EPA launches PFAS technology plan as Colorado plant shows treatment costs

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched an agency-wide strategy to speed the development and use of technologies that treat and destroy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

The agency announced the plan in Colorado, with the announcement taking place in Commerce City, where a $86 million treatment plant underscores the costs communities face in removing the chemicals. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the PFAS Technology Evaluation, Coordination, Innovation, and Harmonization strategy, known as PFAS TECH.

The plan emphasizes research and development, evaluation of treatment methods and demonstrations of technologies under real-world conditions. The EPA says the strategy is intended to advance work on reducing PFAS in the environment. The plan also includes support for communities addressing PFAS contamination.

WaterWorld reported that the EPA’s Office of Water is pursuing public-private partnerships to develop water-treatment technologies and lower treatment costs. The Washington Examiner reported that funding will be available through the Science to Achieve Results and Small Business Innovation Research grant programs.

A separate tool is part of the rollout: the Break the Bond Navigator is intended to provide information on treatment methods, funding and technical assistance.

Together, the research, partnership and information components address different parts of the treatment challenge: developing technologies, helping communities assess options and supporting efforts to put treatment into practice. The Commerce City plant provides a concrete illustration of the financial burden.

The Denver Gazette reported that the new facility cost $86 million and presented it as an example of the expense facing communities that remove PFAS.

The strategy’s emphasis on reducing treatment costs is also reflected in the EPA Office of Water’s planned partnerships, although the sources do not provide a projected savings figure or specify how the plant’s cost would change under the new approach. PFAS are present in consumer goods including clothing, kitchenware and cosmetics, according to the Washington Examiner.

The agency’s strategy focuses on treatment and destruction technologies, while its community-assistance elements address how local authorities can access information and technical support as they confront contamination.

The reports emphasize different elements of the same announcement: the Washington Examiner describes the strategy’s research and grant funding; WaterWorld highlights technology development, demonstrations, community support and cost reduction; and the Denver Gazette connects the initiative to the expense illustrated by the Commerce City facility.

The sources describe the announcement and its planned tools, but do not report specific treatment results from the plant or a quantified reduction in community costs.