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To remember
  • Water and waste expertise
  • Guaranteed regulatory compliance
  • State-of-the-art technologies

99.9999

%

removal of PFAS by high-temperature incineration in our hazardous waste facilities

> 65

molecules we know how to analysze

> 10

years

of experience in PFAS research and treatment

At your side, from PFAS analysis to destruction

Preliminary studies

Analysis and characterisation

Treatment

Ultimate storage and destruction

Detect and analyse PFAS

More than 10 years of expertise in PFAS detection and analysis. Thanks to our experience, we know how to act on a large number of PFAS, with various natures and physicochemical properties.

We are working with the various public and private clients to address the challenges associated with the presence of PFAS. The first step in our support is to carry out upstream studies (from preliminary works to detailed studies) to establish a real inventory of the presence of these eternal pollutants. This definition will allow our teams to propose a decision-making support matrix (multi-criteria analysis), to give you a clear vision of the technologies available to kill these molecules.

In drinking water and wastewater


We have state-of-the-art laboratory protocols and equipment to analyse more molecules than those covered by current regulations. We can also count on a network of trusted partners to carry on analysis.

In drinking water, we are able to detect and analyse more than 65 PFAS molecules, with limits of quantification of up to 0.5 ng/l per molecule.

This proactive approach allows us to carry out controls aligned with local regulations. We have already carried out more than 40,000 analyses on PFAS in recent years.

In hazardous waste


Our laboratory in France is equipped with a state-of-the-art HPLC-MS/MS(2) system to reliably and rapidly detect, identify and quantify PFAS in hazardous waste (average turnaround time: 2 weeks, among the fastest on the market), including:

  • The 27 substances of the decree of 20 June 2023
  • 6:2 FTS(3) (fire-fighting foams, textiles)

We can also work with local suppliers to facilitate reliable analysis.

 

We are developing methods for emerging pollutants as well.

 

We offer a compliant logistics solution (bulk or packaged transport) for all types of waste (hazardous or not) containing PFAS.

Our support is designed for simplicity and security, from start to finish. In addition, we can design and size the most suitable care and treatment solutions with you, according to technical and regulatory constraints.

Treating and destroying PFAS

Our PFAS treatment offering is based on cutting-edge technologies, tailored to your specific needs. Our advanced processes reduce PFAS concentrations in water and waste and ensure regulatory compliance.

Our solution to remove PFAS from water

We have proven technical solutions for treating drinking water, which can be used for wastewater or industrial effluents:

Activated carbon adsorption, with our patented innovations to optimise carbon turnover

Separation by membrane filtration (Low Pressure Reverse Osmosis or nanofiltration)

Ion exchange resin separation

Adsorption consists of retaining molecules on the surface of a solid. Activated carbon, in granular (GAC) or powdered form (PAC), is particularly effective at trapping medium- and long-chain PFAS (>6 carbon atoms). When saturated, coal must be regenerated or incinerated.


Activated carbon treatment has several advantages. It removes other adsorbable organic pollutants. It is an adaptable and scalable solution. The adsorbed PFAS are destroyed during thermal regeneration.


We have developed advanced technologies to optimise activated carbon processing. Thus, the Carbazur® solution allows a continuous renewal of the GAC, extending its life according to the load of micropollutants. For short PFAS, we offer the Pulsazur® PAC reactor, optimised for a high carbon dose and a reduced contact time (<15 min).

Semi-permeable membranes retain PFAS as well as viruses, bacteria and micropollutants. This technology has the advantage of removing a wide spectrum of pollutants, including short-chain PFAS. In addition, the facilities are space-saving. The concentrates from the treatment must then be taken care of.

Experts in membrane treatment for decades, we select the most efficient membranes adapted to the type of pollution. The concentrates can be treated in high-temperature incineration (see below).

Composed of porous polymers, the resins retain PFAS through ion exchange and chemical adsorption. They offer a wide capacity to process different PFAS molecules and rapid adsorption kinetics. This technology is usually part of a complex effluent treatment chain (including industrial discharges and concentrates from membrane treatments).

