We Believe The World Needs Better Ways To Treat PFAS
Challenge
With the approval of new PFAS free firefighting foams on the Qualified Products List (QPL), the Federal Aviation Administration has given airports across the country an alternative to PFAS-laden Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF). Airports can now conduct AFFF exchanges on Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicles to comply with evolving regulations, protect the environment, and enhance safety. The United States Department of Defense has mandated the transition from PFAS-containing foams to fluorine-free alternatives due to the significant health and environmental risks associated with PFAS. Many states are following that guidance and instituting their own transition requirements.
Solution
To date, ECT2 has treated over 9 billion gallons of PFAS-impacted water – including AFFF spill response and ARFF vehicle and infrastructure transition work. ECT2’s testing matrix evaluated over 30 blends of cleaning chemistry and methodology to produce the most efficient and cost-effective methodology. Based off experience and knowledge in the space, The Naples Airport Authority retained ECT2 to support the transition of their ARFF vehicles. In June 2024, the team mobilized to the airport to cleanout and transition the two ARFF vehicles in preparation for the new foam. The process included removing the PFAS from the fire trucks, concentrating the waste volume, and containerizing it for offsite disposal to prevent any release of PFAS into the environment.
Result
Testing has demonstrated ECT2’s proprietary cleaning solution to be much more effective than conventional triple rinse with water alone, and more efficient at minimization of PFAS compounds leaching from piping into contained liquids thereafter (commonly referred to as rebound). Furthermore, ECT2’s method generates a significantly smaller volume of wastewater. This process has produced the lowest rebound data available in the industry and produces less waste-per-vehicle than a conventional triple rinse.
David Kempisty, Ph.D., P.E., ECT2’s Director of Emerging Contaminants stated, “These are the types of projects we excel at. To date, we’ve treated 9 billion liters of PFAS impacted water, and in doing so, have acquired a lot of experience with what works and what doesn’t. For the Naples Airport Authority AFFF effort, we started in the lab, identified a cleaning solution with better performance characteristics than conventional tap water, and then optimized the process dialing in the right temperatures and times. From ‘a concept’ to project completion, finding solutions to today’s environmental challenges, that’s what makes this work satisfying.”
