All posts tagged: PFAS in USA

Reworld debuts new full-scale PFAS destruction process

Reworld debuts new full-scale PFAS destruction process

Published by skeptic

ReAssure™ PFAS Destruction has been tested and proven to destroy and remove 99% of PFAS. ReAssure™ PFAS Destruction provides customers with access to approximately 17 million tons of processing capacity through Thermomechanical Treatment Facilities (TTFs) available in all major markets in the United States, delivering the scale necessary to address PFAS-containing waste. Offering PFAS destruction across municipal, commercial, and industrial waste streams, the Reworld TTFs process waste at temperatures above 1,100°C (2,012°F), widely cited as effective for PFAS destruction. Testing campaigns at Reworld TTFs have demonstrated 99% destruction and removal of PFAS at a processing capacity scale over 17 times greater than hazardous waste incineration. PFAS destruction is a crucial part of reducing pollution PFAS contamination is one of the most pressing and pervasive issues in the environment today. The chemicals have been in use since the 1930s, do not break down easily and highly soluble in water, meaning they are incredibly widespread. Several health conditions have been attributed to PFAS exposure, with impact noted as early as in the womb. “To effectively solve the …

EWG finds PFAS pesticides widespread in California waterways

EWG finds PFAS pesticides widespread in California waterways

Published by skeptic

Researchers found that pesticides classified as PFAS, often called “forever chemicals” because of their extreme persistence in the environment, were detected in as many as half of surface water samples collected near farmland across the state. The findings reveal that contamination extends beyond crops and into rivers, streams and sediments that millions of Californians rely on. PFAS pesticides were identified in approximately 45% to 55% of sediment samples and up to 50% of surface water samples collected from agricultural regions. The data suggest that exposure routes may include not only food but also contaminated soil and water. As concerns grow over the long-term effects of PFAS chemicals, environmental advocates are urging California regulators to phase out PFAS pesticides used in agriculture. Researchers warn that these substances can remain in ecosystems for generations, potentially creating lasting environmental and public health challenges. What are PFAS pesticides? PFAS pesticides contain active ingredients that meet the internationally recognised definition of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These compounds contain strong carbon-fluorine bonds, making them exceptionally resistant to degradation. The same chemical …

University of Kansas improves detection of PFAS in drinking water

University of Kansas improves detection of PFAS in drinking water

Published by skeptic

Researchers at the University of Kansas have developed a new technique that could significantly improve the detection of PFAS in drinking water, offering a faster and more affordable alternative to existing laboratory methods. The study, published in the scientific journal PLOS Water, outlines a testing approach capable of identifying ultra-low concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of synthetic chemicals increasingly linked to serious health concerns. The method is designed to help laboratories meet stricter drinking water standards while reducing testing times and operational costs. The researchers reported that their system can reduce sample preparation times from several hours to minutes while maintaining the sensitivity required to detect PFAS at levels regulated by US authorities. The advance could make widespread monitoring more practical for water utilities and testing facilities facing growing regulatory pressure. Growing concerns over PFAS in drinking water PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” have been widely used for decades in products such as non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, waterproof coatings and firefighting foams. Their chemical structure makes them highly resistant …

CETCO highlights PFAS remediation tech at EPA roundtable

CETCO highlights PFAS remediation tech at EPA roundtable

Published by skeptic

Minerals Technologies Inc. announced that its environmental solutions business, CETCO, took part in a high-level United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) roundtable in Washington focused on PFAS remediation. The event brought together government officials and industry leaders to discuss technologies aimed at removing so-called “forever chemicals” from drinking water and contaminated sites. CETCO was represented by Barry Shadrix, Global Director of Water and Remediation, alongside EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, US Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and other specialists working in PFAS remediation. The discussion centred on practical solutions, innovation, and the cost of treating PFAS contamination across the United States. The meeting highlighted growing federal and commercial interest in scalable PFAS remediation technologies as regulators and utilities face increasing pressure to address contamination in water supplies and soil. CETCO used the event to showcase its FLUORO-SORB® adsorbent technology, which has already been deployed in full-scale remediation projects. Speaking on the EPA roundtable, Shadrix said: “It is an honour to be able to join the government and other industry leaders in this …

US breakthrough provides real-time airborne PFAS detection

US breakthrough provides real-time airborne PFAS detection

Published by skeptic

The innovation will potentially transform how scientists monitor toxic “forever chemicals” in homes, workplaces and public spaces, introducing a faster and safer way to identify airborne contamination within seconds instead of days or weeks. The breakthrough centres on a technology known as superoxide chemical ionization mass spectrometry, or O2-CIMS. Unlike traditional PFAS monitoring systems that rely on hazardous chemicals and lengthy lab analysis, the new approach allows researchers to measure airborne PFAS with high sensitivity while using safer reagents that are easier to deploy outside laboratory environments. The findings could significantly improve understanding of how airborne PFAS spread through indoor and outdoor environments. Researchers also discovered measurable emissions from common fast-food packaging at room temperature, highlighting concerns about everyday exposure to airborne PFAS from consumer products. Why airborne PFAS are becoming a bigger concern PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic chemicals widely used in products designed to resist grease, water, and stains. They appear in nonstick cookware, waterproof fabrics, food packaging, and firefighting foam. Because these chemicals break down extremely slowly, they …

