Birchtech Appoints Charlie Cooper as Business Development Manager, Strengthening Its Commitment to Rural and Small Water Systems

CORSICANA, Texas, Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Birchtech Corp. (NYSE American: BCHT) (TSX: BCHT) (“Birchtech” or the “Company”), a leader in specialty activated carbon technologies for sustainable air and water treatment, today announced the appointment of Charlie Cooper as Business Development Manager, effective October 1, 2026. In this role, Mr. Cooper will lead efforts to develop and expand Birchtech’s relationships with municipalities, public service districts, and utility operators, with a focus on rural and small water systems.

Mr. Cooper brings 21 years of hands-on water treatment experience, spanning industrial mine water discharge to municipal drinking water. Most recently, he spent five years with the West Virginia Rural Water Association (WVRWA), overseeing its Emerging Contaminants Program and helping systems across the state prepare for new testing, treatment, and regulatory demands. Before joining WVRWA, Mr. Cooper served as a Water Plant Operator for the City of Lewisburg, West Virginia, gaining frontline experience running a public drinking water system. Earlier in his career, Mr. Cooper led the Environmental Department at Alpha Natural Resources, then one of the nation’s largest coal producers, managing water treatment and compliance across 131 mining permits.

Mr. Cooper’s appointment reflects Birchtech’s strategic focus on expanding its water treatment presence across the nation’s nearly 50,000 community water systems, particularly among smaller utilities where compliance pressures remain significant and internal resources are often limited. He will work closely with Birchtech’s operations and R&D teams to identify client needs and connect them with practical, cost-effective solutions.

Management Commentary

“Charlie understands the realities rural water systems face every day, especially the challenge of meeting evolving PFAS regulations on a limited budget,” said Richard MacPherson, Birchtech Chief Executive Officer. “Charlie has spent years helping these systems prepare for emerging contaminants, and that experience is exactly what we need as we work to bring Carbon Rejuvenation™ to smaller utilities that stand to benefit most from its potential cost savings and operational efficiency. We expect that he will help us listen better, respond faster, and deliver solutions that truly fit the communities we serve, as we continue to scale our water business and drive long-term value for my fellow shareholders.”

“Charlie has worked on nearly every side of water treatment, from mine discharge sites to a city drinking water plant to helping rural systems tackle emerging contaminants,” said Dennis Baranik, Director of National Sales at Birchtech. “That kind of range is rare, and it means Charlie knows our customers’ challenges from the inside. We’re excited to put that experience to work for the communities he has served for years.”

About Birchtech Corp.

Birchtech Corp. (NYSE American: BCHT) (TSX: BCHT) is a leader in specialty activated carbon technologies delivering innovative solutions for air and water purification to support a cleaner, more sustainable future. The Company provides patented SEA^® sorbent technologies for mercury emissions capture for the coal-fired utility sector and SEA disruptive water purification technologies with a specialization on removing contaminants, including ‘forever chemicals’ such as PFAS, from potable water and industrial wastewater. Backed by a strong intellectual property portfolio and a team of activated carbon experts, Birchtech provides cleaner air to North American communities and is applying this expertise to a novel approach in water purification. To learn more, please visit www.birchtech.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

With the exception of historical information contained in this press release, content herein may contain “forward-looking statements” that are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are generally identified by using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” and similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include, without limitation, statements relating to expected developments and growth in Birchtech’s business, including the Company’s water treatment growth strategy, the anticipated contributions of Mr. Cooper, and the planned commercialization of its Carbon Rejuvenation™ technology. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. In addition, this release contains time-sensitive information that reflects management’s best analysis only as of the date of this release. Birchtech does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release. Further information concerning issues that could materially affect financial performance or other forward-looking statements contained in this release can be found in Birchtech’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission or Canadian securities regulators.

Investor Relations Contact:

Lucas A. Zimmerman
Managing Director
MZ Group – MZ North America
(949) 259-4987
BCHT@mzgroup.us
www.mzgroup.us