Whether it is drinking water, wastewater or industrial effluents, each situation is studied on a case-by-case basis, considering the load and composition of the pollution, the expected quality of treated water and local constraints. Based on our numerous laboratory or pilot site tests, we offer you the most suitable treatment solution(s), to achieve the required performance while optimiszing costs.

Our solutions for eliminating PFAS in waste

We ensure the safe management of a wide variety of waste containing PFAS, with orientation to suitable treatment channels, while guaranteeing the traceability of the flow from end to end.

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Hazardous & concentrates: Incineration at high temperatures, especially for foam concentrates

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Hazardous: Secure storage of ultimate mineral waste

We have units capable of incinerating waste at more than 1,100°C, a process that allows PFAS to be destroyed at a rate of 99,9999%.

This treatment applies to complex waste such as foam concentrates (firefighting foams), for which we support market players in their transition, in response to the regulatory ban on manufacturing, holding or using these products (EU Regulation 2020/784 of 8 April 2020).

*Indicative rate may vary depending on the molecule and PFAS concentration of your waste


What is a foam concentrate?

It is a chemical product that generates foam when in contact with water. It blocks the air supply and eliminates flammable vapour fumes, and therefore extinguishes the fire more quickly. Foam concentrates contain surfactants (surfactants containing PFAS) that give them these film-forming properties.

Obligation to substitute PFAS foam concentrates:
- European regulations (EU Regulation 2020/784 of 8 April 2020) provide for a total ban by 2025 on the manufacture, possession or use of foam concentrates with a level of long-carbon chain fluorinated compounds PFOA greater than 25 ppb.

Flow typology:

- Foam concentrates in IBCs/drums: waterless, viscous, toxic, classified POP (50%)
- Foam concentrates diluted in bulk or packaged: water or solvent matrix (grouping),
- Fire water containing traces of foam concentrates.

Our hazardous waste storage facilities ensure the safety of final mineral waste containing PFAS. The stabiliszation/solidification process traps these substances. Combined with final storage away from air and water, it guarantees maximum control of any environmental risk. We provide stabiliszation treatment before storage of mineral waste with an efficiency rate of more than 97%.

Innovations already in development

Constantly looking for new treatment methods, we are studying certain promising technologies in various fields, particularly in sludge or effluent fields.

Foam fractionation

Pyrocarbonisation

Hydrothermal gasification

Foam fractionation, is a technology used to extract certain substances from water, including PFAS. It is based on a simple principle: certain molecules, such as PFAS, have a double affinity for air and water and tend to accumulate on the surface of bubbles. By injecting air into the water, foam is formed that captures these compounds. This foam, which is concentrated in PFAS, is then recovered and treated separately, thus reducing the concentration of PFAS in the water. It is an interesting solution for different matrices (membrane concentrates, industrial effluents, leachates, etc.).

The Pyrolis® S2B thermal process treats sewage sludge at high temperatures (600-700°C) and transforms it into biochar, a material without PFAS. This autothermal process sequesters up to 50% of the carbon contained in the sludge. Biochar is eligible for carbon credits and has agronomic properties. It can also be used as a raw material for the decarboniszation of certain industries, such as concrete manufacturing.

Hydrothermal gasification makes it possible, at high temperature and pressure, to convert the sludge into syngas (gas rich in methane and hydrogen) and valuable nutrients. Initial tests show PFAS removal.

A dynamic of continuous innovation

Strategic partnership with the CNRS

for the development of innovative PFAS treatment solutions

Contribution to the collective reflection

Active participation in several working groups (FNADE, France Chimie...) as technical experts to optimisze the management of PFAS

They trust us

Ternay (France), a French first to treat PFAS in drinking water

In Ternay near Lyon (France), a high-performance treatment system is being deployed on an existing plant to treat PFAS, thus guaranteeing quality in accordance with regulations over time.

