Breaking Down Forever Chemicals

What are "Forever Chemicals"? The PFAS In Our Everyday Lives 

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of human-made chemicals used in various products, from non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing to firefighting foam. PFAS are known as forever chemicals because of their extreme resistance to breakdown in the environment. They persist for decades and contaminate our water, soil, and food chains.

Forever chemicals are also found in our bodies. According to Elsie M Sunderland, an environmental chemist at Harvard that published one of many studies on the topic, "98 percent to 99 percent of people have PFAS in their bodies." 

Unfortunately, more studies are revealing that over time, exposure to PFAS is leading to various health concerns, including hormonal disruptions, weakened immune systems, and certain types of cancer. Their durability and potential health risks have made PFAS a pressing environmental challenge worldwide.

The Problem: PFAS in Biosolids

Biosolids are organic materials produced during the treatment of wastewater. They are often applied to land as fertilizers or soil amendments, where the presence of PFAS in biosolids creates a significant issue. When biosolids are applied to farmland, PFAS can leach into groundwater or accumulate in crops, continuing a cycle of contamination. Tackling PFAS in biosolids is now imperative to protecting public health and the environment.

While approximately 55% of biosolids are land applied, roughly 30% are landfilled. Though this ‘management’ method may contain PFAS in the short term, it leads to severe methane emissions and risks future contamination through landfill leachate (leaks from landfill that can be common from compromised seals and walls.

Bioforcetech’s Solution: Innovative Technology to Eliminate PFAS

At Bioforcetech, our mission is to protect nature and human health by providing technologies that deliver a zero-waste future, transforming organic waste into sustainable products. We are leaders in creating biosolids and organic waste solutions via groundbreaking technology. 

Using our patented biodrying and pyrolysis process, we have demonstrated the ability to reduce PFAS compounds to undetectable levels. Here is an overview of how this works:

BioDrying: The process starts with drying the biosolids using the heat generated by natural microbial activity and the heat recovered from the pyrolysis system. This energy-efficient step prepares the material for the next stage at a fraction of the normal energy load and cost of standard drying methods.

Pyrolysis: The dried biosolids are then subjected to extremely high temperatures (660°F–1,650°F) in an oxygen-free environment. The result is biochar, a versatile byproduct free of PFAS. To date Bioforcetech is the only full scale operational biosolids pyrolysis operator in North America and is leading the industry in this space.

Proven Results: In May 2020, an EPA PFAS Task Force tested our technology, and the results were promising. The tests conducted on our biochar samples by the EPA Task Force in August 2020 confirmed undetectable levels of 41 PFAS, PFOA, and PFOS compounds in the output material from pyrolysis after finding them in the input biosolids. Follow this link to the official published study.

Why This Matters

Bioforcetech’s approach addresses a critical gap in waste management and environmental health. By eliminating PFAS from biosolids, we are reducing the risks associated with these harmful chemicals and creating a product—OurCarbon® biochar—that can improve soil health, store carbon in the built environment, and replace fossil derived pigments in manufacturing.

A Cleaner Future

“PFAS may be known as ‘forever chemicals,’ but solutions like our technology show that their legacy may not have to last forever. With continued innovation and adoption of this technology, we can reduce the environmental and health impacts of PFAS, creating a cleaner, safer world for future generations.” - Valentino Villa, COO Bioforcetech

Article on LinkedIn