Liberec, Czech Republic, 4 December 2025 – Photon Water Technology s.r.o. (“Photon Water”), a subsidiary of Photon Energy N.V. and a technology leader in PFAS remediation and water-treatment solutions, has introduced a breakthrough approach for managing fluorinated firefighting foams (AFFF), which contain perfluorinated and polyfluorinated compounds, known as PFAS. The newly developed mobile unit enables on-site decontamination and is capable of treating not only rinsing waters but also the AFFF foam concentrate itself.
This capability marks a significant departure from existing practice, in which AFFF must be handled as hazardous waste, transported to incineration plants and processed in specialised facilities — a costly, administratively demanding and logistically complex procedure for waste-management and remediation firms.
Photon Water’s technology is transported directly to the location where AFFF is stored or handled. At the site, the system decontaminates the foam and reduces its volume to a small PFAS concentrate fraction that can subsequently be processed using standard disposal methods at significantly lower cost.
Key benefits of the new technology include:
The technology enables waste-management and remediation firms to expand their service offerings, accelerate project execution and significantly reduce risks associated with handling PFAS-laden materials.
The launch of the technology coincides with major regulatory changes in Europe. On 3 December 2025, the European Union’s final derogation for the use and storage of AFFF foams expires. This deadline establishes a clear legislative obligation for holders of these fluorinated foam concentrates to ensure safe decontamination of both the foams themselves and associated systems and infrastructure. Similar regulations have already been in place for several years in Australia, and comparable requirements are expected to be introduced in the United States, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and other jurisdictions implementing new PFAS-management standards.
Photon Water is therefore introducing its new technology at a critical time, providing partners with an efficient means of responding to these emerging legislative requirements.
The mobile unit is housed in a 20’ insulated ISO container and utilises a combination of multistage membrane processes, selective ion-exchange media and advanced oxidation to remove PFAS. The system is operated by the Photon Matic automated control platform, which allows for remote supervision and flexible configuration of operational parameters.
This modular setup enables rapid deployment in various field conditions and ensures stable, long-term operation.
The innovation builds on Photon Water’s experience with PFAS-removal technologies successfully deployed in 2025 across industrial operations for the treatment of process water and PFAS-impacted stormwater. The new solution is therefore grounded in proven, scientifically validated methodologies.
The on-site AFFF decontamination technology is designed primarily for waste-management, remediation and environmental-engineering firms that need to comply with new regulatory obligations while minimising the logistical and economic risks associated with AFFF disposal.
It complements the broader portfolio of Photon Water’s innovative, field-proven PFAS-remediation technologies and further strengthens the company’s position as a technological leader in this rapidly expanding sector.
Photon Energy Group delivers solar energy and clean water solutions worldwide, supporting the transition to sustainable and low-carbon technologies. Since 2008, Photon Energy has built and commissioned solar plants with over 180 MWp capacity and currently owns 135 MWp of assets. The Group is developing over 590 MWp of projects across Australia, Europe, and South Africa and provides operations and maintenance services for 1.2 GWp globally. Its New Energy business holds electricity trading licenses in several Central and Eastern European markets and is a leading provider of Demand Side Response (DSR) services in Poland. Photon Energy also operates a Virtual Power Plant aggregating over 480 MW of distributed energy resources. Photon Energy Group’s water division offers clean water and environmental remediation solutions, including patented PFAS removal technology. The Group is listed on the Warsaw, Prague, Frankfurt, and XETRA stock exchanges and is headquartered in Amsterdam with offices worldwide.
