The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the allocation of $2.8 million in funding to seven small businesses for the development and commercialization of environmental technologies. This initiative is part of the EPA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which aims to address significant environmental challenges such as PFAS destruction, indoor air purification during wildfires, recycling system enhancement, food waste reduction, and disaster response improvement.
Maureen Gwinn, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development, stated: “Congratulations to these small businesses for continuing to pursue innovative solutions to some of our most pressing environmental challenges. EPA is proud to invest in these small businesses as they work to help protect human health and the environment across many sectors and help grow the American economy.”
The SBIR program has been supporting small businesses for over 40 years by funding projects that create environmental technologies and bring them to market. The program follows a phased approach where Phase I involves awarding contracts up to $100,000 for six months to establish proof of concept. Businesses that succeed in Phase I can compete for Phase II awards worth $400,000 each.
The recipients of approximately $400,000 each in SBIR Phase II awards include:
- DiPole Materials, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland: Developing a biodegradable filter made from electro-spun nanofibers aimed at cleaning indoor air during wildfires.
- Fourth State LLC, Ann Arbor, Michigan: Working on plasma treatment technology designed to destroy PFAS in complex water matrices.
- GreenLife Tech Corporation, Banner Elk, North Carolina: Creating an autonomous system that regulates oxygen levels in refrigerators to extend produce preservation.
- Holochip Corporation, Torrance, California: Building an AI application intended for mapping sites to enhance disaster response safety and efficacy.
- KLAW Industries LLC, Binghamton, New York: Producing an autonomous robotic sorting system meant for improving recycling facilities in disadvantaged communities.
- Valis Insights Inc., Worcester Massachusetts: Developing automated AI-driven technology aimed at optimizing metal recycling sorting processes.
- Water Illumination Inc., Riverside California: Innovating a chemical-free UV-based PFAS destruction technology tailored for saline wastewater treatment.
These projects represent diverse approaches toward solving pressing environmental issues through technological innovation.
