Water & Carbon Group’s LEEF System® Chosen by Bethlehem Landfill for PFAS Removal from Leachate
12 July, 2023
The Water & Carbon Group is revolutionizing PFAS treatment in landfill leachate with the deployment of the cutting-edge LEEF System® at Bethlehem Landfill located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and owned and operated by Bethlehem Landfill Company, a Waste Connections company.
This strategic collaboration demonstrates Bethlehem Landfill Company’s commitment to taking proactive steps in addressing PFAS present in landfill byproducts, namely leachate.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a man-made group of chemicals, commonly known as “forever chemicals”, that have been manufactured for use in a wide range of consumer and commercial products. As these products reach their end of life and are discarded, they eventually find their way into landfills. Bethlehem Landfill, as passive receivers of these PFAS containing wastes, works to properly sequester as much of the PFAS present in those wastes as possible; however, for any landfill byproducts containing PFAS that it is unable to sequester Bethlehem Landfill Company is committed to treating to reduce the presence of PFAS in those byproducts.
The Water & Carbon Group’s proven treatment technology marks a significant breakthrough in addressing the treatment of PFAS in landfill leachate.
Jim Hunter, CEO of the Water & Carbon Group, said he was looking forward to working in partnership with Bethlehem Landfill Company, along with trusted US firm, Leachate Management Specialists, who have been showcasing this innovative technology as leaders in the field.
“Our treatment solution represents a significant step forward in treating PFAS in leachate. The LEEF System® uses an advanced foam fractionation process and proprietary techniques to consistently achieve PFAS removal from water and high-strength wastewater such as landfill leachate. The LEEF System® was developed treating landfill leachate involving years of research and rigorous testing on a wide range of waste streams, including those with high levels of co-contamination. It has already achieved great success demonstrating treatment of some of the most challenging leachates in the United States.”
Matt Crockett, Engineering Manager of Bethlehem Landfill Company, remarked, "Bethlehem Landfill has been working with the Water & Carbon Group, Leachate Management Specialists and the LEEF System® for the past 12 months and we are excited to continue this partnership in order to reduce PFAS concentration in leachate generated at Bethlehem Landfill.”
Brad Granley, P.E., President and Founder of Leachate Management Specialists, expressed his appreciation for the successful and comprehensive testing, which demonstrated the adaptability of the LEEF System® in effectively treating a diverse range of leachates, including some of the most challenging in the United States. Mr. Granley said, “I have been thoroughly impressed with the integrity and expertise of WCG, and of course we are thrilled to team with an environmentally conscious company like Bethlehem Landfill Company on the first of many LEEF System® installations across our industry that will maintain disposal access at wastewater treatment plants. The environmental and financial benefits that will be realized by our clients by using this now- proven PFAS removal solution cannot be underestimated.
The LEEF System® is poised to make a substantial impact on PFAS treatment in the US with the technology already deployed and working successfully at full-scale in Australia and numerous successful demonstrations carried out across seven states in the US.
For more information about the LEEF System® PFAS treatment technology, visit leefsystem.com.
About the LEEF System®
The LEEF System® was developed in Australia by leading environmental engineers from the Water & Carbon Group (WCG) to address PFAS contamination in water and wastewater. WCG has partnered with esteemed US firm Leachate Management Specialists to introduce this ground- breaking PFAS removal solution to the United States landfill leachate market.
