For EPOC Enviro’s Manufacturing Manager, Ben McDonnell, the challenge of reimagining PFAS remediation systems is nothing new. Having already helped shape the SAFF® Hyper Concentrator, the SAFF®40 and the SAFF®20, he was ready when the call came to design a smaller, more agile system, the SAFF®10. 

The brief involved creating a new system, that could meet market demand for a lower-cost, lower-throughput option with a smaller footprint, while still delivering the performance and reliability that SAFF® is known for. Allonnia, EPOC’s North American distributor, added another layer: it had to be compact enough to fit onto a truck or trailer. 

From day one, the design phase drew heavily on lessons learned from years of SAFF development. The team sharpened system efficiencies, boosted concentration performance, and pushed further on one of EPOC’s key strengths: foam management. 

“PFAS foam is very simple in its nature. We make bubbles as part of the remediation process, then we have to collect and collapse them,” Ben explains. “We paid a lot of attention to the characteristics of foam and gave granular consideration to things like tanks and components to find that performance sweet spot. Fortunately, our team are the best in the business at this.” 

That level of detail extended across the build. Design, project, and manufacturing teams worked collaboratively at EPOC’s Emu Plains Manufacturing hub, each adding their piece to the puzzle. HAZOP requirements were baked into the system from the get-go to ensure safety was always at the design forefront, and that risks were eliminated or mitigated. There were redraws, refinements, and plenty of problem-solving along the way.  

Twelve months later, the first SAFF®10 prototype is now complete, and recently landed in the USA.  

Throughout the project, there’s been some major milestones: a customised secondary vessel showing enhanced concentration results, and an upgraded control system (the brains of the unit). 

As Ben reflects, “During the design stage of a new technology, you’ve got to allow for every possible scenario that might eventuate. We always design for the worst case. Then, if that transpires, we have enough resilience in the system to manage it.” 

The SAFF®10 is proof of that philosophy. And while the first built system is always a prototype, the lessons learned pave the way for stronger subsequent builds. Ultimately, every improvement means cleaner water and a safer environment for our clients and those communities impacted by PFAS contamination. 

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