ACUA Pilot Project
Atlantic County Utilities Authority Microplastic Remediation Pilot Project
Project Information
Conventional wastewater treatment technologies are not capable of effectively remediating tiny microplastic particles. While larger pieces of microplastics would be mostly removed by coagulation, flocculation, and reverse osmosis, smaller microplastic particles that are hydrophobic and buoyant would still pass through most of the filtration stages and end up in the effluent streams that discharge into the ecosystem.
To deal with the microplastics that escape through the conventional treatment process, ACUA is partnering with PolyGone Systems to implement PolyGone’s latest biomimetic filtration technologies to capture hydrophobic microplastics in the treated effluent before it’s discharged into the ecosystem. The effluent enters the equalization basin to be settled for days before the water is neutralized and released into the natural ecosystem. PolyGone is aiming to deploy a system of filter’s array to intercept microplastics from entering the equalization basin. The pilot was launched in September 2024.
3,500 <
Families projected to visit the Educational Pavilion annually
220,000 +
Residents benefitted from the Microplastics Removal Pilot
80+
Public tours completed with ACUA and New York Sea Grant
Partnerships
PolyGone Systems is the leading team and technology provider in this pilot project.
Leadership Team:
Nathaniel Banks, CTO & Yidian Liu, COO
The Atlantic County Utilities Authority is responsible for enhancing the quality of life through the protection of waters and lands from pollution by providing responsible waste management services. The Authority is an environmental leader and will continue to use new technologies, innovations and employee ideas to provide the highest quality and most cost effective environmental services.
New York Sea Grant (NYSG) (PI) is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Cornell University and the State University of New York (SUNY) and is part of a nationwide network of 34-university-based programs working with coastal communities.
Pilot is funded by NJCSIT Pilot CleanTech Demonstration Grant Program.
Curbon is a Princeton University group that does impact studies and corporation verifications for large companies.
Site Information
The project site is located at a 40 million gallon per day wastewater treatment facility run by ACUA in Atlantic City, NJ. The facility accepts wastewater collected from 14 municipalities in Atlantic County as well as additional sludge/biosolids, grease, scum, dried municipal sludge and leachate for treatment and disposal.
PolyGone’s pilot is located at the effluent channel into the equalization basin
Microplastic Removal Pilot Videos
Pilot Construction
Completed Pilot & Installation
Broader Impact
Paired with the pilot deployment, PolyGone is also designing an educational pavilion on site for public visitors and local student groups to learn about the microplastics problem and PolyGone’s environmental mission. The pavilion exhibits feature several interactive exhibits that explain the scale and causes of microplastic pollution. PolyGone is committed to educating the next generation and the public on microplastic pollution.
