Jacobi Group addresses the PFAS issue using a sustainable solution approach, the only operator offering activated carbon as well as ion exchange resins, supported by their fleet of mobile filtration units across Europe

In recent years, awareness of the PFAS contamination crisis has rapidly grown, and, consequently, the drive for effective and safe treatment options has gained momentum too.

At Jacobi, we tackle our customers’ PFAS problems with an environment and people-first philosophy where we work within, but often exceed, local directives and regulations, delivering effective treatment that is environmentally conscious and safe for our personnel and the public.

Jacobi Group’s entry into PFAS treatment solutions

Our first PFAS client came to us before the situation had made headlines or was a big talking point. This was a drinking water customer that was set next to an airbase (widely known as PFAS hotspots) and needed help ensuring the water safety for local people.

Here at Jacobi, our goal is to become the most sustainable supplier of activated carbon in the industry. Tackling the PFAS crisis, helping to make the environment safer and bettering drinking water quality, thus improving lives and protecting the planet, aligns with our sustainability ethos and goals. This particular area of treatment is one that we feel a strong sense of duty towards, and so we set out to develop effective methods to treat our customers’ PFAS problems.

The Jacobi approach to PFAS: Not just removed but destroyed

Our overarching goal here at Jacobi is to operate in the most sustainable way possible. When we work, we put the planet and its inhabitants at the forefront of our decision-making processes, and so, when it comes to PFAS treatment, removal is only part of the challenge. If the PFAS is removed and then disposed of incorrectly, hazardous chemicals are simply relocated (and so rereleased back into the environment where their toxic effects will be repeated), rather than eliminated. Completely destroying PFAS is crucial to a full ‘solution’.

We set out to build a complete solution, which we can now offer our customers through the reactivation of their spent carbon, a process that results in a multitude of benefits. PFAS removal is fairly straightforward and involves using mobile filter units loaded with activated carbon from our AquaSorbTM range, as well as other media such as ion exchange resins, where necessary, that adsorb contaminants, PFAS included.

By heating the resulting PFAS-loaded carbon to extremely high temperatures in our kiln, the PFAS is removed to undetectable levels. It is worth noting here that zero PFAS is not achievable for the majority because of technical and financial limitations, but undetectable levels that are safe for the environment and the public are.

These high temperatures will also reactivate the carbon, making it reusable once again. We know that recycled carbon has a far lower Global Warming Impact than virgin carbon does. Here, lower emissions and undetectable PFAS levels combine to form an environmentally conscious solution to our customers’ PFAS problems. At Jacobi, we strive to make sure that the most sustainable option is the most desirable for our customers, and so there is also a cost benefit to choosing reactivated carbon over virgin.

Taking testing further

Countries in the EU currently work within the EU drinking water directive to set limits for PFAS levels (this is alongside their local PFAS level regulations). PFAS fall under the drinking water directive guidelines; however, only three types are often measured. Though these particular PFAS are the most common, we know that they are not the most dangerous.

It would be easy to work within the guidelines, testing for three PFAS compounds only (PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS); however, we feel a strong sense of duty and responsibility to the environment, and so we test for 32 types that can be analysed out of the millions that exist.

We then have to consider the ‘POP’ (persistent organic pollutants) levels in the spent activated carbon media prior to reactivation. We know that PFAS escapes through other routes during reactivation treatment too; it’s important to follow Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 implementing the Stockholm Convention in EU law. Dust and emissions produced during treatment mean these chemicals can be emitted into the air, and wastewater generated sees them sent back into the environment. For thorough and comprehensive treatment, which prioritises the safety of our people and the public when really dealing with PFAS for good, we choose to test these sources too. To ensure complete transparency and reliability, we employ independent testing agencies for regular certification.

A multi-faceted approach

Whilst our main line of treatment is activated carbon, it is not effective alone in every scenario. Each customer presents a unique situation and set of requirements, and we tailor the treatment accordingly.

Our Jacobi Resins business unit manufactures and supplies ion exchange resins that are used widely in combination with our activated carbon for effective PFAS removal, with both media able to target different types of PFAS.

Through our Services business, we also provide the mobile filter units for the carbon and resins to be used in, along with the pre- and post-treatment testing, logistics and media handling.

PFAS challenges past and present

A one-size-fits-all approach is simply impossible within this market. We consider each case individually and, of course, work with the frameworks put forward by the customer’s authorities; however, we also work with the assumption that we must operate in the most environmentally responsible way. This means that we will often provide thorough treatment that is above the baseline requirements simply because it is the right thing to do.

This ethos also means that our testing criteria are extremely strict. It is imperative that our personnel are protected when working to reactivate spent media. The welfare of the people working in our plants is our priority, and so if contamination levels (POP levels) of the media are extremely high, we will decline the material. In some instances, this has meant a loss of business; however, we are committed to the safety of our people and to complete, efficient solutions.

Looking to the future

For a long time, drinking water was the main focus of PFAS removal, and, when you consider the negative effects of consumption, the motivations for prioritising this are clear. Now that drinking water treatment is, generally speaking, well-established, we are looking to other sources that need attention.

Industrial operations are a large, undeniable source of PFAS contamination, with many customers coming to us looking for treatment for contaminated soil or landfill leachate. Our reactivation plant in Germany is authorised to remove the PFAS and reactivate the loaded carbon from drinking water and industrial sources.

In late 2025, work began on Jacobi Services Vierzon, our new site in France, which will allow us to significantly increase capacity in the next few years. The plant, which we expect to be operating fully in 2027, will have reactivation capacity of 10,000MT per year.

By offering these services in central France, a convenient location for our European customers, we will eliminate the emissions associated with the logistics of moving spent and reactivated carbon. By increasing capacity, making reactivation easier and preferable for our customers, the new plant will help to move the industry forward in terms of prioritising sustainability and steer us to a more circular economy.

For more information on our PFAS solutions, you can register for our regular webinars by visiting jacobi.net/webinars or, alternatively, visit jacobi.net/pfas. To get in touch with Jacobi Group’s dedicated PFAS team, email [email protected].

About Jacobi Group

Jacobi Group is a solution-driven company manufacturing and supplying a full range of effective activated carbon products, ion exchange resins, and services. Currently, Jacobi is the largest manufacturer of coconut-based activated carbon. The company champions and favours the use of coconut shell as the raw material for activated carbon products, thanks to its renewable status and environmental credentials – namely, the low waste and negative CO2 impact. The company operates across the globe, providing customers with comprehensive solutions in a wide range of application areas, including water, oil, gas and air treatments and the production of biogas, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverages.

This article will feature in our upcoming April PFAS Special Focus Publication.