IBA Joins European PFAROS Project to Reduce PFAS Emissions
The Belgian group, specializing in particle accelerators, is participating in a European research project bringing together 91 partners around reducing PFAS emissions in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors.
Its contribution will focus on end-of-life technologies and waste management, a field it will co-lead within the initiative.
IBA Co-Leads End-of-Life and Waste Management Component
IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) announced on September 2, 2026 its participation in PFAROS, a European research and innovation initiative launched to address issues of emissions and exposure related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors.
Within the project, Ghent University serves as the academic lead, while IBA and Bayer co-lead work on end-of-life technologies and waste management.
IBA will concentrate its contribution on evaluating the potential of its electron beam and Rhodotron technologies for PFAS destruction, on samples related to health and pharmacy.
A Consortium of 91 Partners Funded by the IHI JU
PFAROS brings together a consortium of 91 European and international partners from industry, academia, healthcare, regulatory bodies and civil society.
The project aims to study and evaluate the possibilities of reducing PFAS emissions across the entire life cycle of medical products and applications, including waste management.
The initiative is funded under the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU), under grant agreement number 101251281, with support from the European Union's Horizon Europe program.
PFAS Destruction in Wastewater and Solid Materials
Through its Discovery Lab innovation hub, IBA will test, develop and compare technologies for the removal and destruction of PFAS present in hospital and pharmaceutical wastewater, targeting long-chain, short-chain and ultra-short-chain PFAS.
The group will also evaluate pre-concentration, finishing and advanced destruction processes, with the objective of supporting complete mineralization of PFAS and by-product control.
For solid materials, PFAROS will examine thermal and non-thermal methods, including pyrolysis, gasification, electron beam treatment and plasma treatment.
