Alternative Technologies For River Cleanup

Wednesday evening, January 19, at the Lenox Community Center, representatives from two companies presented their innovative technologies for dealing with the Housatonic River’s PCB problem.  One company described their technology for dredging the bottom of the river.  A second company described their technology for breaking down the PCBs in those sediments and in the floodplain and vernal pools.

Greg Lamberson and Dan Hood of Genesis Fluid Solutions described a technology by which they claim they can suction-dredge sediments from the river bottom without letting any sediments escape downstream.  They also claim that they can remediate the entire 10-mile stretch of the river between Pittsfield and Woods Pond with only two relatively small staging areas.

Chris Young of Biotech Restorations described his company’s technology whereby common bacteria in the soil are used to breakdown PCBs to harmless products.  According to Mr. Young, these bacteria produce an enzyme that can breakdown PCBs.  The problem is that PCBs poison the bacteria, preventing them from producing this enzyme.  In effect, PCBs turn off the switch that allows bactieria to degrade PCBs.  Biotech Restorations solves this problem by making available to the bacteria a protein that allows them to turn back on the “switch” that the PCBs have turned off.  According to Mr. Young, this technology would allow his company to reduce PCBs to acceptable levels without removing any trees and with very little removal of other vegetation.

BEAT videotaped the presentations and will make the video available on our website soon.  We will also make the video available to community access television stations in our area.