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PFAS Chemicals

Wisconsin’s #1 PFAS Consulting Service

Phase 1 & Phase 2 Assessments for PFAS Contamination

PFAS contamination is commonly found near manufacturing facilities and military bases. Most recently in Wisconsin, PFAS chemicals have been found in drinking water in rivers near Marinette and Madison, WI. The only way to discover if your property is experiencing PFAS contamination is to hire Wisconsin’s #1 PFAS consulting service from Hyde Environmental.

Hyde’s environmental consultants work with property owners to conduct Phase 1 and Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) to test and remediate PFAS contamination. We will evaluate if your property follows all regulations set by the DNR and EPA.

Why Choose Hyde Environmental for PFAS Consulting?

Hyde Environmental specializes in environmental assessment and remediation, focusing on soil, groundwater, and surface water contamination. Led by Jim Lindemann, Hyde Environmental's President, Jim’s technical specialty is identifying and pursuing the best PFAS decontamination that can be completed in the shortest timeframe to achieve state-accepted closure at the lowest possible cost. Jim’s deep experience in environmental chemistry and applied hydrogeology, combined with his team of experienced consultants, makes Hyde Environmental Wisconsin’s go-to choice for PFAS issues.

PFAS Sampling Expertise

Hyde Environmental's PFAS consultants have experience conducting site investigation services with groundwater, surface water, and soil sampling for PFAS chemicals. Because PFAS contamination must be detected at the parts per trillion level, rather than the parts per billion or parts per million level, special care must be taken during the sample collection process to ensure contamination from other sources does not occur. Hyde’s contamination experts undergo rigorous training to conduct PFAS sampling.

PFAS Consulting & Remediation for All Major Industries

Industrial Facilities
Manufacturing Facilities
Real Estate Developers
Chemical Producers
Municipalities

What are PFAS Chemicals?

PFAS or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a large group of human-made chemicals used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1950s. PFAS substances have been used in non-stick cookware, food packages/fast-food wrappings, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant fabrics and carpets, some cosmetics, some firefighting foams, and products that resist grease, water, and oil. PFAS do not occur naturally and are widespread in the environment, found in people, wildlife and fish worldwide.

PFAS contaminants have commonly entered the environment through spills of PFAS-containing materials, discharges of PFAS-containing wastewater to treatment plants and certain types of firefighting foams.

What PFAS Chemicals Contain

PFAS = a family of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances that contain carbon, fluorine, and other elements
- PFOS = Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
- PFOA = Perfluorooctane acid
- PFHxS = Perfluorohexane acid
- PFNA = Perfluorononanoic acid

The Health Effects of PFAS Chemicals

Scientists are still learning about the health effects that various PFAS can have on the body. The more widely used substances, like PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA, have been studied more than other PFAS.

A large number of studies in people have examined possible relationships between levels of PFAS in blood and harmful health effects in people. However, most of these studies analyzed only a small number of chemicals, and not all PFAS have the same health effects.

Known Effects of High PFAS Levels

Increased cholesterol levels
Decreased response to vaccines
Increased risk of thyroid disease
Decreased fertility in women
Increased risk of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia in pregnant women
Lower infant birth weights (less threatening

PFAS Health Research is Evolving

Several federal agencies are currently evaluating the human health risks of PFAS. Most people in the U.S. have PFAS in their blood, similar to the low levels observed in blood for other industrial compound classes like flame retardants and plasticizers. While a blood test can determine the amount of PFAS in one’s body, there is currently not enough research to determine the level at which one would expect to see health problems.

The Evolving PFAS Regulations

U.S. EPA Health Advisory

The U.S. EPA has established cumulative-lifetime health advisories for PFOA and PFOS, which are two PFAS that have been most widely produced and studied, at 70 parts per trillion (ppt).

The Recommended Wisconsin Groundwater Standard

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WDHS) has sent the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) recommended groundwater standards of 20 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS individually and combined. WDHS continues to work on additional recommendations for other PFAS.

Both the U.S. EPA health advisory level and the recommended WDHS groundwater standard are set to protect people, including sensitive populations such as people who are pregnant and babies, from the health effects associated with PFOA and PFOS exposures. The groundwater standard recommended by WDHS is based on more recent scientific findings.

Revisions to Wisconsin Surface Water Standard

As part of the effort to protect surface water and public health across Wisconsin, the WDNR plans to work with key public and industry stakeholders, state agencies, the state Legislature, the governor and the general public to update Wisconsin’s surface water quality criteria regarding PFAS.

The WDNR’s Protections Surrounding PFAS Are Still Being Established

The WDNR seeks to protect humans from the adverse effects of PFAS resulting from contact with or ingestion of surface waters of the state and from ingestion of fish taken from surface waters of the state by creating human health surface water quality criteria for PFOS and PFOA. This includes any other PFAS that the department determines may be harmful to human health. The WDNR continues to review other states and federal agencies' guidelines for PFAS in air, soil, water, fish, and wildlife.

Where to Find More Information on PFAS

Additional information about the WDNR’s current PFAS activities can be found on the Wisconsin DNR’s website. Federal information can be found on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) website.

Get Started with a PFAS Assessment

As a first step to investigate different approaches to address a potential PFAS issue, please contact Jim Lindemann, Hyde’s President, at his office: (262) 250-1226, or on his cell phone: (262) 227-5878. Hyde Environmental is your go-to for environmental consulting and cleanup in Wisconsin and the Midwest.

Hyde Provides Phase 1 & Phase 2 Environmental Assessments Midwest-Wide