Martin Evans
BBC News, Somerset
An entrepreneur has won an award for a product that recycles excess phosphates in waterways to be used as fertiliser.
Jane Pearce, from Bath, has designed a sponge made of 100% natural materials that sits in water and absorbs phosphates in areas where a build-up can cause harmful algae and contamination. It is then reused on farmland.
The product has led to her being given an Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award.
“It’s all about restoring environmental balance and does it by recovering and reusing phosphate, to clean up our waterways,” said Ms Pearce.
Jane Pearce said she felt honoured to win the award
She added: “I was shocked when I found out I’d won but now feel honoured to be amongst some other amazing women in business.”
Phosphates are a natural resource used to grow food which farmers require for crops.
The design uses technology to remove the phosphates safely from water and make them ready to be reused to reduce dependency on imported or mined phosphates.
“It’s very simplistic but we’ve put a huge amount of work into it and it will create a solution to a large environmental problem, and one that’s big right on our doorstep in Somerset,” added Ms Pearce.
Ms Pearce, who runs Rookwood Operations, also received a a £75,000 prize.
“The financial element of the award is great for a start-up like ours,” she said.
“It will enable us to move forward with other projects we’re working on and raise the awareness of the business which will help accelerate our growth.”
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