Never Say Forever

Tailored PFAS Solutions To Ensure Safe And Clean Waters

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About


PFAS Solutions Based On Your Unique Needs

Clean Waters is committed to developing and deploying innovative, compliant technologies and solutions that eliminate PFAS compounds from the environment.

We are an environmental services company focused solely on PFAS solutions, made up of environmental professionals, geologists and engineers with extensive experience in the environmental services industry. Clean Waters is a Heritage Group company.

Services


Clean Waters Service Offerings

  • AFFF fire suppression system cleaning and disposal
  • PFAS industrial cleaning
  • Onsite PFAS separation and concentration
  • Pilot and large scale treatability studies
  • R & D with engineering support
  • Remediation services
  • Secure PFAS disposal and transportation services
  • Laboratory services

Technologies


Customized Solutions

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Management

Clean Waters will deploy the best available technology to solve your unique PFAS challenges. We offer technologies that can separate, concentrate and destroy PFAS.

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Separate & Concentrate

Clean Waters offers a proven foam fractionation system for removing PFAS from contaminated water streams. Foam fractionation is very effective at removing and concentrating the PFAS compounds allowing treated water to meet strict PFAS discharge limits.

Sorption is a proven and effective removal technology for treatment of PFAS. Clean Waters can deploy these technologies as a stand alone solution or combined with other technologies.

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Eliminate

PFAS contaminated media can be managed in several ways including secure, high temperature incineration and super critical water oxidation to ensure PFAS destruction.

If requested by the customer, Clean Waters can offer other disposal solutions including secure landfill.

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Transport

Clean Waters offers a wide variety of logistical solutions to meet your offsite waste management needs including bulk tankers, vacuum trucks, van trailers, LTL routes, box trucks and roll off boxes.

NEVER SAY FOREVER


Clean Waters Is Here To Help

Clean Waters is committed to protecting the environment and human health from the harmful effects of PFAS contamination. We offer a variety of solutions to safely and compliantly remediate and manage PFAS-contaminated waste. We have the technology, expertise, and experience to handle any PFAS waste challenge. We work closely with federal and state regulators to ensure compliance with the evolving regulatory framework surrounding PFAS management. Whether you are a government agency, a private sector company, or an engineering firm, we are here to help. NEVER SAY FOREVER.

Frequently Asked Questions


The Heritage Group is a fourth-generation family-owned business managing a diverse portfolio of companies specializing in heavy construction and materials, environmental services and specialty chemicals. It was founded in 1930 by John E. Fehsenfeld and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Clean Waters is Heritage Group company.

PFAS stands for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that have gained significant attention in recent years due to their widespread use and potential environmental and health concerns.

Chemical Structure: PFAS are a family of thousands of organic chemicals consisting of carbon chains with fluorine atoms attached. The “perfluoro” part of the name indicates that these chemicals have fully fluorinated carbon chains, which makes them highly resistant to heat, water, and oil.

Versatile Uses: PFAS are known for their exceptional water- and oil-repellent properties. As a result, they have been widely used in various industrial and consumer products, including:

  • Non-stick Cookware: PFAS compounds like PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) were used in the production of non-stick coatings for cookware.
  • Water- and Stain-Resistant Fabrics: They are used in treatments for fabrics, carpets, and upholstery to make them resistant to water, stains, and dirt.
  • Firefighting Foam: Some PFAS compounds were used in firefighting foam, particularly aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), due to their ability to suppress flammable liquid fires.
  • Electronics: PFAS are used in various electronic products, such as semiconductors and wiring, for their insulating and heat-resistant properties.

Persistence and Bioaccumulation: One of the most concerning characteristics of PFAS is their persistence in the environment and tendency to bioaccumulate in living organisms, including humans.

Health Concerns: Exposure to certain PFAS compounds has raised health concerns. Some studies have linked PFAS exposure to various health issues.

More information about PFAS and the USEPA response can be found on the EPA website.

 

Clean Waters has relationships with various hazardous waste incinerators.  We are experts that can help you determine the best outlet to meet your needs.  We will also help you quickly navigate the approval process, which can often feel difficult and confusing.

Foam fractionation is an emerging technology  for the removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water due to its ability to concentrate and separate substances based on their surface properties.

Foam fractionation involves the use of specialized foaming agent, or surfactants, that have a high affinity for PFAS molecules. Here’s a simplified overview of how it works:

  • Foaming agents interact strongly with PFAS molecules, causing them to preferentially adsorb to the air-water interface within the foam.
  • Bubble formation introduces air or gas into the contaminated water to create bubbles. The foaming agent assists in stabilizing these bubbles while carrying the adsorbed PFAS to the surface.
  • As the bubbles rise to the surface, they accumulate PFAS molecules at the air-water interface, forming a foam layer enriched with PFAS.
  • The foam, containing concentrated PFAS, is separated from the treated water.
  • The treated water is tested to make sure it meets PFAS permit limits for discharge
  • The concentrated PFAS containing foam is then further processed to destroy the PFAS contaminants.

Super critical water oxidation (SCWO) is a process that occurs in water at temperatures and pressures above a mixture’s thermodynamic critical point. Under these conditions, water becomes a fluid with unique properties that can aid in the destruction of PFAS.

SCWO can be classified as green chemistry or as a clean technology, as it can transform organic matter into water, carbon dioxide, and inert minerals.

Some of the advantages of SCWO are:

  • It can treat a variety of wet wastes without dewatering.
  • It can decompose an array of complex molecular structures simultaneously.
  • It can produce reusable heat from the exothermic oxidation reactions.
  • It can avoid the formation of harmful byproducts such as dioxins and furans.
PFAS Graphic Super Criticial Water Oxidation Graphic

Clean Waters has several AFFF fire suppression system service offerings:

  • Execute removal of AFFF/PFAS from fire suppression systems and equipment using qualified hazardous material technicians
  • Clean existing system with best available technology to remove AFFF/PFAS compounds
  • Prepare paperwork and labeling of containers for lawful transportation of AFFF/ PFAS concentrate and rinse water
  • Receipt of containers at a permitted facility that is approved to concentrate and destroy AFFF/PFAS compounds
  • Turn-key, customized solutions serviced by a dedicated team of PFAS experts

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