Perma-Fix Environmental Services Receives Expanded Permit for Richland Facility, Approximately Tripling Liquid Mixed Waste Processing Capacity

Rhea-AI Summary

Perma-Fix Environmental Services (NASDAQ: PESI) received a final Dangerous Mixed Waste Permit Renewal for its Perma-Fix Northwest (PFNW) Mixed Waste Facility in Richland, WA, effective January 1, 2026.

The renewed permit updates the 1999 authorization, raises permitted liquid mixed waste throughput from ~400,000 to ~1.2 million gallons annually, and authorizes processing up to 175,000 tons per year via macroencapsulation. The permit follows a 64-day public comment period and a Final SEIS issued November 19, 2025, and supports PFNW’s role in Hanford site tank retrieval and long-term nuclear cleanup work.

Positive

• Permitted liquid mixed waste capacity increased ~200% to ~1.2M gallons/year
• Authorized 175,000 tons/year macroencapsulation capacity
• Permit effective Jan 1, 2026 updates 1999 authorization and safety controls
• Facility positioned near Hanford to support planned tank retrieval milestones

Negative

• Permit imposes rigorous operating conditions that may limit rapid operational changes
• Permitting process duration highlights high regulatory barriers to entry, potentially constraining new competitors

Key Figures

New liquid capacity 1.2 million gallons per year Permitted liquid mixed waste throughput under renewed PFNW permit

Prior liquid capacity 400,000 gallons per year Authorized liquid mixed waste throughput under prior PFNW permit

Macroencapsulation capacity 175,000 tons per year Permitted annual waste throughput via macroencapsulation at PFNW

Public comment period length 64 days Ecology public comment period for permit renewal

Comment period start January 27, 2025 Opening date of permit renewal public comment period

Comment period end March 31, 2025 Closing date of permit renewal public comment period

Final SEIS date November 19, 2025 Issuance date of Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

Market Reality Check

$14.19 Last Close

Volume Volume 50,155 is 46% below the 20-day average of 93,255, suggesting limited pre-news positioning. low

Technical Shares at $14.08, trading above 200-day MA of $10.99, reflecting a pre-existing uptrend.

Peers on Argus

PESI was up 1.08% pre-news. Peers were mixed: ABAT +0.22%, ESGL +1.01%, NVRI +2.01%, MEG +2.30%, while QRHC fell 7.33%, indicating stock-specific rather than clean sector momentum.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 04	PFAS partnership news	Positive	+4.6%	PFAS foam transition distribution deal leveraging Perma-FAS destruction technology.
Nov 10	Q3 2025 earnings	Positive	+16.2%	Revenue growth, stronger Treatment margins, and narrower quarterly net loss.
Oct 31	Earnings call schedule	Neutral	-2.3%	Announcement of timing and access details for Q3 business update call.
Sep 25	Founder award news	Positive	+0.1%	Industry innovation award recognizing hazardous and nuclear waste advances.
Aug 07	Q2 2025 earnings	Positive	+0.9%	Higher Treatment revenue, improved EBITDA, and stronger waste receipts backlog.

Pattern Detected

Operational and earnings updates have generally coincided with positive one-day price reactions, with only scheduling news showing a mild negative divergence.

Recent Company History

Over the last six months, Perma-Fix reported multiple operational and financial milestones. Q2 and Q3 2025 results showed rising Treatment revenue and narrower losses, with 24h moves of +0.9% and +16.24%. A PFAS-focused distribution agreement on Dec 4, 2025 led to a +4.64% reaction, while an innovation award in Sep 2025 had minimal impact. A conference-call scheduling release on Oct 31, 2025 saw a small -2.25% move. Today’s capacity-focused permit fits the pattern of operational growth updates.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement details a material permit renewal that increases PFNW’s permitted liquid mixed waste throughput from 400,000 to 1.2 million gallons annually and adds up to 175,000 tons of macroencapsulation capacity. It reinforces the facility’s long-term role in nuclear cleanup, particularly near Hanford. In context of earlier PFAS technology progress and growing Treatment revenues, key metrics to watch include contract awards that utilize this added capacity and updates on planned technology expansions.

