Could Brussels-based Haemers Technologies soon play a key role in eliminating the persistent pollutant PFAS worldwide?
Soil pollution caused by barely or non-degradable harmful chemicals is a global scourge. Haemers Technologies is tackling the problem with what it claims to be a world first: circular thermal remediation. PFAS is permanently eliminated while preserving the integrity of the soil.
PFAS is a collective term for highly polluting chemicals that degrade very slowly or not at all in nature. These compounds accumulate in living organisms, including humans, via contaminated soil and water; they are also found in thousands of common products. With dire consequences. Although often stemming from historical pollution, the issue remains equally serious. The conventional method consists of excavating PFAS-contaminated soil, transporting it, and storing it at a different location. This approach simply relocates the problem, while the soil at the original site remains degraded.
Haemers Technologies’ decontamination method eliminates contamination at its source. Soil is heated to 350°C on site; the resulting contaminated steam is captured and further heated to 1,400°C in a closed cycle. The PFAS is neutralised during the process, while the recovered energy is recycled to heat the soil. Efficient, smart circular combustion that irrevocably eliminates persistent “forever chemicals”.
Haemers Technologies has successfully tested the solution, developed at its research centre in Nivelles with funding from the Walloon government, in Denmark. Belgium’s revolutionary remediation method is paving the way for a global ecological transition.