WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is awarding nearly $2.25 million to 10 small companies to support the development of new technologies for protecting the environment and public health. 

Winners include small businesses in California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Mexico. This year’s innovative projects include reducing toxic chemicals from landfills, producing an environmentally friendly adhesive, reducing methane emissions by converting dilute methane waste gas streams into useful fuel, and designing a real-time environmental water monitoring sensor. 

“The SBIR program demonstrates how meeting environmental challenges can help create jobs,” said Dr. Paul T. Anastas, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “These small businesses are simultaneously leading the way toward a sustainable planet and a healthy economy.” 

Previously, the companies received "proof of concept" awards from EPA through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The companies will use these additional funds to move their technologies towards commercialization and implementation. 

Each year, the EPA’s SBIR program gives small businesses the opportunity to compete for funds to develop technology addressing key environmental areas, such as green building, innovation in manufacturing, nanotechnology, greenhouse gases, drinking water monitoring and treatment, wastewater and sustainable infrastructure, air pollution monitoring and control, biofuels, waste monitoring and management, and homeland security.

There are approximately 25 million small businesses in the U.S. today. As the leading source of employment growth, these firms have generated 60 to 80 percent of new jobs over the past decade and are responsible for developing most of the country’s new technologies. To be eligible to participate in the SBIR program, a company must be an organized, for-profit U.S. business and have fewer than 500 employees.

More information on the 10 awardees and the abstracts of their proposals:http://www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir/