Two years ago, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) made a commitment: Ohio would execute the nation鈥檚 first statewide program to collect and permanently destroy PFAS-containing firefighting foam. Today, round one of that commitment is fulfilled.
Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) is a firefighting agent used for decades on hydrocarbon, or fuel-based fires. It contains PFAS, a class of manmade chemicals known as “forever chemicals,” at concentrations higher than those in almost any other known source. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been used since the 1940s for their unique and helpful properties. Due to the strong carbon-fluorine bond, PFAS can accumulate and persist in the human body and the environment for years, introducing health concerns including cancers and immune system complications.
In March 2024, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio EPA, Battelle, and Revive Environmental officially launched the program, funded with $3 million in settlement money that Ohio received as part of the state鈥檚 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) enforcement case against Monsanto, which was filed by then-Attorney General DeWine in 2018.
Ohio committed to the responsible path: complete, verified, and documented destruction. State officials in Ohio set higher standards for their communitiesand, for round one, chose the PFAS Annihilator庐, a technology created by Battelle and owned and operated by Revive Environmental, that could support these self-imposed requirements. More than 13,500 gallons of AFFF, representing approximately 250 different formulations, were collected from 118 fire departments and two municipal airports and have now been destroyed at Revive Environmental鈥檚 commercial PFAS destruction facility in Columbus. Certificates of Processing have been issued to each participating fire department as confirmation that their PFAS-laden material was properly destroyed.
鈥淧FAS chemicals were once thought to be indestructible, but this technology is literally making these toxins disappear. With round one of this program now complete, I鈥檓 proud of what Ohio has accomplished. Our fire departments came forward and did what they do best: they protected their communities 鈥� this time from a chemical that had been sitting in their firehouses for years,” said Governor DeWine.
Revive Environmental worked with Ohio EPA from beginning to end 鈥� from registering fire departments鈥� AFFF material across the state online, to scheduling and handling collections, and tracking every container from the firehouse to Revive鈥檚 commercial destruction facility in Columbus where the AFFF was fed through the PFAS Annihilator庐.
The Supercritical Water Oxidation (SCWO) technology behind the PFAS Annihilator庐 breaks PFAS compounds down at the molecular level, converting them into water, carbon dioxide, and inorganic salts. Once processed, each batch of treated effluent was independently tested against U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Act standards prior to discharge. Revive鈥檚 commitment to complete destruction extended beyond the AFFF itself. Rinse water collected from each emptied container was treated using the same SCWO process, ensuring that no PFAS remained.
For departments like Franklin Township, located just miles from Revive鈥檚 headquarters, this program resolved something they had carried for decades. Lt. Jason Brockmeyer and his crew spent over 20 years responding to hydrocarbon fuel fires, a mission that required the department to have AFFF at all times, in case of emergencies. Over time, their stockpile grew to more than 1,300 gallons, representing approximately 12 percent of everything collected and destroyed through Ohio鈥檚 program. After surrendering their AFFF, Chief Robert Arnold and Lt. Brockmeyer toured Revive鈥檚 facility and watched the PFAS Annihilator庐operating in real time.
鈥淚t is amazing that there is a technology that can completely destroy the PFAS, and we now have the verification to prove it. A sample of the clean effluent now stands in our trophy case. We鈥檙e really excited to finally have this behind us. This material no longer poses a threat to our crew, our neighbors, or the environment, and we have safe alternatives in our trucks now,” said Chief Robert Arnold, Franklin Township Fire Department
Ohio’s initiative was the first statewide AFFF takeback program at this scale. New Hampshire, North Carolina, and New Jersey have since launched statewide programs of their own. 鈥淭he State of Ohio should be commended for leading the nation in the verified destruction of AFFF. By making this commitment, Ohio is protecting its firefighters and communities, removing PFAS from these facilities and destroying it for good with the PFAS Annihilator,鈥� commented Rick Gillespie, CEO, Revive Environmental
Battelle, which invented the SCWO technology and served as prime contractor on the Ohio program, has watched it grow from pilot to commercial scale. “I’m happy the work is making a real-world impact by destroying PFAS in the environment and protecting people from the health threats posed by PFAS contamination. It took a lot of teamwork, perseverance, and innovation, but what started as a pilot has now been operating commercially for over three years,” said Amy Dindal, Business Line Director, Environment and Agriculture, Battelle
AFFF is a finite problem. Every gallon in every firehouse can be collected and permanently destroyed, and with safer firefighting foam alternatives already in service, fire departments can continue to protect their communities without PFAS-containing foam. Ohio proved it can be done.
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