TURNING WASTE

INTO WEALTH

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a Regional Innovation Engine to the Great Lakes Water Innovation Engine. Welcome to Great Lakes ReNEW. Our mission: To invent new ways to extract valuable minerals and toxic forever chemicals from our wastewater. We are doing this for the people and communities in our region most harmed by economic and environmental injustice. Because, in a world of increasing water and resource scarcity, “waste” has no place.

Current logo
Alaina Harkness

Alaina Harkness


Junhong Chen

Junhong Chen



View of lake from beach

Selectively separate valuable minerals, such as lithium, and dangerous chemicals, such as PFAS from wastewater

Build up our region’s inclusive “blue economy” by training people for jobs and exposing youth to the industry

Launching and investing in water tech 
startups and building a centralized 
testbed for their products

‘Forever Chemicals’ Are Everywhere. What Are They Doing to Us?

Chicago’s $1 Billion Water Deal Shows Great Lakes Wealth