Clean Harbors, Inc. has released the results of its latest study confirming that PFAS incineration at its commercial high-temperature facilities can effectively and safely eliminate multiple forms of the toxic ‘forever chemicals.’
Conducted in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Defense (DoD), the research demonstrates that the company’s incineration process meets the EPA’s toughest new testing standards for PFAS destruction.
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of artificial chemicals linked to cancer, liver damage, and other health issues. Because they do not naturally break down, they have contaminated drinking water, soil, and even human bloodstreams worldwide.
The new study marks a pivotal step in proving that large-scale PFAS destruction is possible using advanced incineration technology.
Meeting the EPA’s strictest standards
The November 2024 tests were designed to go beyond previous trials from 2021 and 2022.
Clean Harbors operated its hazardous waste incinerators at temperatures between 2,000 and 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit while introducing a wide spectrum of PFAS compounds, including PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFBA, and AFFF firefighting foams.
The company specifically tested against two of the EPA’s latest and most stringent methods – OTM-50 and Method 0010 (a precursor to OTM-55).
No other destruction technology has successfully cleared both standards. According to Clean Harbors, stack emissions were found to be two to eight orders of magnitude safer than any federal or state air guideline.
Oversight from regulators and officials
The tests took place at one of Clean Harbors’ RCRA-permitted incineration facilities, with oversight from both the EPA and the DoD.
The DoD has a strong interest in PFAS destruction, as decades of firefighting foam use on military bases have contributed to widespread groundwater contamination.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin also visited Clean Harbors’ Deer Park, Texas, facility, where he reviewed how high-temperature incineration is being used to treat hazardous wastes such as PFAS. His visit signalled growing federal attention to the urgent need for reliable destruction methods.
Independent scientific validation
To ensure credibility, Clean Harbors shared the data with third-party experts, including researchers from the Coalition for Responsible Waste Incineration and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).
Both specialists, long recognised for their work on environmental contaminants, confirmed that the study’s results validated PFAS incineration as a safe and effective method.
Clean Harbors CEO Eric Gerstenberg commented: “These study results further validate that we can safely and thoroughly destroy a wide variety of PFAS compounds in our high-temperature RCRA-permitted hazardous waste incinerators.
“We have always been confident in the capabilities of our facilities as it relates to PFAS compounds. There has been misinformation around incineration and whether it is safe to destroy PFAS. We excelled using both OTM-50 and 0010 – the EPA’s strictest and newest testing standards for PFAS.
“We are the only company to have achieved that designation. Most importantly, we demonstrated with certainty that we can effectively eliminate the threat from forever chemicals in its multiple forms and at commercial scale with consistent outcomes.”
Looking ahead: PFAS regulation and opportunity
The EPA introduced the first federal drinking water standards for PFAS in 2024, but more regulations are expected for soil cleanup and destruction methods.
Clean Harbors’ latest results could help shape those rules while positioning the company as a market leader in PFAS destruction.
Company executives argue that thermal treatment at RCRA-permitted facilities remains the safest and most proven option to date. With PFAS linked to significant health risks and mounting public concern, the need for scalable destruction technologies is only set to grow.
Clean Harbors’ successful trials, backed by the EPA and independent scientists, suggest that PFAS incineration may finally offer a dependable solution.
If adopted widely, the technology could become a cornerstone in protecting drinking water, restoring contaminated sites, and reducing future health risks linked to forever chemicals.
