FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Minnesota Study Shows Waste-to-Energy Facilities Destroy Harmful Chemicals

OTTER TAIL COUNTY, MINN. January 2026 – A new study shows that Minnesota waste-to-energy facilities, like the Perham Resource Recovery Facility  ((PRRF) operating in Perham, effectively destroy harmful chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) also known as forever chemicals found in everyday trash.

Members of the Minnesota Resource Recovery Association (MRRA) voluntarily paid for the independent study. Barr Engineering worked with Eurofins Laboratories to test three Minnesota waste-to-energy facilities. The results show that these facilities destroy between 99.6% and 99.97% of PFAS through high-temperature incineration.

"This study confirms what we've believed about our waste-to-energy facility here in Otter Tail County," said Chris McConn, director of Solid Waste. "Our residents can feel confident that when they dispose of items containing PFAS, our facility is destroying these harmful chemicals instead of letting them seep into our groundwater.”

What are PFAS?

PFAS are chemicals used in thousands of everyday items. They are commonly found in furniture, clothing, non-stick pans, food containers, cleaning supplies, and building materials. These  “forever chemicals” last a long time in the environment and are harmful to human health.  

Why This Matters

When PFAS-containing items go in the trash, the chemicals end up in landfills or waste-to-energy facilities. In landfills, PFAS can leak into groundwater. Leachate collected at landfills is treated at wastewater treatment facilities that often do not remove PFAS and discharge to nearby surface waters..

The study measured PFAS in air emissions and ash from three different waste-to-energy plants.  Researchers found:

• High-temperature burning destroys nearly all PFAS in trash
• Very little PFAS remains in the ash
• Air emissions contain PFAS levels well below Minnesota health guidelines

About PRRF

The PRRF is owned by five member counties: Becker, Clay, Otter Tail, Todd and Wadena.  PRRF processes waste from all  five counties as an alternative to landfilling. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) considers resource recovery a preferred waste management method compared to landfilling. The facility incinerates municipal solid waste to generate steam. This steam is sold to nearby industries  (Bongards and Tuffy’s Pet Foods). The process reduces the toxicity and volume of waste while generating energy. Visit plmswa.com for more information.