• PFAS contamination poses a large global challenge
• No scalable in-situ PFAS destruction tech currently exists
• ECT developing Rapid Electrothermal Mineralisation (REM) to address this gap

Environmental Clean Technologies Limited (ECT) is pleased to provide an update on the development of its Rapid Electrothermal Mineralisation (REM) technology, which is being developed to address the absence of scalable, in-situ solutions capable of permanently destroying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in soil. PFAS, commonly known as 'forever chemicals', are highly persistent substances historically used across a wide range of industrial and consumer products, and are now widely recognised as hazardous to human health and the environment. Remediation of PFAS-contaminated soil and water represents a large and growing market, driven by tightening regulation, limited disposal capacity, and the lack of permanent in-situ destruction technologies. The REM process is designed to operate by inserting electrodes into PFAS-contaminated soil and applying a high-voltage, high-power electrical current to generate temperatures exceeding 1,000°C, breaking the strong carbon-fluorine bonds in PFAS and converting them into inert, non-toxic fluoride salts. Laboratory testing has demonstrated high levels of PFAS destruction, including defluorination efficiencies exceeding 96% and removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) of up to 99.98%. ECT has been developing a high-voltage, high-frequency REM system designed to operate without conductive additives, addressing a key barrier to scalability and improving the potential viability of future in-situ deployment. Safety testing and hardware validation of this next-generation system are now in their final stages. The development roadmap reflects a staged progression from laboratory validation to pilot-scale to commercial systems, with the Company currently in the capacity build period and aiming to enter the prototype validation and regulatory readiness phase in the coming months.

Over the next three months, ECT will assess complementary technology from Rice University for PFAS remediation in water and hire an electrical engineer. This will initiate the next phase of the Company's technology development, which will focus on finalising the REM prototype and commencing the permitting requirements for on-site soil remediation. Once the prototype is completed and safety validated, ECT will build a pilot system to demonstrate the capability of the technology in the field.