Carleton University’s Global Water Institute has received a $230,000, 1.5-year grant from Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Zero Plastic Waste Funding Initiative. The grant will help foster significant growth in the Canadian freshwater plastics detection/removal technology development sector. The award is one of 14 grants issued, totaling more than $1.8 million over two years.
Dr. Banu Ormeci—a professor in environmental engineering, Jarislowsky Chair in Water and Health, Canada Research Professor, and the director of the Global Water Institute at Carleton University—will be carrying out research using the grant. In particular, she will be conducting research on the monitoring of microplastics in freshwater systems and the removal of microplastics and microfibers from wastewater.
The research will be geared towards the needs of Canadian technology providers so that research results can find immediate uptake and applications in the field. In addition, these funds will support industrial partners with finding new installation sites (i.e., watershed monitoring stations, treatment plants, etc.) through the Global Water Institute’s national and international networks.
“This support will maintain the great momentum we gathered last year and focus water technology industry attention on the capacity available here in the National Capital Region,” said Dr. Ormeci. “Carleton University is a leader in water and wastewater research, so it makes sense for the university’s Global Water Institute to drive progress with industry innovators in this challenging new area.”
As project installations begin immediately, opportunities for collaborative support are still available for plastics monitoring and detection technology developers. Contact Evan Pilkington, manager of operations with the Global Water Institute, at [email protected] to discuss how the Institute can help minimize risk and increase exposure for innovative microplastics detection solutions.
