SAFF® technology progresses to world-leading sewage PFAS trial

SYDNEY, May 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Australian company EPOC Enviro’s Surface-Active Foam Fractionation (SAFF®) technology has commenced a full-scale PFAS remediation trial at an Australian wastewater treatment facility following compelling bench-scale performance in sewage.

Bench-scale testing demonstrated exceptional PFAS removal across both the liquid and solids phases of sewage wastewaters. The results, which show >97% removal of Ʃ PFAS (30) and ≥99% removal of C6 chemistries for the aqueous phase, and >80% removal Ʃ PFAS (30) from the biosolids phase, are regarded as globally significant and underpin the decision to advance SAFF® to full-scale evaluation.

Now into its third month at a confidential site, the trial is evaluating the ability of SAFF® technology to deliver reliable, scalable PFAS removal under real-world conditions, with the system remediating PFAS from several interception points at the sewage treatment plant (STP) to enhance data.

SAFF® technology resolves a global blind spot in PFAS pollution at wastewater treatment facilities.

This breakthrough addresses a current global blind spot in PFAS pollution control, where contaminants pass through sewage treatment plants untreated, and are then discharged into adjacent waterways or spread onto farmland via biosolid enriched fertilisers.

Early field trial results demonstrate that SAFF is comfortably exceeding Australian NEPM 3.0 regulatory requirements for the removal of PFAS. Trial results will be released in the coming months.

On the back of this trial, EPOC Enviro and its distribution partners are beginning to undertake further full-scale sewage treatment operations in both the USA and Europe.

“Removing PFAS from sewage has long been considered an intractable problem in wastewater treatment,” said EPOC Enviro Managing Director Peter Murphy. “The general sentiment is that it’s too late and too expensive to remove PFAS once it hits the STP, but our results show it can be done efficiently and cost effectively.”

“Every day, it is estimated that the world releases roughly 400 billion litres of treated sewage containing PFAS back into the environment, alongside 100,000 tonnes of dewatered biosolids. It’s an issue of epic proportions and one we have firmly in our sights.”

“This PFAS remediation achievement marks a significant step forward for utilities seeking practical, cost efficient and scalable PFAS solutions, particularly as regulatory expectations tighten and monitoring expands across the sector,” he said.

“The high solids load within sewage presents a significant engineering challenge that has historically stymied PFAS remediation efforts. Following nearly a decade of research and innovative engineering, we are immensely proud that robust SAFF® technology has now broken through this barrier, and in a sustainable manner that ensures no harm to the environment.”

“Our early removal results are just the starting point of what we know is possible, and we’re confident that engineering refinements will drive remediation results even higher, while also supporting the beneficial re-use of biosolids.”

“Sewage treatment plants were never designed to capture PFAS and are now recognised as major pathways for PFAS disbursement, with the molecules becoming highly dilute and mobile once released. But their role as central hubs for wastewater means they are ideally positioned as the final point in the funnel where we can intercept PFAS before it enters rivers, soils, or farmland.”

Work-ready SAFF® PFAS remediation technology pictured arriving at a confidential sewage treatment plant.

Remediation of PFAS from sewage is SAFF® technology’s latest successful application. Since first launching in 2018, the patented technology has remediated more than 1.8 billion litres of PFAS impacted waters including landfill leachate, industrial wastewater, reverse osmosis reject (concentrate) and groundwater at more than 60 sites on four continents.

Sustainable SAFF® technology exploits the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of PFAS molecules, which cause them to attach to rising air bubbles. After rising to the surface, the PFAS contaminants present as a foam layer which is removed and further concentrated.

Media enquiries: Michelle Mahon, Communications Manager - EPOC Enviro.

E: mmahon@opecsystems.com    T: +61 418 690 717

More information on SAFF®: https://epocenviro.com/applications/sewage/

WHO IS EPOC ENVIRO?  Protecting and improving the environment 

EPOC Enviro is an award-winning environmental engineering firm. The EPOC acronym stands for ‘Emerging Pollutants of Concern’.  

Our mission is to develop and implement clever and practical engineering solutions on a global scale to permanently remove PFAS and other emerging contaminants from the environment.   

At EPOC Enviro, we proudly apply the principles of intelligent design, sustainable engineering and green chemistry to our craft.   

WHAT IS PFAS? 

PFAS are a family of synthetic compounds widely used globally to make products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water.

PFAS compounds break down very slowly over time and are recognised as an ‘emerging contaminant’ with widespread concerns about their characteristics of persistence, bioaccumulation, toxicity and impacts on human health. 

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