Packing Up PFAS

Anti-pollution solution

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of toxic “forever chemicals” that have been used in many industrial and consumer products for decades. PFASs are now found in soil, water, wildlife, and human bodies all around the world. They do not degrade naturally, building up in our bodies and the wider environment, causing immense harm. In 2019, the detection of high PFAS levels in soil shut down the building sector in the Netherlands and led to a nationwide ban on building on polluted soil. Without the means to safely PFASs from soil, a building crisis ensued. This project offers a solution by transforming PFAS-contaminated soil into clean bricks. The heating of the soil destroys the chemicals while producing a clean building material.