ecoSPEARS to deploy clean water technology at Port of San Diego America’s Cup Harbor

As part of a two-year pilot project under the Port of San Diego’s Blue Economy Incubator, ecoSPEARS, a cleantech solutions company ushering in the carbonless future of environmental cleanup for toxic contaminants, will deploy NASA-developed technology to remove Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) from sediments in America’s Cup Harbor, the company said in its release. The primary goal will be to determine how much PCB mass the SPEARS technology will remove over a predetermined period. The SPEARS technology will be deployed starting December 14.

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 organic pollutants from the environment.

SPEARS is an innovative, in-situ technology that absorbs PCBs “like a sponge”, from contaminated sediment in a safe and environmentally-friendly manner. SPEARS is a scalable mat-liner of plastic spikes filled with a proprietary reagent. They are deployed down into contaminated sediment or around challenging areas such as piers, harbors, pylons, or sensitive wetland areas where dredging may not be feasible. A key differentiator between SPEARS and environmental dredging is that SPEARS does not destroy the aquatic habitat nor resuspend contaminants.

Developed in 1929, PCBs were used worldwide in electrical equipment like capacitors and transformers, and as a flame retardant in everyday goods. The toxic chemical was banned from production in 1979 and is considered the most widespread contaminant in the world. PCBs are persistent, meaning they do not readily break down once in the environment. PCBs generally biomagnify along the food-chain, which leads to greater PCB concentrations in organisms that are higher up in the food chain.

The Port supports various pilot projects, like ecoSPEARS, through its Blue Economy Incubator that complement several environmental initiatives and often support regulatory requirements and programs already underway at the Port.

ABOUT ECOSPEARS

ecoSPEARS is a cleantech solutions company ushering in the carbonless future of environmental cleanup. ecoSPEARS has designed and developed green and sustainable remediation technologies to extract and destroy PCBs, dioxins, and other Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) from the environment - forever.

About THE Port of San Diego

The Port of San Diego serves the people of California as a specially created district, balancing multiple uses on 34 miles along San Diego Bay spanning five cities. Collecting no tax dollars, the Port manages a diverse portfolio to generate revenues that support vital public services and amenities.

Taxonomy

• Clean Tech
• Contaminant Removal
• Contaminant Movement Mapping