 

Faced with the presence of PFAS in the aquifers of the Rhône, the Ternay drinking water production plant, owned by the Syndicat Mixte d'Eau Potable Rhône Sud, will be equipped with a solution unprecedented in France for the treatment of PFAS. Thanks to the transformation of its activated carbon filters into Carbazur® Simplex downflow reactors, the plant will be able to effectively capture these persistent micropollutants. This customised solution, integrated without reconstruction, marks a major step forward in preserving water quality in the region.

170 000

inhabitants served

< 0.10

μg/L

Objective for the sum of the 20 regulated PFAS

6

filters

transformed into Carbazur® Simplex reactors

1

industrial pilot

tested in real conditions for 1 year

Learn more about Ternay's plant

Frequently asked questions

Faced with the health and environmental risks posed by these pollutants, many countries have strengthened their regulatory frameworks, particularly in the areas of drinking water, effluents and waste.

At the European level, the directive of 16 December 2020 on the quality of water intended for human consumption requires, from 2026, an extension of the monitoring of drinking water to the presence of 20 PFAS, with maximum thresholds set at 0.50 μg/l for the total PFAS and 0.10 μg/l for the sum of the 20 substances of concern. The European Commission is also evaluating how to implement restrictions on the source use of PFAS, as well as a new framework for monitoring their presence in the environment.

Australia regulates PFAS in drinking water, wastewater, and biosolids through strict national guidelines. Limits for PFOS (8 ng/L), PFOA (200 ng/L), PFHxS (30 ng/L), and PFBS (1000 ng/L) in drinking water are set to protect health. Wastewater and biosolids are monitored to control PFAS levels before land application, following risk-based standards under the PFAS National Environmental Management Plan.

In the United States, regulatory efforts to address PFAS contamination have intensified in recent years. In 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established legally enforceable limits for six PFAS compounds in drinking water, mandating public water systems to monitor, report, and mitigate contamination.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, form a family of several thousand synthetic chemical compounds, used since the 1950s for their exceptional properties: heat resistance, impermeability, non-stick effect, etc.

Their extreme diversity makes it difficult to set up treatment systems that can act on all these substances.

We already have several solutions capable of treating the molecules concerned by French or European regulations, such as adsorption on activated carbons, incineration for example, and are working to develop new ones. Each process is designed specifically for certain types of molecules (e.g. short-chain or long-chain), in order to adapt the treatment method to each situation of drinking water in accordance with the regulations in force.

PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a family of several thousand chemical compounds with very diverse properties.

Recent advances in the field of laboratory analyses have made it possible to highlight their presence in the environment (aquatic environments, soil, air, etc.) linked to their widespread use for several decades in many industrial processes and everyday products.

This improvement in scientific knowledge has been accompanied by a global awareness and progressive regulatory changes. In Europe, the Stockholm Convention marked a turning point, aiming to limit certain pollutants such as PFOS in 2009. PFOA was banned in 2020, followed by PFHxS, used in particular in firefighting foams, which was restricted in 2022 and then banned in 2023.

In terms of drinking water production, the revision of the European Drinking Water Directive in 2020 has strengthened the management and monitoring of PFAS in drinking water in the European Union. It specifically targets 20 molecules considered to be of concern. By 2026, the PFAS content of drinking water distributed in the Member States must not exceed 100 nanograms/litre (ng/L) for the sum of these 20 molecules and/or, depending on the choice of the Member States, 500 Ng/L for all PFAS.

* This indicative rate may vary depending on the molecule and its concentration

(1) PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a family of man-made chemical pollutants that are very persistent in the environment and the human body. They are called "eternal pollutants" because they degrade very little. They are used in many everyday products: waterproof textiles, non-stick pans, fire-fighting foams, food packaging, etc.

(2)HPLC/MSMS (High- Performance Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry): a high-performance analytical method that allows the precise detection and quantification of substances such as PFAS, even at very low concentrations.

(3)6:2 FTS (6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate): Fluorinated surfactant used in firefighting foams and surface treatments, less persistent than long-chain PFAS.