A North Carolina pilot program has contracted four companies to use their emerging water treatment technology to each destroy 1000 gallons of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foam.
By June 1, the companies must retrieve the aqueous film-forming foam or AFFF from a warehouse in Charlotte. This marks the final phase of the AFFF Takeback Program, a voluntary state program to collect old foams from participating fire stations initiated in 2023.
“We’re very excited to finally get the ball rolling because I think there’s some fire chiefs that say, ‘well, you’re calling me again to get my foam update, and you’re saying you’re getting ready to come and get it, but we don’t see anything happening,’” said Steve Allred, Foam Research Analyst from the Office of State Fire Marshal.
Although organic PFAS destruction was not the quickest option available, Preston Clark, Field Research Manager for the AFFF Takeback Pilot Destruction Program, said the decision came down to efficacy.
“We want to use new technologies to destroy that foam. We don’t have to do that. There are other disposal methods such as incineration or deep well injection,” Clark said. “But we don’t want to do that. We want to try to be the best stewards we can where the foam is destroyed fully and there are no remnants of the PFAS.”
The EPA deemed North Carolina one of the most heavily impacted communities by environmental PFAS contamination in 2024. PFAS stands for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of toxic chemicals widely used for their water and heat resistant properties yet linked to heart disease, cancers, and birth complications.
The four contracted companies are AxNano, Clean Earth, Revive Environmental, and 374Water. Most will use a process called Super Critical Water Oxidation.
“We are able to take all the carbon from AFFF and convert that into carbon dioxide, essentially rendering that highly-toxic material into clean water and some kind of a fluoride salts,” said Sunny Viswanathan, Vice President of Solutions Team at 374Water.
The proprietary AirsSCWO system from 374Water changes the chemical form of AFFF using extreme heat and pressure. Viswanathan projected this technology to cost between $100 and $400 per gallon to treat.
In order for a company to extend its contract and destroy up to 28,000 AFFF gallons, independent sampling must show that phase one treatment results meet the EPA’s PFAS standards. Although the North Carolina PFAS Testing Network recommends the Maximum Contaminant Health Goal for two PFAS types at zero parts per trillion, currently, the strictest national drinking water standard for these two types is four parts per trillion.
Water projects across the country are waiting to see if PFAS regulations will change under the Trump administration. In January, the new administration withdrew a Biden Administration proposed rule to limit PFAS in industrial wastewater discharges. EPA director Lee Zeldin announced a new PFAS-specific group to tackle the forever chemical.
Clark said that if things change, the project will adjust but that for now nothing he is aware of prevents the execution of this program.
Clark stated, “we’re on track to meet the goal that we are mandated to meet, and that is to see the destruction of this PFAS containing foam wherever fire departments voluntarily want to get rid of it.”
Trump administration changes have altered out-of-state projects for 374Water.
“I would imagine on the water side of the business … projects that are related to wastewater regulation and or bio solids and sludge management, those are more likely to be impacted,” Viswanathan said.
For now, he saif he looks forward to working on this project.
“Treatment of PFAS, the challenges that we’re facing with this compound, it’s a 21st century problem. And I believe for a challenge of this magnitude, we do require a state of the art 21st century solution,” Viswanathan said.
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