Montgomery County, Maryland Department of Permitting Services Approves Sorbtive®Filter to Protect the Chesapeake Bay from Sediment and Phosphorus

ROCKVILLE, MD, Oct. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Imbrium™Systems, a Rockville, Maryland based stormwater treatment solutions company, announced today that it received an updated approval for Sorbtive^®Filter by the Montgomery County, Maryland Department of Permitting Services.  The updated approval is a critical step forward for Imbrium Systems and Montgomery County in an effort to protect the Chesapeake Bay from the ravages of non-point source stormwater runoff pollution, at a lower cost in use to curb stormwater pollution.  SorbtiveFilter is an industry-leading, fully field-tested treatment system using SorbtiveMedia which captures high volumes of both Total Phosphorus, including high levels of Dissolved Phosphorus.  Both SorbtiveFilter and SorbtiveMedia are approved stormwater treatment products by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE).

Under the proposed Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), the Chesapeake Bay will need to shed at least 63 million pounds of nitrogen and over 3.1 million pounds of phosphorus in order to reach a healthy stage.  According to statements from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the TMDLs - which will soon be implemented throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed - can accommodate 187.4 million pounds of nitrogen and 12.5 million pounds of phosphorus annually washing off impervious surfaces in the region.

In a real-world 19-storm event field test conducted following the TARP protocol, SorbtiveFilter captured over 77% of total phosphorus and 44% of dissolved phosphorus, in addition to over 80% sediment.  "The SorbtiveFilter is truly a breakthrough treatment system that offers a performance validated tool to help the seven states within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed reduce the amount of phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment washing into the Bay.  The Montgomery County DPS has always been a leader in stormwater management, so the department clearly understands the importance of protecting the Bay from the ravages of stormwater runoff and phosphorus," said Scott Perry, Managing Director at Imbrium Systems.  "Both SorbtiveMedia which is an oxide-coated, engineered media and the SorbtiveFilter are industry leaders and both are expected to have a tremendous impact reducing pollutant loads within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed," noted Perry.

After years of research and testing, the SorbtiveFilter was introduced recently as a turn-key stormwater treatment system designed for the capture of sediment, Total Phosphorus and Dissolved Phosphorus.  It is already being used to reduce phosphorus loads in several critical watersheds throughout North America.  SorbtiveMedia is a reactive engineered granular filter media that retains large pollutant loads and does not leach pollutants.

"SorbtiveMedia can be used in flexible, green infrastructure designs and in a wide variety of stormwater treatment practices; including Environmental Site Design and Low Impact Development applications such as bioretention cells and infiltration trenches," noted Edward Kay, Imbrium Systems' Regional Manager for Mid-Atlantic and New England.

"SorbtiveMedia is a long-lasting, robust, high-performing enhancement media that leaves all other media - like sand, perlite and compost - in its wake.  Many other media types are actually known to leach nutrients, such as compost.  Our SorbtiveFilter went through the rigorous review from both the MDE and Montgomery County environmental officials, and stand-alone approval emerged with their full confidence in the SorbtiveFilter's capabilities.  The SorbtiveMedia is a true breakthrough solution for most stormwater treatment practices on new and redevelopment projects.  Montgomery County officials recognize that they can protect the Chesapeake Bay and still promote responsible economic growth," concluded Edward Kay.

About Imbrium
Imbrium (www.imbriumsystems.com) is a green-tech company that designs, develops manufactures and sells stormwater treatment technologies and solutions to protect water resources from pollutants. Imbrium has a strong record of environmental innovation in the industry as the creator of the Stormceptor^® oil and sediment separator, the Jellyfish filter, Sorbtive^®Media and Sorbtive^®Filter.

SOURCE Imbrium