In a move towards counteracting the perils of polluted waterways, the National Science Foundation has doled out a hefty $15 million to a group of universities and tech firms in the Great Lakes region. This clutch investment funds efforts to develop new tech for removing noxious substances from our wastewater.
The Great Lakes ReNEW consortium, as it’s known, has earned its spot as one of ten innovation engines poised to revolutionize our approach to environmental cleanup, per Monday's announcement. If they hit their marks, they could bank up to $160 million over ten years—a handsome sum for tackling such a pressing issue. The team, which includes heavyweight educational institutions like the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, has its work cut out for it, tasked with eliminating toxic minerals and particularly obstinate PFAS compounds from our water, CBS News reported.
This boost of funds from the National Science Foundation is part of a broader push, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, aimed at spurring advancements across various fields, including agricultural practices, textiles, aerospace, and energy storage, as cited by a report from Compsmag.
Great Lakes ReNEW isn't just a coalition of universities—there's an alliance of tech and energy companies from across the states bordering our nation’s largest freshwater system, working elbow to elbow. This bunch is diving into methods to purge contaminants like lithium and notoriously durable PFAS from wastewater, materials known for their resilience in the environment, and harmful effects on the ecosystem. Cleaning up our act when it comes to water has global import, making this initiative a crucial step in maintaining a viable planet for future generations, according to details shared by Bollyinside.
