SESSION G12 / 17 October 2025 / 09:00 - 10:30
EU Workshop: Closing knowledge gaps on PFAS degradation in thermal waste and remediation systems
Chair / Presidente: Tarek Rashwan (UK)
This roundtable workshop will provide an opportunity to present a new EU project idea, discuss it with colleagues from all around the world, and find potential collaborations and partners from industry and academia.
Interested delegates may freely join the discussion.
1. Project Title / Idea name:
Closing knowledge gaps on PFAS degradation in thermal waste and remediation systems
2. Organizers:
Tarek Rashwan, Open University (UK)
Fatemeh Khodaparastan, Open University (UK)
Felicia Fredriksson, Örebro University (SE)
Leo Yeung, Örebro University (SE)
Igor Travar, Ragn Sells (SE)
3. Relevant EU Programme and Call, if already identified (e.g. Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, Interreg, LIFE, Digital Europe, etc.):
Ideally targeting the development of a COST Action first, to facilitate collaboration to build a Horizon EU consortium.
4. Project Idea:
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been central compounds used in a range of modern materials – everything from fire-fighting foams to cosmetics. Altogether, there are thousands of synthetic compounds within the PFAS classification. It is now widely understood that PFAS contamination poses severe environmental risks. Due to PFAS’ toxic and persistent properties, small concentrations can bioaccumulate in the food chain, affecting human and environmental health. Activated carbon or ion exchange resin have been used to remove PFAS from drinking water. Anesthetic gases such as isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane have been widely used in medical applications; these gases are trapped in activated carbon after use for disposal. Other PFAS-contaminated materials necessitate active treatment, e.g., municipal solid wastes, sewage sludge, and hazardous wastes.
Thermal treatment methods have shown strong promise in breaking PFAS down at high-temperature conditions (e.g., above 850°C). However, there many research gaps regarding the fate of PFAS in these thermal systems, which are critical to solve now because even small concentrations of PFAS – e.g., from incomplete destruction – can pose long-lasting and challenging environmental risks for future generations.
This project aims to address this key research gap by coordinating thermal waste, remediation, and PFAS expertise globally to understand what system operation conditions are needed to ensure robust PFAS degradation.
5. Project Maturity Level:
Early-stage concept
6. Partnership / References / Research Competencies (of partners already involved):
Academic partners:
Open University, University of Strathclyde, University College Longon (UK) / 1016/j.wasman.2023.04.008, 10.1016/j.pecs.2020.100869 / Smouldering technology development
Örebro University (SE) / 1016/j.chemosphere.2010.01.045, 10.1021/acs.est.4c01844 / Analytical measurement
Queens University (CA) / 1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142722, 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164137 / PFAS remediation
Industry partners:
Ragn Sells (SE) / www.ragnsells.com / Waste management company
Savron (CA) / www.savronsolutions.com / Smouldering waste treatment technology provider
2encapsulate (UK) / 2encapsulate.com / PFAS remediation
7. Requirement of potential partners:
Academic, industry, and public body collaborations would be highly welcomed.
8. Notes:
The organizers are interested in EU collaborators with interest in understanding PFAS degradation in thermal remediation and waste treatment systems, e.g., incineration, gasification, pyrolysis, hydrothermal carbonisation. Ideally, those interested will have access or ambitions to understand these questions laboratory and commercial settings. Experts with PFAS degradation modelling would also be highly welcomed.
