shipment reporting program (EMORES), including report collection, analysis, and enforcement of the reporting requirement. Implementation of the Financial Assurance provisions that require that TSDFs have adequate financial instruments in place to respond to close the facility and respond to releases. Continue to implement the streamlined TSDF license renewal process developed with EPA Region 1. Working with other New England states, discuss compliance oversight strategy for pharmacies and other stores that are Large Quantity Generators of hazardous waste due to returned or expired pharmaceuticals. S...
