New Study Shows Waste-to-Energy Facility in Perham Destroys Dangerous Chemicals

Perham Resource Recovery Facility. (OTC)

Perham, MN – A new study shows that Minnesota waste-to-energy facilities, like the Perham Resource Recovery Facility (PRRF) operating in Perham, effectively destroy harmful chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, found in everyday trash.

Barr Engineering worked with Eurofins Laboratories to test three Minnesota waste-to-energy facilities. The results show that these facilities destroy 99.6%-99.97% of PFAS through high-temperature incineration.

“This study confirms what we’ve believed about our waste-to-energy facility here in Otter Tail County,” said Chris McConn, director of Solid Waste. “Our residents can feel confident that when they dispose of items containing PFAS, our facility is destroying these harmful chemicals instead of letting them seep into our groundwater.”

PFAS are chemicals used in thousands of everyday items. They are commonly found in furniture, clothing, non-stick pans, food containers, cleaning supplies, and building materials. These “forever chemicals” last a long time in the environment and are harmful to human health.

When PFAS-containing items go in the trash, the chemicals end up in landfills or waste-to-energy facilities. In landfills, PFAS can leak into groundwater. Leachate collected at landfills is treated at wastewater treatment facilities that often do not remove PFAS and discharge to nearby surface waters.

The study measured PFAS in air emissions and ash from three different waste-to-energy plants. Researchers found:

High temperature burning destroys nearly all PFAS in trash
Very little PFAS remains in the ash
Air emissions contain PFAS levels well below Minnesota health guidelines

PRRF processes waste from Becker, Clay, Otter Tail, Todd and Wadena counties as an alternative to landfilling. The facility incinerates municipal solid waste to generate steam, which is then sold to nearby industries. The process reduces waste toxicity and volume while generating energy.