Kuraray Co., Ltd.

Calgon Carbon Corporation has won the 2026 American Water Works Association Innovation Award for research demonstrating that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are destroyed during the company's proprietary thermal reactivation of granular activated carbon used in drinking water treatment. The peer-reviewed study measured a destruction removal efficiency greater than 99.9% under state-of-the-art test methods, confirming that the process removes PFAS to non-detectable levels on the reactivated carbon, which is then returned to water utilities for continued use. The award was presented during the Water Industry Luncheon at the AWWA Annual Conference and Exposition in Washington, D.C., and coincides with Calgon Carbon's launch of its Filtrasorb Rx brand of reactivated carbon for municipal drinking water. The research supports a circular treatment approach, reducing the need for disposal of PFAS-laden media while addressing one of the most significant water quality challenges facing communities worldwide.