New regulations are coming for Australia’s PFAS challenge. The Environmental Group is ready with a solution to help industry act now and prepare for the future.
Early action beats delayed reaction,” says Jason Dixon.
As the Chief Executive Officer for The Environmental Group, Jason says getting ahead of the curve is the only sustainable path forward for industry, with new regulations on the horizon that will make the disposal of “forever chemicals” a major concern.
In March 2025, the Federal Government released the third version of the PFAS National Environmental Management Plan (NEMP), which provides a framework for the environmental management of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-contaminated materials and sites.
NEMP 3.0 specifically introduces new rules for PFAS in recovered wastes, PFAS in biosolids (setting new maximum values for PFAS that can be in treated sewage sludge that are spread on land) and mandates the monitoring of PFAS levels in wastewater and various waste streams, such as leachate from landfills.
In response, the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is working on adding new monitoring requirements for PFAS to the licenses of sewage treatment plants and landfills. These new requirements are being developed in collaboration with key industry players and are expected to come into effect soon.
Jason says that while changes are inevitable, the right thing to do is to act now.
“The invisible nature of PFAS and its persistence in the environment mean the problem will not go away on its own. It’s just a never-ending cycle unless we actually remove it,” he says.
Image: The Environmental Group
“Environmentally, it’s not the right thing to do to wait for legislation. Early adopters will not only avoid penalties but position themselves as leaders in sustainable, compliant waste management.”
The Environmental Group’s solution, which has developed over many years from a research project in conjunction with Victoria University to a fully operational industrial-scale plants today, uses a process called foam fractionation.
This technology extracts PFAS from wastewater, soil and biosolids without creating additional waste streams, leaving behind only the concentrated PFAS component for safe destruction.
Jason says it’s an advantage over other systems that use filter mediums or activated carbon, which become a contaminated waste stream that then needs to be paid for and disposed of.
“The Environmental Group’s process means that a site can avoid creating a by-product that needs to be discarded,” he says. “Ultimately, The Environmental Group’s solution contributes to a circular economy by producing a reusable product. The processed material can be used for manufacturing, processing, compost or even for purposes like dust suppression at landfills.”
The team at The Environmental Group works with clients to ensure a solution is built specifically for them and their needs. Samples are taken from each site and tested for contamination levels. The size of the treatment plant is scaled in proportion to the amount of wastewater discharge per day.
“If they can discharge 200,000 litres a day, then you scale the plant to meet that need,” Jason says. “We want to make sure that any of our products and services are customer-specific. That’s where our experienced team come into play.
“Businesses are encouraged that PFAS are removed before further processing as they can risk non-compliance, environmental harm and reputational damage.
“The Environmental Group has a proven, local solution that meets current and upcoming PFAS compliance standards, while future-proofing operations for even stricter environmental oversight.”
For more information, visit: www.environmental.com.au
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