Champ Landfill Leachate PFAS Treatment System – Ahead of the Curve

PFAS contamination poses financial and logistical challenges for landfills, and ECT2’s foam fractionation (FOAM-XTM) treatment system can help solve this mounting crisis. True to our name, Emerging Compounds Treatment Technologies, ECT2 from the very beginning has been committed to finding new and better ways to take on emerging contaminants.

In 2022, we partnered with Waste Connections, a sustainability-focused, forward-thinking company that was working to evaluate and find the best PFAS removal technology ahead of any upcoming regulations. Our FOAM-X™ system was piloted to pre-treat the landfill leachate prior to it being discharged to the nearby wastewater treatment plant. This proprietary, simple to operate system with a low energy consumption, was the solution to this challenge, and it reduced the carbon and environmental waste footprint.

One of the biggest drivers to evaluate foam fractionation is its ability to selectively remove PFAS in complex water matrices, like leachate, in which many other traditional methods struggle. This process capitalizes on its affinity for the air-water interface, and our technology and process concentrate the PFAS into the foam stream by producing very small bubbles that are later removed from the water. In January 2023, the EPA released Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15 which announced plans to develop new effluent limitation guidelines and pretreatment standards to reduce the presence of PFAS in landfill leachate. Ahead of regulatory enforcement and to proactively address PFAS passively received in municipal solid waste streams, Waste Connections made the decision to move forward with the design and installation of a full-scale treatment system at their Maryland Heights, MO location. Key outcomes of this system include:

Our comprehensive solution supports regulatory compliance and prevents the discharge of PFAS-impacted landfill leachate into local wastewater treatment plants. This full-scale system received a celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony on August 6, 2024, and members of Waste Connections, Champ Landfill, ECT2, the City of Maryland Heights Government, St. Louis County Health Department, and others were in attendance. This system will be removing PFAS from 2,000,000 gallons of liquid every month. Click here if you’re interested in learning more about this first-of-its-kind project, or if you want to learn about our additional solutions and technologies for PFAS removal, visit our website.