For immediate release
Contact: Darcy McNamara: darcym@wsu.edu or 360/379-5610 x222
Biochar: A New Way to Cleaner Water
Howard Sprouse is the guest speaker at a presentation on “biochar” a material that has exciting applications for removing pollution from water. The free presentation, which will begin with an overview of low impact development techniques, will be held on Wednesday, September 26 at the Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Avenue, in Port Hadlock from 3:30 to 5pm.
Participants will learn what biochar is, how it is made, costs involved and how it could be used to improve water quality. Industry and development professionals including engineers, landscaper designers, builders, contractors, developers, architects, environmental consultants and farmers are encouraged to attend. The free presentation is open to the public and is hosted by WSU Jefferson County Extension with support from the Watershed Stewardship Resource Center.
Biochar is a charcoal-like material that can be used as a soil amendment to raise the fertility of the soil to enhance plant growth. It is now being studied for the potential it has to remove contaminants from water. Sprouse and others at WSU Extension are studying the potential use of biochar to remove pollutants from stormwater including copper, cadmium and lead.
About the presenter:
Howard Sprouse is the President and CEO of the Remediators, Inc., a developer of bioremediation technologies since the mid 1990s. Mr. Sprouse previously worked as a consultant for Battelle’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Sequim, Washington assisting with the development of mycoremediation technology. His work there assisted projects aimed towards remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons, biological agents, pathogen degradation, and biofiltration of agricultural runoff. Mr. Sprouse has also worked for the Department of Botany, University of Washington, as a research assistant for fungal ecology research in Olympic National Park. He is recognized in the bioremediation industry as the first to commercialize mycoremediation technology in the United States and as a developer of technology using biochar. His business, The Remediators Incorporated is located in Washington State where they do a variety of environmental based services.
For more information, please contact Darcy McNamara, LID and Natural Resources Educator at darcym@wsu.edu or 360/379-5610 x222.
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Howard Sprouse, landscaping, LID, Pollution, Puget Sound, WSU | Comments Off on Biochar presentation. What’s that? Sept 26th 3:30 to 5 PM
