EPA Confirms PFAS Removal/Destruction from Biosolids Through Pyrolysis at Bioforcetech Installation

Bioforcetech is proud to announce the public release of a study conducted on the BFT system at our Redwood City location. The results show reduction of PFAS from detected presence in input biosolids to non-detect or zero presence in the output OurCarbon® biochar coming from the pyrolysis unit.

 

In June 2020, Bioforcetech was approached by the EPA requesting to test the potential destruction of PFAS with the BFT Pyrolysis Technology. The EPA selected BFT for these tests as the only pyrolysis or gasification system operating in the US territory to date.

To test the system, the EPA designed a series of tests on the feedstock, the biochar produced, and the system’s scrubber water and exhaust gas.

The resulting biochar was sent to Test America, Vista Analytical Laboratories, and the EPA Laboratories for multiple samples analysis. The results on the biosolids and Biochar confirmed that the BFT Pyrolysis system reduces PFAS from Biosolids to non-detectable levels. It has also been demonstrated that the PFAS do not end up in the scrubber water. The flue gas was analyzed by Montrose Air Quality Services with an experimental method, which utilized 3 parallel FDIR during 2 days continuous process analysis. The results from these analyses are currently under peer review by the EPA, but the preliminary results do not show any PFAS in the analyzed exhaust gas, indicating that all PFAS compounds could be destroyed in the BFT Pyrolysis Flameless Combustion Chamber (FLOX®). Please note that currently there is no official testing method for the flue gas to measure PFAS/PFOA at the stack. Bioforcetech is in continuous contact with the US EPA and is planning a new set of tests shortly. Bioforcetech remains confident in its technology’s ability to destroy these CECs (Exhibit 2).

This test, designed and conducted by the EPA, is proof that the full-scale BFT pyrolysis system is effective at eliminating PFAS from Biosolids. The accumulation of PFAS, PFOA, and PFOS in wastewater effluents puts our industry in a unique position to aid in the removal of these substances from our environment and population. Recent testing conducted on our technology by the EPA PFAS Task Force shows considerable promise for its ability to successfully eliminate these harmful substances from input materials completely.

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