IBA IBAB

Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 25 September 2026, 7 a.m. CEST – IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), a world leader in particle accelerator technology, today announces it will coordinate the LIFEDESTINY, a new European LIFE project dedicated to tackling one of today’s most persistent environmental challenges: PFAS contamination. The consortium will demonstrate a more sustainable, scalable and cost-effective approach to permanently degrading PFAS across different contaminated matrices.

PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals”, are highly persistent, mobile and bioaccumulative substances found in soils, water, ecosystems and waste streams. Current remediation approaches often rely on containment, landfill or incineration, which can be costly, energy-intensive and may not fully eliminate contamination.

An integrated approach spanning the entire treatment chain
LIFEDESTINY (DEmonstration of Sustainable Technologies for INnovative PFAS remediation strategy) aims to prove the feasibility of an integrated treatment process covering the full PFAS remediation chain, from the sourcing and preparation of contaminated materials to PFAS concentration, destruction, analytical validation, neutralisation and potential reuse of treatment residues. The project will address a broad range of liquid and solid waste streams, including industrial wastewater, contaminated soil, sludge and spent granular activated carbon. By combining complementary concentration and destruction technologies, the consortium aims to develop a scalable and energy-efficient alternative to conventional PFAS containment, landfilling and incineration.

A Belgian consortium bringing together the entire value chain
As coordinator, IBA will contribute with its advanced electron beam technology, based on its Rhodotron^® accelerator, to support the destruction of PFAS in contaminated liquid and solid waste streams. This technology will be combined with complementary expertise from project partners.

Alongside IBA, Haemers Technologies brings one of the project's two PFAS destruction routes for solid matrices, treating contaminated soils and sludges through Krysalis^® thermal desorption while enabling material reuse. NOVOBIOM will develop biosurfactant-based solutions to extract and concentrate PFAS from soil and sludge. DEME Environnement and BESIX Environment will contribute industrial waste streams, remediation expertise, process integration and scale-up capabilities. CEBEDEAU will concentrate PFAS from industrial wastewater and will perform the validation needed to assess treatment efficiency and residue safety. Carmeuse Europe will develop solutions to neutralise fluoride-containing effluents and explore the reuse of treated by-products, while District Cleantech will support stakeholder engagement, dissemination and the project’s pathway towards a future industrial PFAS treatment hub.

The four-year project brings together a Belgian consortium covering the full PFAS treatment value chain, from contaminated waste sourcing and analytical validation to remediation, destruction, neutralisation, reuse and dissemination. Running from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2030, LIFEDESTINY combines advanced concentration and destruction technologies in an integrated treatment process designed to reduce energy use, CO₂ emissions and hazardous residues compared with conventional approaches.

Catherine Vandenborre, Chief Ventures & Corporate Officer of IBA commented, “LIFEDESTINY complements other initiatives in which IBA is involved to address PFAS contamination and reinforces our ambition to tackle PFAS destruction in a holistic way. By bringing together complementary technologies and expertise across the full treatment value chain, the project reflects IBA’s mission to protect, enhance and save lives — extending the impact of our accelerator expertise to one of today’s most pressing environmental and public health challenges.”

60% European funding
LIFEDESTINY has total eligible project costs of €4,428,018.45 and a maximum EU grant amount of €2,651,675.07, representing a 60% funding rate. Beyond the demonstration phase, the project’s long-term ambition is to lay the foundations for a full-scale PFAS treatment centre or hub capable of industrial-scale deployment.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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About IBA

IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) is the world leader in particle accelerator technology. The company is the leading supplier of equipment and services in the fields of proton therapy, considered as one of the most advanced forms of radiation therapy available today, as well as industrial sterilization, radiopharmaceuticals and dosimetry. The company, based in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, employs approximately 2,300 people worldwide. IBA is a certified B Corporation (B Corp) meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance.

IBA is listed on the pan-European stock exchange EURONEXT (IBA: Reuters IBAB.BR and Bloomberg IBAB.BB). More information can be found at: www.iba-worldwide.com

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