Key Terms

dangerous mixed waste permit regulatory

"it has received a final Dangerous Mixed Waste Permit Renewal for its Perma-Fix"

A dangerous mixed waste permit is an official authorization to store, treat or dispose of material that poses both chemical and radioactive hazards. Think of it as a specialized license that lets a facility handle two kinds of dangerous waste at once while meeting strict safety and recordkeeping rules. Investors watch these permits because obtaining, maintaining or losing one can create major costs, cleanup liabilities, operational limits or delays that affect a company’s financial outlook.

supplemental environmental impact statement regulatory

"a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) was issued on November 19, 2025"

A supplemental environmental impact statement is an additional, updated environmental review prepared when new information, changed plans, or unexpected effects arise after an original environmental study. Think of it as adding an extra chapter to a project’s report to reassess pollution, wildlife, or land use impacts. Investors care because it can change project timelines, add compliance costs, or increase the chance of legal or regulatory delays that affect a company’s expected returns.

seis regulatory

"a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) was issued on November 19, 2025"

SEIS is a UK government program that gives tax breaks to people who invest in very early-stage private companies, effectively lowering the after-tax cost of taking a bet on a startup. For investors it acts like a safety cushion—reducing potential losses and boosting after-tax returns—so it can make small, risky companies easier to fund and change how attractive those investments look compared with other options.

macroencapsulation technical

"renewed permit authorizes PFNW to process up to 175,000 tons of waste annually through macroencapsulation"

A medical technique that encloses living cells, tissues, or implantable devices inside a protective, porous container so the body’s immune system cannot attack them while nutrients and therapeutic molecules can pass through. For investors, macroencapsulation matters because it affects how easily a therapy can be manufactured, tested, regulated and scaled—similar to packaging a fragile product so it survives shipping yet still functions on arrival, which influences development cost, timeline and commercial risk.

mixed radioactive materials medical

"governing the treatment, storage, and handling of hazardous and mixed radioactive materials"

Materials that contain both radioactive substances and hazardous chemical components, meaning they pose risks from radiation and from toxic or corrosive chemicals at the same time. They matter to investors because storing, handling and disposing of these dual-hazard wastes requires specialized facilities, permits and long-term monitoring—analogous to managing a property that needs both earthquake retrofitting and asbestos removal—so they can create substantial cleanup costs, regulatory fines and operational delays.

radioactive material licenses regulatory

"and also maintains separate radioactive material licenses from the Washington Department of Health"

A radioactive material license is an official permit from a government regulator that allows a business to possess, use, store, or move specified radioactive substances under defined safety rules, quantities, locations and time limits. For investors it signals whether a company can legally operate certain facilities or products, and indicates regulatory costs, compliance risk and potential for shutdowns or fines—think of it like a driver’s license and vehicle registration for handling hazardous materials.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Permit Renewal Increases Potential Throughput to Approximately 1.2 Million Gallons Annually and Strengthens Long-Term Strategic Positioning at Perma-Fix Northwest

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

FAQ

What did Perma-Fix (PESI) announce on January 9, 2026 about the Richland facility?

Perma-Fix announced a final Dangerous Mixed Waste Permit Renewal for PFNW in Richland, effective Jan 1, 2026, updating its permit and operating conditions.

How much did the PFNW permitted liquid mixed waste capacity change under the new permit?

The permit increases authorized liquid mixed waste throughput from ~400,000 gallons/year to ~1.2 million gallons/year.

What new solid-waste processing capacity does the PFNW permit authorize for PESI?

The renewed permit authorizes processing up to 175,000 tons/year via macroencapsulation.

How does the renewed permit affect PFNW’s ability to support Hanford site work?

The permit strengthens PFNW’s regulatory foundation, enabling support for planned West Area tank retrieval milestones at Hanford due to permitted capacity and proximity.

When was the Final SEIS related to the PFNW permit issued?

A Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement was issued on November 19, 2025.