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Waarborg is proud to house successful entrepreneurs. The experts of today and the pioneers of tomorrow. Always with a strong mission and a special story. Discover who they are, what they do and what they mean to the world around them.
The Waarborg team is proud of the residents we house. Discover their special stories here.
Ketelaar Kroon / Oslo
Protium / Quintus House
Seven Stars / Mediacentrale
Fluctus and Brightbird / Zernikelaan 6
Bioclear Earth / Rozenburglaan 13
Cyclone / Energieweg 12
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BioclearEarth_lab
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'Our partnership with NASA is one we are proud of!'
read the whole story
Read the whole story

Creating value with the power of nature

A ditch polluted with oil as a result of an overturned truck, thousands of pavement tiles stained with old chewing gum and the plastic soup in the oceans. Typical forms of environmental pollution. We hear about it on TV, see it while traveling, talk about it and some of us even take to the barricades. We have to do something about this!

But what about invisible pollution in the soil and the water in it? As a result of the chemical revolution in the previous century, for example. Or – much more recently – by the polluting power of hormones, which flow into nature via the sewer after taking medication. Who will step into the breach for that? “Well, besides the government, we do it too!”, says Sytze Keuning, director of Bioclear Earth from Groningen, enthusiastically. “Although, at Bioclear it is actually mainly bacteria that do the work.” Bacteria? There is a story behind that.

Smart bacteria

Keuning explains: “At Bioclear, we use biological processes to clean up unwanted contamination. For example, many bacteria have the special power to break down certain toxic substances. If you inject the right bacteria into the contaminated soil, they clean up the soil much faster than classic cleaning techniques. Where these pump techniques often take at least 5 years, bio-remediation with bacteria takes between 2 and 4 years. And the best part: the bacteria remain in the soil in small numbers after their service. If a similar contamination occurs in the future? Then they will flourish again and focus en masse on soil remediation. So there is, as it were, a natural defense system: active resistance.”

Plant power

“But,” says Keuning, “Bacteria are not the only auxiliary troops we use. We are also busy using plants, also known as phytotechnology. Plant roots and the fungi that often live on them are also great at absorbing toxic substances. For example, we know that contaminated soil at old factories can be cleaned up with plants in a sustainable, fast and cheap way. The roots absorb these substances and convert them into non-toxic particles. At the same time, the environment turns a beautiful green.” Win-win!

Bioclear is currently also investigating whether it is possible to plant such vegetation while a factory is still in use. They are also investigating what happens when you plant a field polluted by pesticides with plants that break down toxins. Keuning: “The first results are promising: nature’s possibilities have repeatedly proven to be exceptionally extensive.”

To the stars and beyond

Research and science have been important parts of Bioclear’s business since its inception. One of the first research-projecten they ever conducted even led to the foundation of what we now know as DNA identification. “We wanted to detect harmful bacteria. When we discovered how to do that using DNA, NASA came knocking on our door. In co-creation, we developed a biological air filter to detect harmful bacteria in space vehicles and stations and thus protect astronauts. That is a collaboration and result that we are still proud of!”

From kitchen waste to energy

In the meantime, years have passed and Bioclear is pioneering in another area: bioenergy. “With our techniques and the knowledge we have in-house, we want to contribute to the environment in several areas. For example, we are looking at how you can make biogas from kitchen waste using a biodigester, as a green alternative to natural gas. An initial pilot plant is now running well. Now the question is how you can store that biogas properly. We are also conducting research into making biomethane gas from hydrogen and carbon dioxide using bacteria. That also looks promising! We can continue pioneering for a while.” So there is plenty to do!

Building blocks of nature

Bioclear is doing all these studies and beautiful discoveries of the past years with great pleasure in their building on Rozenburglaan. “We even feel like we are already residents of this building before it was delivered. We were allowed to think along with the architect of Waarborg about the interior of the building from the start; this way we could pass on our wishes and have them realised.” A coincidental match, but perhaps extra nice because of that, is the 'technology in images' style of the entire building: a special, open and honest building style in which the building elements are visible everywhere. The materials are very basic: concrete, steel, glass. No fuss but powerful materials that together form a strong whole. “Both 'technology in images' and the materials used fit in very well with Bioclear: in essence we are also 'simply' busy with the building blocks and power of nature”, Keuning concludes modestly.


Sytze Keuning / Bioclear Earth
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