Calgon Carbon announced a significant expansion of its drinking water carbon reactivation capacity at its Columbus, Ohio facility.
The investment, valued at approximately $100 million, will add approximately 27 million pounds of annual drinking water carbon reactivation capacity and is expected to be operational in 2028.
This expansion will enable Calgon Carbon to meet customer demand accelerated by the U.S. EPA’s PFAS regulations and the increasing adoption of granular activated carbon as a treatment standard in municipal drinking water systems across the country.
The Columbus plant is one of six U.S. reactivation plants in Calgon Carbon’s network. This expansion adds two potable water kilns and supporting infrastructure, significantly increasing the facility’s ability to serve municipal customers in the Midwest and Eastern United States.
Expanding domestic production capacity to meet regulatory demands
EPA’s PFAS Drinking Water Regulations set strict maximum contaminant levels for PFOA, PFOS, and other perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and are expected to be in compliance by 2031.
Demand for long-term restart capacity is rapidly increasing as utilities compete to meet these requirements. As a leading manufacturer of granular activated carbon, Calgon Carbon is well-positioned to meet this accelerated adoption.
“Calgon Carbon has spent more than 80 years building the technology, infrastructure and expertise to make investments like this possible,” said Steve Schott, president and CEO of Calgon Carbon.
“Kuraray’s investment in our growth reflects our commitment to improving the environment we live in, including the important role that activated carbon plays in purified water, clean air, and drinking water treatment. Our customers and communities count on us, and we are delivering.”
Carbon Reactivation: A Proven Sustainable Approach to PFAS Treatment
Calgon Carbon’s unique thermal reactivation process restores spent granular activated carbon and simultaneously destroys adsorbed contaminants.
A peer-reviewed study recently published in Remediation Journal confirmed that Calgon Carbon’s drinking water carbon reactivation process removes adsorbed PFAS from spent carbon to below detectable levels, achieves greater than 99.9% PFAS destruction removal efficiency, and detects no modified PFAS or incomplete combustion products in stack emissions.
Reactivation reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to virgin activated carbon production, eliminates the need for landfill disposal of spent carbon, and provides utilities with a sustainable circular solution for long-term PFAS management.
Continued investment in U.S. infrastructure
The Columbus expansion is part of a broader effort by Calgon Carbon and Kuraray to expand domestic activated carbon production and reactivation capacity.
The company also announced the development of a new drinking water carbon reactivation facility, the Tiger River Plant, on an 83-acre site in Moore, South Carolina.
Together, these investments will significantly enhance Calgon Carbon’s ability to serve the growing number of U.S. utilities preparing to become PFAS compliant.
“We have the world’s largest revitalization network, the only peer-reviewed evidence of the effectiveness of our proprietary revitalization process, and a domestic manufacturing footprint unmatched by our competitors,” said Jenard Brewer, senior vice president of drinking water solutions and global business development.
“Our customers are preparing for the biggest regulatory changes in drinking water treatment in a generation. With Columbus expanding and Tiger River under development, we are making sure our customers have a partner with the capabilities, technology and track record to deliver on time and without compromise.”
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