PFAS and their Place in the Future of Laundry
“Forever chemicals,” per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are quite literally all around us. Better known as PFAS, these widely used manmade chemicals, and their related variants, are known for their prevalence and persistence in our environment. Unfortunately, PFAS have also gained a place of notoriety in the public consciousness due to the threats they pose to human health. The United Nations and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) have both linked PFAS to reproductive harm, kidney, thyroid and liver diseases, certain cancers, weakened immune systems and more. The ubiquity of PFAS is difficult to overstate. Although precise volumes may vary across systems, their presence in drinking water, groundwater and wastewater is virtually guaranteed. From the moment they are manufactured and throughout their existence as a finished product, PFAS may move and accumulate in fluctuating volumes with alarming ease. While much remains unknown about PFAS, their presence in all varieties of water and within industrial spaces makes them an important matter for laundry professionals everywhere.
Because PFAS and their various iterations have been implicated in such sweeping health complications, its regulation has not been taken lightly. In January of 2023, the EPA released the Effluent Limitations Guidelines Plan 15, which details their development of a research-based approach designed to limit the industrial discharge of PFAS into the environment. By October of the same year, TRSA reported 5 states had already implemented guidelines to meet these new standards, with another 33 states poised to follow suit. Failure to comply with governmental regulations has always come at a cost, but the potential human cost of PFAS exposure compels regulations and fines to continue a steep upward ascent. Coupled with the global water crisis already impacting the laundry sector, many industry veterans are currently facing these challenges with ever-narrowing margins of error.
Today, laundry professionals who are intent on remaining competitive within the market while maximizing returns must invest in their process upgrades with consideration to both current and future regulatory standards. No future-proof technology exists; however, the innovative Kemco KLEENWATER™ System can help laundry professionals achieve compliance with new regulations targeting PFAS while also maximizing their potential for long-term, continued compliance. Thanks to a patented combination of reverse osmosis (RO) and ceramic membrane filtration (CMF), the KLEENWATER System effectively removes harmful contaminants in wastewater, including viruses, bacteria, PFAS and PFOS.
By choosing the KLEENWATER, facilities may significantly curtail the further release of PFAS into the environment through their discharge or laundered items without the use of costly chemical additives. To learn more about how the Kemco KLEENWATER™ System can help your facility navigate existing and emerging challenges facing the laundry industry, contact our team contact our team or visit our website.
For product information about the Kemco KLEENWATER™ System, Please Contact:
Matt Lewis
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
M: 706-266-0660
800-633-7055
1150 47th Street North, Clearwater, FL 33762