The Space Foundation is pleased to announce Universal Remediation Inc. (UniRem) as a new Certified Space Technology. The Space Certification program was created by the Space Foundation, in cooperation with NASA, to raise awareness and understanding about the significant and practical benefits of technologies originally developed for the space program, that have been adapted into products and services improving life on Earth.

Oil spills and leaks of all kinds threaten water resources around the world. UniRem, located in Pittsburg, has developed unique, hydrocarbon remediation tools using its Petroleum Remediation Product (PRP) that can be spread on water or soil to absorb, contain, and safely dispose of hydrocarbon pollutants.

Essentially highly absorbent hollow spheres of beeswax, PRP immediately binds with hydrocarbons and provides nutrients to naturally occurring microbes. The feeding microbes then create enzymes that biodegrade contaminants.

The basic delivery system grew out of NASA biological encapsulation research and the orbital production of microspheres so uniformly precise they provide calibration standards for scientific and industrial equipment.

Industry scientists worked with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Marshall Space Flight Center to develop PRP. PRP was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame in a ceremony during the 24th National Space Symposium earlier this year.

"The Space Foundation is pleased to welcome UniRem as a Certified Space Technology," said Kevin Cook, director of Space Technology Awareness for the Space Foundation.

"It is nice to know that UniRem's application of cutting edge space technology is at work keeping our home planet healthy."

In 2004, UniRem commercialized this space technology by developing products including the BioSok Bilge Maintenance System, the BioBoom, the WellBoom, and OilBuster to treat contaminants in a wide variety of situations.