The webinar will cover the technical aspects of environmental remediation, waste management, and regulatory compliance for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and their occurrence in contaminated sites.

An overview of options and associated considerations for PFAS due diligence, remediation, and management, with a focus on drivers, applicability, risks, and costs, will be provided. A case study of the management of a AFFF release will be reviewed including information on disposal costs and challenges for solid media treatment and reuse options.

Risk communication and outreach are also essential, especially in areas where there are public health concerns, and will be discussed in the webinar.

Based on a variety of perspectives, this webinar will highlight what has been learned by state and local officials regarding the impacts of these devastating wildfires, the nature and priority of responses that were called for at the time,  and what these experiences tell us about preparations for the future.  The scope of the needed recovery efforts was immense including recognition and removal of immediate health hazards, removal of hazardous materials from public and private properties. The recovery efforts also included eliminating safety hazards to workers and the public,  helping affected citizens understand the hazards and the processes related to land access and restoration.  The roles of responsible state agencies and affected local agencies will be highlighted as well as those of consultants and contractors supporting all aspects of the recovery efforts.

Three case studies will be presented by experienced professionals directly involved in previous wildfire events:

1. Courtney Hart and Vince Paul from CalRecycle will discuss the operational details of community clean-up associated with the very large Caldor fire in northern California in 2021;
2. The local agency perspective by Garry Sanfacon will address the needs and challenges of recovery efforts related to the Marshall Fire near Boulder, CO in December 2021 that destroyed nearly 1,000 homes;
3. An overview of the state level coordinated response to the wildfires of the western Cascade Mountains of Oregon (2020) will be presented by Nicole Sherbert and will include a discussion of the action and communication priorities for the several communities.