– We have good purification results to show for the leachate that goes into Gavlfjorden. The Bremnes landfill received its first purification plant in 2015. Since then, improvements have been made to the existing plant, and we are now introducing brand new technology for PFAS purification, says Jack Lange, Managing Director at Reno-Vest Bremnes AS.

 – For us at Reno-Vest, it was only natural that we chose Mivanor AS as the supplier of the leachate purification solution, as we have been following the company and the development of purification technology from the beginning. Another important factor in the choice of a supplier was the local presence and familiarity with the company, says Jack.

PFAS RenoVest

 Landfill Operations
Reno-Vest Bremnes is a waste landfill that receives, processes, and disposes of waste. The company is a subsidiary of Reno-Vest IKS and is located in Sortland, Vesterålen. The landfill has the MivaMag purification solution from Mivanor, which purifies the leachate. Bremnes landfill is located close to the sea and has its own pier, which allows it to receive boats of up to 85 meters.

 – We receive contaminated masses, inert waste, rocks, soil, insulation, ceramics, concrete, and clean glass. The fact that we have our own pier makes it possible for customers to transport masses to our landfill in a more environmentally friendly way than by using trucks. Most of what we receive from boats is contaminated masses from larger projects, says Jack.

The landfill at Bremnes is located along the sea with its own quay where boats can deliver contaminated materials

 In Advance of the Requirements
Reno-Vest was an early adopter of its first leachate purification solution in 2015. At that time, specific limit values for the discharge of heavy metals or other environmental toxins were not in place. The limit values were proposed by Mivanor and approved by environmental authorities.

 – Today, the authorities set requirements for the quality of the leachate from our activities. Through a comprehensive monitoring program, we ensure compliance with government requirements for pollution of leachate, groundwater, sediments, and living organisms, Jack explains.

– The purification plant we installed in 2015 has been upgraded and improved in 2019. The plant has the capacity to purify 58 cubic meters of water per hour. Robert Tarasz, Managing Director and Technical Manager at Mivanor AS, has done a great job designing a new building for us that houses the leachate purification solution, and we are in the process of expanding the installation with technology for purifying leachate containing PFAS contamination, says Jack.

 – With today's MivaMag purification solution, we experience a good purification process where we use powder dosing instead of liquid chemicals. Both the purification process and the operation of the plant are perceived as an improvement for our employees, he adds.

 In this building where MivaMag is located, a solution for cleaning PFAS masses will also be installed.

The Next Step: Water with PFAS Contamination
In December of last year, Reno-Vest became the fourth landfill in Norway to be granted permission to accept PFAS-contaminated masses. In the application, the Mivanor purification solution, MivaSorb, developed specifically for this purification challenge, was a significant contribution. Jack explains that in early 2018, Reno-Vest saw the need to be able to accept PFAS-containing masses. This decision was made both because it would provide a competitive advantage and because there are requirements for purifying such masses from the authorities, and Reno-Vest wanted to offer this solution.

 – Necessary improvements to MivaMag and the move to a new building that houses the process plant marked the beginning of planning a purification plant for PFAS-contaminated masses. We wanted to have both purification plants under the same roof, says Jack.

 – A Safety Valve
We find that new technology makes it easier for us to operate the purification plant, which involves monitoring various parameters and limit values. In addition, it is reassuring that Mivanor has the ability to remotely control the processes in the plant. It is easy to monitor and observe the plant via an app and camera, and Mivanor can serve as a safety valve. We can even monitor the fill level of the container that collects sludge, says a satisfied Jack.

 The Goal Is to Make Environmentally Friendly Choices
Water that seeps through a waste landfill will be contaminated with substances from the waste and is therefore considered a source of environmental pollutants and other contamination.

 – As landfill owners, we are always concerned with following government requirements. We want to make the right and environmentally friendly choices. Economics should not completely dictate, and the most cost-effective solutions should not override the most beneficial environmental solutions. We always keep in mind that the choices we make should be for the best of the environment and the surroundings, Jack concludes.