The four projects, which are receiving the funding as part of the DTI’s Bio-wise programme, are:
- a demonstration of the use of a novel filter to clean and remove dye in wastewater from the textile industry, led by William Clark & Sons Ltd from Londonderry;
- a demonstration of how computer-controlled biotechnology can treat waste from malt processing, and use the resulting gas to provide energy for the production process, led by Clean Technologies Ltd;
- the development of filters from natural fibres, such as flax and hemp, to treat industrial wastewater, by Bethan Technology Ltd in Sheffield; and
- a scheme to awareness in the construction industry of the biological treatment of contaminated land, and of ways to reclaim it, being carried out by the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA).
“By creating cleaner and more cost-efficient ways of working, biotechnology offers huge potential improvements to industry and the environment,” said Science and Innovation Minister Lord Sainsbury. “Bio-wise projects help to demonstrate and raise awareness of the real benefits that biotechnology can bring.