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Small Business in Newton, Mass. Receives $70,000 for Environmental Innovation

Release Date: 03/23/2007
Contact Information: Paula Ballentine, 617-918-1027

(Boston, Mass. - March 23, 2007) - Using a $70,000 EPA contract, Giner, Inc. of Newton, Mass. will evaluate the feasibility of designing and building a sensor that can detect chlorine dioxide, a chemical used in building decontamination. An accurate, portable and reliable chlorine dioxide monitoring device capable of wireless data transmission could find broad commercial use.

The company is one of 36 nationally to receive one of the EPA contracts, under the “Small Business Innovation Research” (SBIR) program. The purpose of the SBIR program is to strengthen the role of small businesses in federally funded research and development, and help develop a stronger national base for technical innovation. Giner Inc. is also one of five New England companies – four in Mass. and one in Conn. – selected for an SBIR contract this month.

“We are extremely pleased that we have been awarded a Phase I SBIR contract by the EPA,” said Dr. Anthony J. Vaccaro, President and Chief Operations Officer of Giner, Inc. “Monitoring building decontamination operations represents an important application for our sensor technology.”

The 22 million small businesses in the United States employ about 51 percent of the private work force and develop most of the country’s new technologies. Years ago, Congress recognized the need to strengthen the participation of small businesses in federally-funded research and development by passing a law creating the Small Business Innovation Research. An SBIR small business is defined as a for-profit organization with no more than 500 employees.

EPA solicits research proposals for SBIR grants each year. The next Phase I solicitation opens on March 15 and closes May 16, 2007.

More information: EPA’s SBIR program (epa.gov/ncer/sbir)

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