Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become the water industry’s most persistent headache. Once hailed for their durability, these “forever chemicals” now pose regulatory, ecological and health challenges across Australia and worldwide. Utilities and regulators are seeking treatment technologies that not only remove PFAS from water but also do so in ways that minimise secondary impacts, prevent waste stockpiles, and meet increasingly stringent sustainability targets.
One of the most promising approaches is emerging from an Australian company that started life at the University of Adelaide. Bygen has developed a process for producing activated carbon from biomass rather than coal, delivering both environmental and operational advantages for PFAS remediation. For Cameron Griffiths, Chief Commercial Officer at Bygen, the company’s philosophy is simple: utilities should not have to compromise between sustainability and performance.
Rethinking activated carbon for PFAS remediation
Conventional activated carbon is typically derived from coal and produced using steam. Both steps add significantly to the environmental footprint. Bygen takes a different path, using waste biomass as a feedstock and a process that avoids steam generation.
“Bygen was spun out at the University of Adelaide around six or seven years ago,” Griffiths said. “From the outset, our focus was on improving the sustainability of activated carbon production. We don’t use coal as a raw material, unlike about 70 per cent of the world’s activated carbons. Instead, we use biomass and avoid using steam to activate it. That removes fossil fuels from the equation and reduces the carbon footprint of production.”
The result is an activated carbon that can be tailored to generate different pore sizes, a critical factor in capturing contaminants. PFAS molecules vary widely, with short-chain and long-chain compounds binding differently. Bygen’s ability to tune its pore distribution allows its carbon to target a broad range of PFAS while maintaining performance comparable to conventional products.
Understanding the challenges
PFAS remediation is not simply a matter of pulling the compounds out of water. Utilities also face the problem of disposal. Technologies such as ion exchange resins, foam fractionation and advanced oxidation all have strengths but can create downstream issues.
“Depending on your appetite for capital cost versus operating cost, you may find one technology more attractive than another,” Griffiths said. “The challenge is that you can take PFAS out of a water stream, but then what do you do with it? With resins, for example, you may be left with hazardous waste that can’t be regenerated. That just pushes the problem downstream.”
Activated carbon does not solve every challenge, but it offers a balance of performance, familiarity and ease of integration. Utilities can add it as a polishing stage to existing treatment trains or use it in standalone filters ranging from household units to large municipal systems.
For Bygen, the critical difference lies in the way its carbon is made. Its life cycle assessment shows a significantly smaller carbon footprint than conventional products, adding weight to sustainability claims.
From pilots to partnerships
Although still a relatively young business, Bygen has already tested its approach in wetlands, ceramic membrane pilots and soil remediation projects. The company has recently launched a PFAS pilot program to test its biomass carbon in real-world conditions, inviting utilities and councils to participate.
“In the past few years, we’ve been focused on generating strong pilot data,” Griffiths said. “We’ve worked with groups such as AquaVoda, looking at powdered activated carbon in combination with ceramic membranes.
“We’ve also done soil remediation projects where our product was benchmarked against coal-based carbons. Now, with our PFAS pilot program, we want to work alongside utilities and councils to run trials at their sites and demonstrate performance in real time.”
Bygen’s collaborative approach reflects both the complexity of PFAS remediation and the need for sector confidence. Utilities are understandably cautious, particularly when drinking water is involved. Building trust through ISO certification, NSF accreditation, and transparent case studies has become central to Bygen’s commercial strategy.
Aligning with circular economy goals
For Australian utilities under pressure to decarbonise supply chains and adopt circular economy practices, the sustainability of treatment technologies is a growing concern. Bygen’s biomass-based process offers direct alignment with these objectives.
“People working in the water industry need to know that if they change a process, the new product will perform as well as the incumbent,” Griffiths said. “Our goal is to match that performance while bringing the sustainability benefit. If we can replace coal-based or unsustainably produced coconut carbons and still deliver, then we provide a clear pathway forward.”
The biomass feedstocks themselves are drawn from a wide range of agricultural by-products, from almond shells to acacia wood. Bygen is building supply partnerships that turn these wastes into long-term value streams, while locating production closer to customers to reduce transport emissions and costs. For utilities, this localisation adds resilience as well as sustainability.
Regulations driving adoption
Globally, regulations are tightening around PFAS in water and soil. Australia is no exception, with state agencies and utilities now expected to assess, monitor and manage PFAS in their systems.
“Regulation is a huge driver,” Griffiths said. “When I was earlier in my career, I didn’t fully understand how dynamic regulation shapes opportunities for innovation. Now it’s clear.
“As standards become more stringent, only a handful of technologies will prove both effective and sustainable. Activated carbon is already easy to adopt, so we expect demand to grow significantly as the bar rises.”
In the near term, that growth will be concentrated in developed nations with established monitoring and regulatory frameworks. Long-term, developing countries are expected to follow, multiplying the market size.
Building confidence, not compromise
For utilities considering PFAS remediation, barriers often centre on trust and risk rather than cost. Bygen aims to overcome these by offering pilot trials, parallel vessel testing and transparent results. The company’s commercial model is strengthened by lower operating costs and the potential to build plants closer to demand centres, particularly on Australia’s east coast.
Griffiths is candid about the need for credibility.
“We know people don’t like change, especially in the water sector. That’s why our focus is on building trust through case studies, partnerships and certifications. Our production costs are competitive, but what really matters is showing utilities that they can achieve the same performance without compromising on sustainability.”
Asked what message he would leave with decision-makers, Griffiths was clear.
“Bygen really represents carbon without compromise. For utilities and large activated carbon users, I would ask: ‘What are you compromising on when you buy your current product?’ We can offer the most sustainable and cleanest production while still meeting performance and commercial requirements. There’s no need to compromise anymore.”
For more information, visit bygen.com.au
