Keeping Compliant

Langan Helps Clients Stay on Top of PFAS Regulations with EQuIS Solutions

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has greatly expanded its list of PFAS constituents of regulatory interest over the past decade. Starting with PFOA and PFOS, two of the most widely detected PFAS compounds, the list has since grown to include a total of 15 chemicals and their related forms. Further, state lists can be even more extensive, and regulatory limits are getting smaller as measurement methods improve.

As a result, environmental consultants and their clients are facing challenges related to tracking, managing, and interpreting complex data. An effective data management strategy is crucial to confirm that incoming data is standardized, screened against relevant regulations, and available for rescreening as those regulations expand and evolve.

Powered by Earthsoft’s EQuIS environmental data management software, Langan hosts both its analytical data and applicable regulatory standards in one central database. This centralized location allows the team to efficiently screen data and identify areas of concern in active projects. Given the continual regulatory changes to PFAS standards, the primary challenge for Langan’s data management team is keeping its archive of PFAS regulatory criteria up to date, made possible through a collaboration with the firm’s regional PFAS experts. These experts monitor regulatory updates to make sure that the team’s central database reflects current regulations.

Staying up to date is only half the battle, however. Traditionally, updated information in a database would only be accessible to data managers. To eliminate a potential black box and provide transparency, Langan developed PFAS Navigator Pro—a company- and client-facing tool that allows users to browse an interactive map of summarized PFAS regulations. The platform is updated as new regulations are released and uploaded to the system.

With growing attention focused on PFAS, staying informed and on top of regulatory changes in real time is essential for successful environmental assessment and remediation. Langan’s PFAS practice helps clients attain success by equipping them with practical solutions and local expertise.

Rachel Walter is a Data Analyst at Langan with experience in both front-end project support and database administration. She set up the EQuIS framework for the PFAS Navigator Pro and is also responsible for project-specific deliverable generation and dashboard management.