Ministry of the Environment Demonstration Project Achieves PFAS Removal Rate of Over 99.9% and 2400x Concentration

Emulsion Flow Technologies, Inc. (Headquarters: Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture; President and CEO: Yuji Suzuki; hereinafter referred to as EFT) is pleased to announce the completion of demonstration tests for PFOS concentration reduction using its solvent extraction technology, "Emulsion Flow," and the detoxification of recovered PFAS using photolysis technology, as part of the Ministry of the Environment's "Demonstration Project for Countermeasure Technologies to Reduce Concentrations of PFOS, etc." selected in July 2025. The results of this demonstration project have been published by the Ministry of the Environment as the "Collection of Countermeasure Technologies for Reducing Concentrations of PFOS, etc."

Background

Due to their excellent water and heat resistance, PFAS have been widely used in applications such as food packaging, cookware, fire extinguishing agents, and semiconductor manufacturing. However, PFAS are difficult to break down and persist in the body and environment for long periods, earning them the nickname "forever chemicals." Concerns have been raised about their carcinogenicity and impact on immune function. Among these, PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) are regulated under the Stockholm Convention. In Japan, their manufacture, import, and use are generally prohibited. Starting April 2026, PFOS and PFOA will become water quality standard items under the Water Supply Act, requiring water suppliers and discharging businesses to take more stringent measures than before.

In light of this background, the Ministry of the Environment conducted a demonstration project in fiscal year 2025 to enhance knowledge regarding effective countermeasure technologies for reducing PFOS concentrations. Our company, selected for this project, conducted the following demonstration tests in collaboration with Ushio Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Ushio).

Overview of the Demonstration Project

In this demonstration project, we aimed to concentrate and recover PFOA and PFOS from actual wastewater from industrial waste disposal sites using EF technology, and to verify its applicability with Ushio's PFAS photolysis technology.

EF technology is characterized by its ability to stably recover target PFAS to the desired concentration, even in leachate containing a large amount of organic acid components derived from waste. Furthermore, by highly concentrating the recovered PFAS-containing water, it significantly improves the efficiency of subsequent decomposition treatment.

As a result of this demonstration test, we achieved a removal rate of over 99.9% for the target substances and a concentration factor of up to 2400 times the raw water for PFOS + PFOA. Additionally, in decomposition tests using Ushio's photolysis on our concentrated solution, we confirmed an approximately 27-fold improvement in decomposition efficiency compared to the raw water. Details of the test results for this demonstration project (Demonstration Results Report) can be found here: https://www.env.go.jp/content/000405028.pdf

Furthermore, based on the achievements of this demonstration project, our EF technology has been listed as one of the demonstrated technologies in the water treatment field in the Ministry of the Environment's "Collection of Countermeasure Technologies for Reducing Concentrations of PFOS, etc." This collection is expected to be utilized as reference material for local governments, private companies, and other stakeholders when considering PFAS countermeasures. The "Collection of Countermeasure Technologies for Reducing Concentrations of PFOS, etc." can be found here: https://www.env.go.jp/content/000404224.pdf

Future Outlook

Through this demonstration project, our company confirmed that EF technology is effective not only for factory wastewater but also for leachate from industrial waste disposal sites. Based on the knowledge gained from this demonstration project, we will aim to introduce our technology for PFAS-containing wastewater from chemical plants, semiconductor plants, and fluorochemical manufacturing plants. We will also strengthen collaboration with local governments and water treatment operators for PFAS recovery and contamination remediation from industrial waste disposal site leachate. Concurrently, we will promote the social implementation of an integrated treatment process that achieves "recovery to detoxification" through collaboration with decomposition technologies.

Emulsion Flow 500L Demonstration Plant

We will continue to contribute to solving the PFAS problem, reducing environmental impact, and realizing a resource-circulating society through our innovative separation and recovery technologies.

【Company Profile】

Name: Emulsion Flow Technologies, Inc.

Headquarters: 7-5 Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture

Tokyo Office: 3F, Sealuck Group Nihonbashi Kabutocho Bldg., 18-5 Nihonbashi Kabutocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Yuji Suzuki, President and CEO

Official Website: https://emulsion-flow.tech/

【Contact】

Emulsion Flow Technologies, Inc.

Emi Hashimoto, Public Relations Department

https://www.emulsion-flow.tech/contact/