ecoSPEARS First in Europe to Pilot Sediment Remediation Technology Developed by NASA

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla., Dec. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In ecoSPEARS' first international deployment with Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI) through TUFFO's research program, Swedish Geological Survey (SGU), and Sweco Asset Management Technologies AB, ecoSPEARS evaluates SPEARS for a non-invasive long-term remediation solution with support from the Umea Marine Research Center (UMF) for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminated sediment.

"We have had a couple of amazing days during this field deployment, and it's inspiring to see how well the project parties' different competencies complement each other, and how our collaboration opens up for new projects. The SPEARS technology has the potential to make a difference in how to remediate contaminated sediments both in Sweden and other parts of the world, and the fact that the research can lead to concrete measures makes it even more exciting, in my opinion", says Umeå University Project Manager Stina Jansson.

"It feels great to be part of a project where Sweco's broad expertise in polluted areas and sustainability is in focus. To do this in collaboration with Umeå University, SGU, and an innovation-driven company like ecoSPEARS is extra exciting. The project will provide important knowledge for future action plans for the large areas of fiber banks along our coast", says Sweco Environmental Specialist and Team Manager Magnus Bergknut.

ecoSPEARS and Umeå University partnered to deploy SPEARS in the Gulf of Bothnia off the coast of Sweden. SGI sponsored Umea University with a grant to explore environmentally-friendly remediation technologies to eliminate harmful toxins. ecoSPEARS is the exclusive licensee of the NASA-developed Sorbent Polymer Extraction and Remediation System (SPEARS), a sustainable remediation technology to extract PCBs, dioxins, and other persistent toxins from the environment.

"We are enthusiastic and confident our partnership with Umea University, SGI, and Sweco will support ecoSPEARS' goal to protect human health and the environment," said Serg Albino, CEO & Co-Founder of ecoSPEARS. "We are fortunate to have partners that are so committed to implementing sustainable green technology."

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were developed in 1929, utilized by the United States and every industrialized nation. However, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like PCBs do not readily degrade once in the environment, posing a threat to wildlife and human health. Moreover, despite the ban on PCB production in 1979, PCBs are still the most widespread contaminant on earth. To learn more about PCBs, visit The Problem.

The NASA-developed technology, SPEARS, like Florida mangroves, absorbs industrial chemical contaminants preventing further spread by slowing sediment erosion, eliminating the need for dredging, carbon capping, or incineration. SPEARS is a scalable mat-liner of plastic spikes filled with a proprietary reagent that inserts into contaminated sediment or around challenging areas such as piers, harbors, pylons, or sensitive wetland areas where dredging may not be feasible. ecoSPEARS removes SPEARS once the site's remedial goals are achieved. ecoSPEARS' ecoCUBE technology powered by Violet Defense treats the collected reagent to eliminate all the contained PCBs. Additionally, SPEARS does not destroy the aquatic habitat nor resuspend contaminants into the water column, providing a permanent, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly solution for PCB remediation.

Once the feasibility and effectiveness of the SPEARS pilot program prove successful for PCB and PAH remediation of contaminated sediment, ecoSPEARS aims to graduate the program to a full-scale deployment with the mission of implementing the sustainable solution to waterways across Europe.

About ecoSPEARS

Founded in 2017, ecoSPEARS is an environmental technology company ushering in the net-zero future of environmental remediation. ecoSPEARS designs and develops green and sustainable technologies to extract and eliminate PCBs, dioxins, 1,4-dioxane, and other persistent toxins from the environment - forever. ecoSPEARS is the exclusive licensee of sustainable environmental remediation technologies developed by NASA. To learn more about ecoSPEARS, visit www.ecospears.com.

About Umeå University

Established in 1965, Umeå University is a comprehensive university covering research and education in medicine, science and technology, social sciences, arts and humanities, and educational sciences. As a knowledge-driven organization, Umeå University strives to provide students and staff with unique opportunities for learning and development while simultaneously serving society with new knowledge and creative citizens. For more information on Umeå University, visit www.umu.se/en.

About Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI)

The Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI) is an expert agency that works for a safe, efficient and sustainable development and sustainable use of land and natural resources. SGI's mission includes the prevention of landslides and coastal erosion, sustainable and effective soil works, know-how and methods to remediate contaminated sites, and climate adaptation. For more information on the Swedish Geological Institute, visit www.sgi.se/en.

About Sweco

Sweco plans and designs the sustainable communities and cities of the future. Together with their clients and the collective knowledge of Sweco's 17,500 architects, engineers, and other specialists, Sweco co-creates solutions to address urbanization, capture the power of digitalization, and make our societies more sustainable. Sweco is Europe's leading engineering and architecture consultancy, with approximately SEK 20.6 billion (EUR 1.9 billion) sales. The company is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. For more information on Sweco, visit www.sweco.co.uk.

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