Commercial-scale PFAS incineration demonstrated to be safe by Clean Harbors
In a significant development for environmental safety, Clean Harbors, Inc. has made history by becoming the first company to successfully destroy PFAS using both OTM-50 and 0010 – the EPA's strictest and newest testing standards for PFAS. This breakthrough was achieved at one of Clean Harbors' RCRA-permitted incineration facilities, under the watchful eyes of both the EPA and the Department of Defense (DoD).
The DoD has shown a strong interest in PFAS destruction due to widespread groundwater contamination from decades of firefighting foam use on military bases. This urgency is reflected in the growing federal attention towards reliable destruction methods, as demonstrated by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin's visit to Clean Harbors' Deer Park, Texas, facility. During his visit, he reviewed the use of high-temperature incineration for treating hazardous wastes such as PFAS.
Clean Harbors' CEO, Eric Gerstenberg, stated that the company can safely and thoroughly destroy a wide variety of PFAS compounds in its high-temperature RCRA-permitted hazardous waste incinerators. The company specifically tested against two of the EPA's latest and most stringent methods – OTM-50 and Method 0010 (a precursor to OTM-55).
The tests, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Defense (DoD), went beyond previous trials from 2021 and 2022. Operating hazardous waste incinerators at temperatures between 2,000 and 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit, Clean Harbors proved that its high-temperature incineration process can effectively eliminate multiple forms of PFAS, including PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFBA, and AFFF firefighting foams.
The study's results were validated by both specialists and independent scientists, confirming PFAS incineration as a safe and effective method. If adopted widely, PFAS incineration could become a cornerstone in protecting drinking water, restoring contaminated sites, and reducing future health risks linked to forever chemicals.
Moreover, Clean Harbors' latest results could help shape future regulations for PFAS destruction. Notably, no other destruction technology has successfully cleared both OTM-50 and Method 0010 standards. Stack emissions from Clean Harbors' incineration process were found to be two to eight orders of magnitude safer than any federal or state air guideline.
This groundbreaking achievement by Clean Harbors suggests that PFAS incineration may finally offer a dependable solution for PFAS destruction. With the EPA introducing the first federal drinking water standards for PFAS in 2024, and more regulations expected for soil cleanup and destruction methods, the need for reliable and effective PFAS destruction technologies has never been more pressing.
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