FEATURED TOPIC – WASTEWATER
Turning over a new LEEF
A WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM DESIGNED BY AUSTRALIA’S WATER AND CARBON GROUP IS SET TO TACKLE THE GLOBAL PFAS CHALLENGE HEAD-ON.
The LEEF System is scalable and adaptable to a range of PFAS contaminated waste streams.
A
ustralian environmental engineering and construction firm, the Water and Carbon Group (WCG) has developed a treatment system proven to remove PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) from wastewater. The LEEF (Low Energy Evaporative Fractionation) System® is centred around foam fractionation to remove PFAS contaminants by harnessing air, and the chemical properties of PFAS itself, all while using minimal energy, no chemicals or consumables. Jai Sudholz, Water and Carbon Group Pre-Contracts Manager, says
the system is a remedy to a growing but still widely under-recognised contamination problem. “Our treatment system is designed to make a lasting, positive difference to people and environments, while helping operators and industries meet the PFAS challenge head on,” he says. Often dubbed the ‘forever chemical’, PFAS is a global pollution challenge. Widely used for its water, oil and stain resistant properties, PFAS chemical chains don’t break down easily, and hence bioaccumulates in the environment and human bodies. They have been detectable in the bloodstream for years
after exposure, and are linked to a range of health risks in humans, with the longterm ecological and intergenerational effects being a cause for alarm. Backed by a team of process and ecological engineering specialists, as well as environmental scientists, project and construction managers, WCG has been at the forefront of sustainable engineering within the wastewater, environmental and remediation industries since 2007. Jai says the LEEF System was initially developed to address PFAS contamination in landfill leachate but the technology is both scalable www.wastemanagementreview.com.au / WMR / 29