ATLANTA, Jan. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: PESI) (the "Company") today announced that it has received a final Dangerous Mixed Waste Permit Renewal for its Perma-Fix Northwest (PFNW) Mixed Waste Facility (MWF) located in Richland, Washington. The permit, issued by the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), became effective January 1, 2026.
The renewed permit updates PFNW's original 1999 permit to reflect the facility's current treatment units, infrastructure, safety systems, and operating practices, and represents a significant milestone for the Company's nuclear services platform. PFNW has continued to operate safely under its prior permit while the renewal process was underway and also maintains separate radioactive material licenses from the Washington Department of Health.
As part of the permitting process, Ecology conducted a 64-day public comment period from January 27, 2025, through March 31, 2025, which included a public meeting and engagement with stakeholders. In addition, a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) was issued on November 19, 2025, incorporating updated information related to waste streams, transportation logistics, and treatment processes not addressed in the original 1998 environmental review.
The approved permit establishes rigorous operating conditions governing the treatment, storage, and handling of hazardous and mixed radioactive materials, reinforcing PFNW's longstanding commitment to protecting human health and the environment.
The permit renewal approximately triples PFNW's permitted liquid mixed waste processing capacity, increasing authorized annual throughput from approximately 400,000 gallons per year under the prior permit to approximately 1.2 million gallons per year. This expanded capacity is supported by existing, operational technology, enabling PFNW to accommodate higher volumes of liquid waste streams without the need for significant new infrastructure.
In addition, the renewed permit authorizes PFNW to process up to 175,000 tons of waste annually through macroencapsulation, providing incremental capacity and operational flexibility beyond the prior permit and further enhancing the facility's ability to address a broader range of complex waste treatment requirements.
Beyond the immediate capacity expansion, the permit renewal secures the regulatory foundation necessary for PFNW to pursue future permit modifications associated with new technologies and expansion initiatives currently under evaluation. These initiatives are intended to support the next phase of growth at PFNW and align with anticipated long-term waste treatment needs across the nuclear cleanup landscape.
The renewal also positions PFNW to support planned facility upgrades required for upcoming West Area Tank retrieval milestones at the Hanford site, where proximity, permitted capacity, and specialized technical capabilities represent meaningful competitive advantages.
The duration and complexity of the permitting process highlight the significant regulatory, technical, and operational barriers to entry inherent in this segment of the nuclear services market. With the renewal now finalized, PFNW stands as the only permitted mixed waste treatment facility located in close proximity to the Hanford site, a positioning advantage that is difficult to replicate given the regulatory, technical, and operational requirements involved.
"The permit renewal is a critical milestone for Perma-Fix and meaningfully strengthens the foundation of our PFNW operations," said Mark Duff, CEO of Perma-Fix. "It approximately triples our permitted liquid mixed waste processing capacity using infrastructure that is already in place, while also creating a clear path for future enhancements. This is particularly important as we position PFNW to support long-term cleanup and closure objectives at major nuclear sites, including work to support the Hanford closure mission. We look forward to advancing new initiatives that leverage the deep expertise of our PFNW team to deliver innovative, compliant solutions for our clients."
About Perma-Fix Environmental Services
Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. is a nuclear services company and leading provider of nuclear and mixed waste management services. The Company's nuclear waste services include management and treatment of radioactive and mixed waste for hospitals, research labs and institutions, federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of War (DOW), and the commercial nuclear industry. The Company's nuclear services group provides project management, waste management, environmental restoration, decontamination and decommissioning, new build construction, and radiological protection, safety and industrial hygiene capability to our clients. The Company operates four nuclear waste treatment facilities and provides nuclear services at DOE, DOW, and commercial facilities, nationwide.
Please visit us at http://www.perma-fix.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" which are based largely on the Company's expectations and are subject to various business risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Forward-looking statements generally are identifiable by use of the words such as "believe", "expects", "intends", "anticipate", "plans to", "estimates", "projects", and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the expected benefits of the permit renewal; anticipated increases in permitted processing capacity and throughput; future utilization levels; potential future permit modifications; positions PFNW to support planned facility upgrades required for upcoming West Tank retrieval milestones at the Hanford site; advancing new initiatives; and the Company's strategic positioning and growth opportunities. These forward-looking statements are intended to qualify for the safe harbors from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While the Company believes the expectations reflected in this news release are reasonable, it can give no assurance such expectations will prove to be correct. There are a variety of factors which could cause future outcomes to differ materially from those described in this release, including, without limitation, future economic conditions; industry conditions; competitive pressures; the Company's ability to operate in compliance with the renewed permit; future regulatory changes or actions; uncertainty regarding customer demand for, and utilization of, the expanded permitted capacity, including dependence on government-funded nuclear cleanup programs and project schedules; the government or such other party to a contract granted to us fails to abide by or comply with the contract or to deliver waste as anticipated under the contract or terminates existing contracts; impact of the federal budget, when adopted; Congress fails to provide funding for the U.S. Department of Energy's and U.S. Department of War's remediation projects; inability to obtain new foreign and domestic remediation contracts; and the additional factors referred to under "Risk Factors" and "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" of our 2024 Form 10-K and Form 10-Qs for quarters ended March 31, 2025, June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2025. The Company makes no commitment to disclose any revisions to forward-looking statements, or any facts, events or circumstances after the date hereof that bear upon forward-looking statements.
Contacts:
David K. Waldman-US Investor Relations
Crescendo Communications, LLC
(212) 671-1021
Herbert Strauss- European Investor Relations
herbert@eu-ir.com
+43 316 296 316
