EPA Adds PFAS to CERCLA (Superfund) Law, Favoring Low-Waste Systems like BioLargo's AEC

BioLargo’s PFAS treatment technology generates a fraction of the waste compared to carbon filtration

WESTMINSTER, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 23, 2024 / BioLargo, Inc. (OTCQB:BLGO), a company that creates and commercializes sustainable technologies to solve tough environmental and cleantech challenges, today provided commentary on the importance of a final decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) chemicals as "hazardous substances" under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as the Superfund law. BioLargo's PFAS treatment solution, the Aqueous Electrostatic Concentrator, generates a small fraction of the volume of PFAS-laden waste that carbon filtration systems generate, thus reducing operational costs of waste handling, transport, and disposal.

In the EPA press release, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan stated, "Designating these chemicals under our Superfund authority will allow EPA to address more contaminated sites, take earlier action, and expedite cleanups, all while ensuring polluters pay for the costs to clean up pollution threatening the health of communities." These new regulations come on the heels of the EPA's announcement two weeks ago setting PFAS drinking water limits as low as four parts per trillion.

This new EPA action also means that these PFAS chemicals will be listed as "hazardous materials" under the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, which will require materials containing these chemicals to be transported using special protocols.

Tonya Chandler, President of BioLargo Equipment Solutions & Technologies, Inc., which markets BioLargo's PFAS treatment systems, commented, "We believe these and other upcoming regulations create a price advantage for our AEC system over competing sorbent technologies such as carbon filtration. With less waste generated, we can also offer clients waste handling all the way through to full destruction at our facility."

These finalized CERCLA regulations are the most recent step by the EPA to limit exposure of Americans to PFAS. In addition to the recently announced federal drinking water standards for six PFAS chemicals, the agency also committed $9 billion in funding to help communities and water providers address contamination by PFAS and other emerging contaminants. This funding will assist communities and water providers to acquire PFAS monitoring and treatment systems to comply with new regulations.