All posts tagged: PFAS

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 …

PFAS-free training solutions for lithium-ion battery fires

PFAS-free training solutions for lithium-ion battery fires

Published by skeptic

Anogas has developed a PFAS-free Hydrogel technology for firefighting training, addressing the environmental and health risks associated with traditional fluorinated foams and providing realistic simulations of lithium-ion battery fires. For many decades, firefighting training grounds around the world have become heavily contaminated with PFAS due to the widespread use of PFAS-containing firefighting foams, particularly aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). During training exercises, large quantities of foam were repeatedly discharged directly onto open ground, often without proper collection or containment systems. As a result, PFAS compounds penetrated the soil and groundwater, creating long-term environmental pollution. Because PFAS substances hardly degrade naturally, they are commonly referred to as ‘forever chemicals.’ The contamination of firefighting training sites has become a major environmental and public health concern. PFAS can migrate through groundwater systems and contaminate drinking water sources, agricultural land, and surrounding ecosystems. Scientific research has linked exposure to certain PFAS compounds to serious health risks, including immune system disruption, hormonal imbalance, liver damage, and certain forms of cancer. These concerns have led governments and regulatory authorities worldwide to increasingly …

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 …

Australia sues 3M for bn over PFAS contamination linked to aqueous film-forming foam

Australia sues 3M for $2bn over PFAS contamination linked to aqueous film-forming foam

Published by skeptic

The Australian Government has launched Federal Court proceedings against 3M Australia Pty Ltd and its US parent company, 3M Company, over widespread PFAS contamination linked to aqueous film-forming foam used at defence sites. The Commonwealth is seeking damages exceeding $2bn to recover costs associated with investigating, containing and remediating contamination at 28 defence bases nationwide. The case centres on allegations that 3M failed to fully disclose environmental risks associated with aqueous film-forming foam, commonly known as AFFF, despite allegedly having knowledge of the long-term contamination risks posed by PFAS chemicals. The Commonwealth also claims the company provided assurances about the product’s environmental safety and disposal methods that were inconsistent with internal knowledge available at the time. The legal action represents one of the Australian Government’s largest environmental recovery claims tied to PFAS contamination. The Department of Defence has already spent more than $1.3bn managing the fallout from the historical use of aqueous film-forming foam and says substantial future costs are expected as remediation work continues across affected communities. Speaking on the lawsuit, Australia’s Attorney-General, Michelle …

Lithium-ion battery fires are surging. Firefighting tech is struggling to keep up

Lithium-ion battery fires are surging. Firefighting tech is struggling to keep up

Published by skeptic

From electric vehicles and e-bikes to grid-scale energy storage systems, lithium-ion batteries are becoming central to modern life. But as governments and industries accelerate the shift toward electrification, fire services and safety regulators are confronting a growing problem: lithium-ion battery fires are increasing in frequency, are notoriously difficult to extinguish and are exposing the limitations of existing firefighting technologies. In cities including London, New York City, and Seoul, officials have reported rising numbers of fires linked to lithium-ion batteries, particularly from e-bikes and electric scooters. Large-scale battery storage fires have also triggered evacuations and environmental concerns in several countries over the past decade, raising questions about whether safety infrastructure is keeping pace with the rapid adoption of battery-powered technologies. Unlike conventional fires, lithium-ion battery fires can burn at extremely high temperatures, reignite hours after appearing extinguished and release toxic gases during combustion. Firefighters often require vast quantities of water to cool battery cells and stop thermal runaway, the chain reaction that occurs when overheating spreads from one cell to another. At the same time, growing …

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 Cookware Industry Has a Major Fight Brewing Over PFAS Claims

The Cookware Industry Has a Major Fight Brewing Over PFAS Claims

Published by skeptic

The war over forever chemicals in cookware has seen celebrity chefs, major cookware makers, and state legislatures enter into battle. Now, a new front has opened over advertising claims. Cookware company Caraway is alleging that “Big Cookware” is using a lawsuit to try to “silence” the company, which rose to prominence making forever-chemical-free pans. Caraway recently launched a marketing campaign in response to a lawsuit filed in February by two large pan makers, which claims that Caraway is harming their reputation by marketing its products as free of “toxic” chemicals—despite never mentioning either company by name. The lawsuit, filed by Groupe SEB USA and Meyer in the Southern District of New York, claims that Caraway’s marketing around forever chemicals, a colloquial term for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), is harmful to the industry as a whole. Caraway’s marketing materials, the two companies say in the suit, is not grounded in scientific fact and “has caused immense and continuing harm to consumers, to Plaintiffs, and to other cookware and bakeware companies in the marketplace.” In …

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 …