Restricted Chemicals

Certain chemicals are subject to very strict legislation on health and environmental grounds, including: substances of very high concern (SVHCs); carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic (CMR) chemicals; persistent organic pollutants (POPs); and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Unless treated, many bioaccumulate in the environment, posing a risk to aquatic life and waterways and entering the human food chain or drinking water. 

Many, such as the PFAS chemical perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), are now banned, but are still found in contaminated groundwater and water courses. Others are unavoidable by-products, such as furans from the combustion process. And others are in use due to the benefits they bring, e.g. hormones in pharmaceuticals or pesticides in agriculture. However, all must be reduced to below detectable levels in wastewater, groundwater or air emissions to protect occupational health and safety and the environment. 

Activated carbon is recognised as the Best Available Technology (BAT) for the removal of adsorbable organic halides (AOX), which include many restricted chemicals such as drug residues from pharmaceutical production. It is also proven to be efficient in treating PFAS and other ‘forever chemicals’ or POPs. DESOTEC’s activated carbon filters can be standalone or combined with other technologies to maximise efficiency and bring down levels of restricted chemicals to below detection.

Activated carbon is widely used to treat historic leaks or spills of restricted chemicals during remediation work at former industrial sites, keeping complex construction projects on track. 

DESOTEC delivers mobile activated carbon filters fast to start work immediately. Our filters treat pumped-up groundwater, ready for specialist disposal or discharge to the environment. They can also be used to purify air emissions from the soil excavation process or the thermal treatment of soil. We safely handle all filtration waste, including PFAS, as part of our service, saving your company the hassle and allowing your project to run smoothly.

Activated carbon filtration is an effective and reliable way to achieve compliance with stringent laws such as the EU’s POPs Regulation and the ECHA’s REACH Regulations. PFAS in particular are heavily restricted in the EEA, and becoming more so across the world. Additionally, many countries already oblige companies to remediate soil and groundwater if restricted chemicals are found during construction work. 

DESOTEC offers reliable plug-and-play solutions that can be delivered fast in urgent situations, such as the unexpected discovery of PFAS in groundwater. We have regional expertise to guide your company in meeting the terms of your operating licence and relevant laws. Compliant, sustainable waste handling is included in our service, where captured contaminants are safely destroyed for good.

Activated carbon is a Best Available Technology (BAT) for many pollution abatement applications, and mobile filtration solutions are often the most cost-effective and sustainable option – but it does depend on various factors. 

For example:

• Where air or water flow is discontinuous, activated carbon is generally more cost-effective than alternatives.
• If space is tight, e.g. at building sites, DESOTEC filters have a smaller footprint than most alternatives.
• For short-term usage, our filters are mobile and rental – unlike more permanent installations.
• If treatment is needed immediately, our filters can be delivered fast and are plug-and-play – some alternatives have a lengthy lead-in time.
• If your needs might change in the future, our systems are modular – other technology might be less adaptable.

DESOTEC is keen to help customers find the best treatment for their needs, and our experts will tell you if they think an alternative technology might be more suitable than activated carbon.

Activated carbon is a very versatile technology, so there are many ways to optimise set-ups – e.g. placing filters in series, using different carbon grades, or combining filters with complementary technology.

DESOTEC’s experts carry out testing, advise on set-up design, and offer ongoing support as part of our full-service solution. Our activated carbon filtration solutions have a low total cost of ownership (TCO): they have minimal Capex costs, and our service includes maintenance and upgrading. 

Sustainable, safe filtration waste treatment is included in DESOTEC’s service, sparing your company the worry and cost of specialist disposal. We transport saturated carbon away from your site in closed filters, keeping your facilities clean and your workers safe. It is then thermally treated in our furnaces, destroying restricted chemicals completely so the problem is resolved for good. 

DESOTEC has collaborated with the Belgian lab VITO on a reliable method (CMA/3/D) to measure PFAS on carbon to determine the best course of treatment. If it is below the limit set in the POPs Regulation, the carbon can be treated in our furnaces and reactivated for reuse. Our state-of-the-art flue gas treatment completely destroys PFAS to below detectable levels. If PFAS levels are above the POPs limit, the spent carbon is sent to a specialist company for safe disposal. Either way, we ensure the PFAS problem is not just shifted away from your site – it is fully eliminated.