The pros and cons of pilot testing for PFAS removal

The pros and cons of pilot testing for PFAS removal

Published by skeptic

Sentinel Water Solutions considers the advantages and disadvantages of pilot testing for PFAS removal in water treatment. Ask most vendors about pilot testing for PFAS removal, and they will point you toward a standard rental skid. The columns have a fixed height. The sample taps are where they have always been. The underdrain is what came with the unit. The pitch is straightforward: here is the equipment, now design your test around it. The problem is that PFAS treatment is not a standard problem. Every source of water is different, regulatory requirements vary by state, and site flow rates and facility space constraints directly impact vessel sizing and system layout. On top of that, treatment media such as GAC and IX resin carry very different footprints and long-term cost implications depending on the application. Yet, utilities and engineering teams are often forced to accept standard rental pilot equipment and hope it accommodates all these variables. This article examines the core advantages and disadvantages of pilot testing for PFAS removal, with particular attention to a risk …

The PFAS drinking water crisis is reshaping public health and infrastructure

The PFAS drinking water crisis is reshaping public health and infrastructure

Published by skeptic

Across Europe and North America, water utilities are confronting a problem that environmental scientists say could take decades to fully contain: PFAS contamination in drinking water. PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large group of synthetic chemicals used in everything from non-stick cookware and waterproof fabrics to industrial manufacturing and firefighting foams. Their resistance to heat, water and oil made them commercially valuable for decades. But that same chemical stability has created a growing environmental and public health crisis. Often referred to as “forever chemicals”, PFAS do not easily break down in soil or water. Instead, they accumulate in the environment and, increasingly, in human bodies. Researchers have linked exposure to certain PFAS compounds to health concerns including cancers, liver damage, immune system effects, fertility problems and developmental risks. Now regulators, scientists and water providers are facing the enormous challenge of removing them from drinking water systems that were never designed to handle this kind of contamination. A global contamination problem PFAS contamination has been detected in rivers, groundwater, reservoirs and drinking …

US unveils PFAS strategy overhaul with bn drinking water funding push

US unveils PFAS strategy overhaul with $1bn drinking water funding push

Published by skeptic

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expanding its national PFAS strategy with a new package of drinking water funding, proposed regulations, and emerging cleanup technologies aimed at reducing exposure to forever chemicals. The announcement came during a PFAS destruction event alongside US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and marks one of the agency’s most significant actions on PFAS since federal drinking water standards were introduced. At the centre of the EPA’s updated PFAS strategy is nearly $1bn in new grant funding for states and disadvantaged communities, alongside two proposed rules that would preserve federal limits for PFOA and PFOS while giving some water systems until 2031 to comply. EPA officials say the approach is designed to balance public health protection with legal durability and practical implementation under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The broader result is a more comprehensive federal framework that stretches beyond drinking water treatment alone. The agency is simultaneously tightening oversight of industrial discharges, expanding PFAS monitoring and research, accelerating the development of destruction technologies, …

PFAS monitoring finds forever chemicals in every rain and snow sample across the Great Lakes

PFAS monitoring finds forever chemicals in every rain and snow sample across the Great Lakes

Published by skeptic

Researchers with Minnesota Sea Grant say new findings from a two-year study show PFAS contamination is consistently entering the Great Lakes region through rain and snow. The project, funded by the United States Geological Survey, monitored precipitation at five locations across Minnesota and Michigan and detected PFAS in every sample collected. The research will be presented in June at the National Atmospheric Deposition Program Scientific Symposium in Madison, Wisconsin. Scientists involved in the project say the results strengthen evidence that airborne PFAS pollution is widespread and may travel long distances before settling into watersheds, lakes and surrounding ecosystems. The findings also raise concerns about the limits of current PFAS monitoring methods. Researchers discovered that routine testing captures only a small fraction of fluorinated chemicals present in precipitation, suggesting environmental contamination may be more extensive than previously understood. PFAS detected in all samples during two-year study PFAS are synthetic chemicals widely used in consumer and industrial products, including nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, firefighting foams and food packaging. Because many PFAS compounds degrade extremely slowly, they are …

Boise State researchers pioneer portable PFAS detector

Boise State researchers pioneer portable PFAS detector

Published by skeptic

A team led by researchers at Boise State University and Idaho-based Pearlhill Technologies, LLC, has developed a portable PFAS detector that can identify toxic forever chemicals in water samples within minutes. The device was created by electrical engineering professor Kris Campbell and Pearlhill Technologies president Bamidele Omotowa with support from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Technology Transfer grant. The new system, known as ENVIR-OGT, is designed to detect PFAS compounds at concentrations as low as one part per trillion, matching current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards. Unlike conventional laboratory testing, which can cost hundreds of dollars and take weeks to complete, the handheld device delivers near real-time results directly at the testing site. The breakthrough could significantly change how governments, utilities and manufacturers monitor water contamination. By lowering the cost and complexity of testing, the PFAS detector may help communities identify PFAS pollution faster and respond before contamination spreads through public water systems. The growing need for PFAS detection technology PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic …