Sustainable Product Design
Clean Water & Healthy Forests Through BioBuilt Technologies
America's working forests and rural communities face a convergence of challenges. The decline of the paper and pulp industry has weakened markets for small-diameter and low-grade wood, making sustainable forest management less economically viable and increasing the risk of catastrophic wildfires due to the accumulation of hazardous fuel loads. Simultaneously, communities across the nation are grappling with water contamination from persistent pollutants like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and heavy metals, for which conventional treatment methods are often expensive and ineffective. BioBuilt addresses the urgent need for an innovative solution that revitalizes the market for underutilized wood fiber while providing an affordable, effective technology to solve a pressing public health crisis.
PFAS and heavy metals contaminate thousands of U.S. water systems, threatening public health and ecosystems. Existing treatment solutions are expensive, energy-intensive and often ineffective for complete removal of these persistent pollutants. Simultaneously, the buildup of hazardous forest undergrowth increases wildfire risk, while paper pulp residuals from industry remain underutilized. The lack of markets for these low-value biomass sources contributes to forest mismanagement and industrial waste issues.
BioBuilt addresses both challenges by developing biochar panels from forest undergrowth and paper pulp waste. Through pyrolysis, these materials are transformed into high-performance, carbon-rich panels capable of adsorbing >95% of PFAS and heavy metals in contaminated water, while creating new markets for underutilized forest products.
Forest Innovations for Clean Water & Healthy Forests
Biochar Panels for Water Remediation of PFAS & Heavy Metals
PFAS (“forever chemicals”) and heavy metals contaminate thousands of U.S. water systems, endangering public health and ecosystems. Current solutions are expensive, energy-intensive and often ineffective. Meanwhile, hazardous forest undergrowth and paper pulp waste accumulate, fueling wildfire risks and wasting valuable biomass. BioBuilt Technologies transforms these challenges into opportunity.
Using advanced pyrolysis, we have the patented ability to convert low-value biomass with natural binders and extrude it into biochar panels or other high-performance, carbon-rich structures that can remove >95% of PFAS and heavy metals from contaminated water sources, creating new markets for underutilized wood products. In partnership with the USDA Forest Products Laboratory in Madison WI, this project will finalize product design, certify performance and build a commercialization pathway for nationwide deployment through licensing agreements for use of this technology.
