Pentagon Halts Incineration of PFAS Containing Materials

In a April 26, 2022 memorandum, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced that it is temporarily halting the incineration of fire fighting foam and other materials containing PFAS.  The ban will be effective until the DOD issues a disposal guidance for materials containing PFAS.  Members of Congress want to require DOD to use PFSAS-destruction technologies that have been evaluated and found effective by EPA, including supercritical water oxidation technology that uses heat and pressure to destroy PFAS.  According to EPA, this technology has been effective in destroying 99 percent of 12 different PFAS.

Industry groups have objected to the incineration ban, arguing that incineration can be a safe and effective means of PFAS disposal.  Both EPA and the state of New York have issued guidance that allows for incineration of PFAS.  The incineration restriction could negatively impact efforts to clean up and disposal of PFAS at contaminated sites.

The proper management of PFAS contaminated materials continues to plague the public, industry and government officials.  Researchers will continue efforts to develop and identify new and effective PFAS destruction technologies.  NASF through the AESF Foundation continues to fund research on the electrochemical destruction of PFAS in surface finishing wastewater discharges.  For more information on these efforts, please contact NASF at crichter@thepolicygroup.com or jhannapel@thepolicygroup.com.

This update is courtesy of the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF). For more information or to become a member, visit nasf.org.