Potential PFAS plume in environmental due diligence

A Ramboll client requested assistance with acquisition environmental due diligence (EDD) of an industrial facility in New Hampshire, USA, in 2018.

The actively operating facility produces rubber products, and was in the location of a known per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) plume in local groundwater. The client wanted to understand potential liabilities regarding PFAS, were they to go ahead with the transaction.

Ramboll acted as project manager for an investigation of the facility. As part of environmental due diligence work prior to the transaction, Ramboll conducted a Phase I environmental site assessment to evaluate if the facility operations could have potentially contributed to the PFAS plume.

We reviewed the history of the property and the nature and extent of PFAS in groundwater. Then we produced detailed analysis of the products historically utilized at the facility and searched the safety data sheets (SDS) for keywords that may be indicative of the presence of regulated PFAS or precursors.

Based on our findings, the client decided to not proceed with the transaction as there were too many unknowns, particularly related to the potential for significant PFAS investigation and remediation being required by the regulatory agency.