Review of End-Of-Life Management Options for Refinery Equipment and Lubricants/Greases Potentially Containing PFAS

Report no. 12/24: This report presents a review of end-of-life equipment and components containing PFAS, in particular fluoropolymers, used in refinery and fuel distribution facilities. The project involved a literature review of fluoropolymers types, their physical and chemical characteristics, where they are likely to be found in refineries’ components and equipment and the main waste management options available when they become a waste. PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) is the main fluoropolymer in use. Together with other fluoropolymers such as FEP (fluorinated propylene), PFA (perfluoroalkoxy alkanes) ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoro ethylene) and other tetrafluoroethylene-copolymers, they account for around 75% of fluoropolymers in the market. Fluoropolymers (FP) are plastics which are virtually chemically inert, non-wetting, non-stick, and highly resistant to temperature, fire and weather and they have become critical components in numerous technologies, industrial processes and everyday applications. Compared to other plastics, fluoropolymers are usually used as part of other applications and represent around 0.1% of the total plastics processing demand of the EU countries. They include a wide range of applications, such as pipe liners, lining of valves, lining of distillation units, containers for storage and transportation, hoses, seals, gaskets, filters, membranes, coatings, etc., and they are also found as additives in lubricants oils and greases. In 2020, most fluoropolymers waste was (co-) incinerated in Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI) plants or in dedicated hazardous waste incineration plants (83.5%) typically with energy recovery. Landfilling corresponded to about 13.1%, while some fractions of pre-sorted fluoropolymer waste was sent to recycling (3.4%). Currently, the recycling of post-consumer fluoropolymer waste from commingled (mixed) waste streams from commercial and industrial end-users is almost non-existent and will not be a promising option for circularity of in the coming years. Only if all stakeholders along the fluoropolymer value chain work more closely together, progress can be made in increasing their recycling.