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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, Heritage Environmental Services and Heritage Thermal Services are all Heritage Group companies.

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.

Heritage Thermal Services is a subsidiary of Heritage Environmental Services and is part of the Heritage Group family of companies.  Heritage Thermal Services provides incineration services for hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal, such as medical waste, industrial waste, and chemical waste including AFFF and other PFAS contaminated media. It operates a state-of-the-art incinerator in East Liverpool, Ohio. Heritage Thermal Services is committed to protecting human health and the environment by following strict regulatory standards and using innovative technologies. To learn more visit Heritage Environmental Services.

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.

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