With a UK ban on PFOA-based firefighting foams coming into force on 4 July, water company Veolia has launched a new treatment process to safely manage and destroy Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF), a widely used suppressant containing harmful PFAS chemicals.
The initiative is part of Veolia’s global BeyondPFAS programme and addresses the urgent need to dispose of an estimated 10,000 tonnes of stockpiled AFFFs held by fire services, industrial users and other sectors. The solution involves Environment Agency-approved high-temperature incineration at the company’s specialist facility in Ellesmere Port.
AFFFs have long been used to tackle flammable liquid fires in aviation, petrochemical, military, oil and gas, fire service, and industrial settings. However, due to their potential to bioaccumulate and cause environmental and health risks, AFFFs containing PFAS will be outlawed in the UK.
Veolia’s High Temperature Incinerator (HTI) will use temperatures of 1100°C to break down PFAS compounds. The facility has been certified by the Environment Agency and operates under a stringent monitoring and testing programme. The process is expected to achieve a destruction efficiency of 99.999%.
Nicola Henshaw, Managing Director of Hazardous Services at Veolia UK, said: “PFAS regulation is tightening worldwide, and Veolia is committed to offering safe, compliant and effective solutions.
“Our new service reflects our GreenUp strategy and leadership in decontamination. We’re using our full range of technologies to tackle PFAS challenges and support a cleaner, healthier planet.”
Beyond firefighting foam, Veolia’s HTI facility can also handle PFAS-contaminated materials from chemical production, construction, cabling, metal finishing, fluoropolymers, packaging, semiconductors, textiles, cleaning agents, and refrigeration systems.
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