General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has demonstrated its cutting-edge PERSES™ waste destruction system on Lake Elmo, Minnesota, showcasing a powerful new solution to the PFAS waste crisis.
The event drew key government figures, including Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN), to witness the real-time destruction of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and contaminated materials.
Speaking at the event, Congresswoman McCollum commented: “This is an exciting day as we learn how to break down the toxic chemical bond of PFAS.
“Through Department of Defense investment and private-sector innovation, General Atomics has achieved an extraordinary scientific breakthrough by completing a successful PFAS remediation in a controlled setting.
“But there’s still work to be done. Now, we must focus on scaling this technology so that it can be a solution for communities and military installations at large to eliminate the threat of PFAS pollution.”
PFAS waste solution with no post-treatment needed
PERSES™ is powered by GA-EMS’ advanced Supercritical Water Oxidation (iSCWO) technology, which eliminates PFAS and over 200 other waste types with greater than 99.99% efficiency.
Unlike conventional methods, the system leaves behind only harmless byproducts: water, salts, and carbon dioxide — with no need for further treatment.
National collaboration for a cleaner future
This demonstration is part of a federally funded research initiative led by Bay West LLC, an environmental remediation firm based in St. Paul.
Under contract with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), GA-EMS is conducting multiple on-site tests to prove the industrial scalability of PERSES in destroying PFAS waste at various locations.
Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS, added: “We are extremely pleased to be working with Bay West and ERDC in welcoming Congresswoman McCollum and state, regional and local officials to witness the effectiveness of PERSES™ in the destruction of PFAS.
“On-site demonstrations such as this bring the power of PERSES directly into a community to demonstrate in person the system’s capabilities to safely and efficiently eliminate PFAS from a broad range of waste media including landfill leachate, biosolid ‘sludge’, soils and sediment, firefighting foam, and granular activated carbon and resin beads from filtration treatment systems.
“PERSES™ is the most effective tool in the waste remediation toolkit that can help bring an end to the forever cycle of PFAS contamination.”
Next steps in PFAS elimination
The system will remain in Lake Elmo for a four-week trial before being deployed to additional sites across the country.
This marks a major step forward in combating the nation’s PFAS waste problem with clean, efficient, and proven technology.
