EPA grants $1.6 million to help 15 firms develop innovative ideas

Thanks to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 15 small businesses are earmarked to share $1.6 million in funding assistance to come up with ways to identify atmospheric and water contaminants and create eco-friendly materials to protect human and environmental well-being.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing 15 small businesses a total of $1.6 million in funding assistance to come up with ways to protect human health and the environment.

Each company is slated to receive $100,000 as part of Phase I of the EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, an EPA release said. Companies are then eligible to apply for Phase II funds of $300,000 for further development and commercialization.

Among the companies being awarded funds is TDA Research Inc., of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, for a unique water desalination system; and Reactive Innovations of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for advancement of a methane emissions measurement monitor, the release said.

“EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research program is awarding funding to these small businesses because they have demonstrated the potential to create technologies that will improve our environment and our economy,” EPA administrator Scott Pruitt said in the release. “These technologies are focused on creating cutting-edge products that can help solve today’s complex environmental problems and enhance economic growth.”

Other Phase I awardees include Giner Inc. of Newton, Massachusetts; Vuronyx Technologies of Woburn, Massachusetts; Ecovative Design of Green Island, New York; NanoSafe Inc. of Blacksburg, Virginia; Metna Co. of Lansing, Michigan; and Vaporsens Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah, the release said.

In addition, the list includes iSense LLC of Mountain View, California; KWJ Engineering Inc. of Newark, California; Instrumental Polymer Technologies LLC of Westlake Village, California; BioInspira Inc. of Berkeley, California; SPEC Sensors LLC of Newark, California; Oceanit Laboratories Inc. of Honolulu, Hawaii; and ZILA Works of Renton, Washington.