Aries Clean Technologies Named Technology Company of the Year by The Municipal

When city leaders talk about infrastructure challenges, few issues rank higher than biosolids management and the rising concerns about “forever chemicals,” scientifically known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Municipalities are under increasing pressure from regulators and residents alike to ensure safe, sustainable biosolids disposal. 

For Aries Clean Technologies, the solution is obvious, and transformational. With a patented gasification system and proven operations at scale, Aries is offering municipalities a better path forward: reliable biosolids management for over a million people per facility paired with validated PFAS destruction of more than 97 percent. 

A Model Built for Municipalities 

Aries partners with municipalities under a DBOOM model—Design, Build, Own, Operate, and Maintain. This approach ensures cities can rely on a long-term, predictable solutions rather than short-term contracts. Each Aries facility is designed for a 30-year life, locking in disposal costs while guaranteeing performance. 

Partnering with Aries is designed to be straightforward. Because facilities are delivered under the DBOOM model, municipalities don’t carry the capital and operating costs.  Aries also provides flexibility on siting it’s projects by either co-locating at a wastewater treatment plant or obtaining land close to biosolids generators, minimizing transportation distances. From there, Aries can partner regionally with numerous wastewater utilities to collect feedstock, ensuring a reliable and long-term solution for biosolids management in the region. 

  “Municipal leaders want certainty,” said Aries Clean Technologies CEO Jon Cozens. “Our technology destroys PFAS in biosolids at commercial scale, while providing communities with a long-term, reliable option for waste management. Cities don’t have to choose between environmental responsibility and fiscal responsibility—they can have both.” 

Technology That Delivers Results 

Independent testing has confirmed what Aries engineers and municipal partners have already seen firsthand: the company’s patented gasification system des

troys more than 97 percent of PFAS compounds in biosolids. Alongside established approaches such as landfilling, incineration and land application, gasification offers a new path: it breaks the PFAS cycle by removing these compounds from biosolids before they can accumulate in the environment. 

Each Aries facility can process over 400 wet tons of biosolids daily—the waste generated by more than 1 million people. The process not only neutralizes contaminants, it also generates a useful producer gas, which powers plant operations and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 

“With Aries, PFAS destruction isn’t just a promise—it’s been proven through mass balance testing,” Jon Cozens emphasized.

From Concept to Commercial Scale 

Aries’ proof-of-concept facility in Linden, N.J., is operational, providing a real-world demonstration of gasification at scale. There, biosolids from municipal partners are safely processed, PFAS compounds destroyed, and energy recovered.

Derek Armstead, mayor of Linden, called the partnership a milestone for his city. “The most rewarding aspect of our partnership with Aries is knowing that here in Linden, we have taken a giant step toward reducing the carbon footprint, which is one of the most important things we can do for our children and future generations,” he said. 

Building on that success, Aries has secured site control and is preparing to break ground on a new facility in southern Maine in 2026. Once operational, it will serve as the region’s first large-scale biosolids gasification plant, expanding capacity and reinforcing the model’s scalability. 

Meeting Regulatory and Community Needs 

Municipal executives and utility directors face increasing scrutiny over PFAS contamination, often with limited resources and few disposal options. Aries aims to change that dynamic. By offering a solution that is independently validated, scalable, and financially predictable, the company is positioning itself as a trusted partner for cities nationwide. 

“Public works leaders are looking for technology they can count on—not just for today, but for decades,” Jon Cozens said. “Our facilities are designed to be that dependable solution.” 

Benefits Beyond Destruction 

The advantages extend beyond PFAS elimination.  

• By reducing waste volumes locally via gasification, Aries technology cuts down on transportation emissions and landfill usage.  

• Facilities also create local jobs and generate new tax revenue streams for host communities.  

• The toilet flushes every day, good economy or bad, Aries facilities are exceptionally resilient to economic downturns. 

• Aries’s long-term business model allows municipalities to lock in disposal rates for tenures attractive to the muncipality, providing cash-flow predictability

  For municipal leaders balancing environmental mandates with economic realities, that combination is compelling. 

A Cleaner, Scalable Future

Across the country, conversations about PFAS contamination and biosolids management are growing louder. For many municipalities, the choice is no longer whether to act, but how quickly they can adopt a sustainable,proven solution. 

Aries Clean Technologies believes its model offers that path. With a proven operational facility, new projects breaking ground, and validated results at scale, the company is positioning itself as the partner cities can rely on in a fast-changing regulatory landscape. 

“Innovation in municipal infrastructure doesn’t happen overnight,” Jon Cozen’s said. “But when it does, it changes everything. We’re proud to provide cities with a tool that protects public health, safeguards the environment, and makes financial sense for decades to come.”