Minnesota Community Stopped Billions of Nanograms of PFAS From Entering the Environment Through Landfill Leachate in 2024

WARP System’s and Kandiyohi County’s innovative approach to managing landfill toxins saved the community from exposure to 6.9 billion nanograms of the “forever chemical” PFAS, setting a national example as PFAS contamination concerns rise

/EIN News/ -- BROOKLYN PARK, Minn., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As communities across the U.S. grapple with growing concerns over PFAS contamination, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota successfully prevented the release of 6.9 billion nanograms of PFAS into the environment in 2024 with the help of Apex Water Solutions’ WARP System, the first on-site landfill leachate treatment in the U.S. that removes toxins, resulting in water that meets national drinking water standards.

Every day, rainwater and snowmelt seep through landfill waste creating a toxic sludge called leachate. Landfills across the U.S. generate and capture 16 billion gallons of leachate every year and most of it is transported to wastewater treatment plants where the leachate is diluted and released into the environment.

"The WARP System is integral for Kandiyohi County to protect public health and the environment, allowing us to sequester pollutants onsite inside the engineered contaminant of the sanitary landfill, instead of sending hazardous and harmful substances such as PFAS, toxic metals and other carcinogens on the roads and into the waterways of Minnesota. With WARP, we removed all of them, including 100% of PFAS contamination," Ryan Badten, superintendent of the Kandiyohi County Sanitary Landfill said. "The sequestration of 6.9 billion nanograms of PFAS in 2024 is so significant, to put it into perspective — that amount of PFAS, if released into the environment and consumed, is enough to put every person in Kandiyohi County in the EPA’s highest health risk category, 1.5 times over.”

WARP System in Kandiyohi County by the numbers:

• 2.3 million gallons (8.7 million liters) of landfill leachate treated onsite in 2024.
• 6.9 billion nanograms of PFAS safely contained instead of being released into the environment.

“Until regulations stop PFAS at the source, we have a responsibility to manage it at the end stage,” said Greg Ackerson, CEO of Apex Water Solutions, LLC. “The reality is that wastewater treatment plants aren’t equipped to handle these contaminants. The WARP System meets national drinking water standards, ensuring that PFAS and other dangerous chemicals are contained rather than released into our communities. Kandiyohi County’s leadership shows what’s possible, and this kind of forward-thinking approach needs to become the norm, not the exception.”

With wastewater treatment plants beginning to refuse leachate and new EPA regulations on the horizon, Kandiyohi County is proving there’s a better way to manage PFAS and other dangerous contaminants. The WARP System ensures these pollutants stay contained — meeting today’s needs while preparing for tomorrow’s challenges. For more information, visit Apex Water Solutions.

About Apex Water Solutions:
Apex Water Solutions is a leader in advanced wastewater treatment technologies, specializing in landfill leachate management. Based in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, the company’s Wastewater Alternative Remediation Process (WARP) System is the first onsite landfill leachate treatment in the U.S. that removes and sequesters toxins, producing water that meets national drinking water standards which can be safely released into the environment. This provides a scalable, long-term solution to PFAS contamination and other emerging environmental challenges. By prioritizing innovation, sustainability, and regulatory readiness, Apex Water Solutions helps communities and landfill operators protect public health and groundwater, reduce costs, and stay ahead of evolving regulations.

Contact:
                    Amy Leger
                    amy@1eleven-group.com