Nature Works Remediation Corporation >>> Expertise

Biologist Bill Duncan examines first year growth on hybrid poplar tree planted on remediated landfill cap

Sealing a sample taken from an anaerobic bioreactor to ensure that air does not contaminate the sample

EXPERTISE

President--Matt Pommer
Matt has an extensive background in electrical engineering. For the past 15 years he worked for a large multi-national corporation in sales, marketing, account management and general management. Over the last 6 years, he initiated and facilitated an innovative partnering relationship with Teck Cominco in Trail, British Columbia, where business was conducted in a unique win-win manner. Matt brings expertise in structured business practices and a strong entrepreneurial business drive to move Nature Works forward.

Research Director - Al Mattes (BA, BFA, BSc - Botany)

Al has constructed plant and bacterial based remediation systems for removal of heavy metals from soil and water. In addition to a thorough understanding of the principles and operational capabilities of all phases of phytoremediation he has developed a detailed understanding of the role of bacteria in remediation processes. He has worked extensively in the area of restoration of acid damaged soils and has successfully restored areas that have been impacted by smelter emissions using phytostabilization techniques. His current research interests are directed on bacterial removal processes that remove high concentrations of arsenic from groundwater. Results of his work have been presented at major conferences in Canada and the US. Clients include: Northern Water, Environment & Training Services (Winnipeg), Teck Cominco Metals Limited (Trail BC), Elevated Wetlands (Lethbridge, Alberta and Toronto Ontario), Sherritt Mining (Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta), Symbios Restoration, (Smithers BC).

Research Consultant - Bill Duncan (MSc - Fresh Water Biology)

Bill has an extensive background in mining and fresh water pollution biology. A background in metal assaying and an understanding of metal chemistry are significant additional skills. This diverse knowledge base are important to the expertise that NATURE WORKS offers. He has long been an advocate for the use of biologically based systems for remediation of many environmental issues and he pioneered the use of pulp mill residuals as a remediation treatment for acid-damaged soils.

Design and Construction Consultant - Jim Hall

Jim is an expert in all phases of equipment operation, a master mechanic and a specialized equipment designer. With 25 years experience in mechanical construction for industrial purposes, Jim ensures efficient and effective logistical implementation in transferring research planning to any field site.

Wetlands Consultant - Jim Higgins (Ph.D - Chemical Engineering)

Director of Ecological Engineering for Jacques Whitford, and Manager of Ecological Engineering & Special Projects at Jacques Whitford Environment Limited at its Oakville (Toronto), Ontario office. With 25 years experience he offers expertise in the environmental, mining, petrochemical, energy and oil & gas industries and has up-to-date technical expertise in several areas of chemical, environmental and ecological engineering. He is project manager of several ongoing bioremediation and phytoremediation projects including a full scale hybrid poplar, aspen and willow site for remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soils and groundwaters, and a major heavy metal phytostabilization/phytoextraction project. He has designed facilities for and is project manager of several constructed wetlands projects, including one of the largest sub-surface flow constructed wetlands projects in the world for treating contaminated runoff from a major international airport.

Microbiology Collaborator - Doug Gould (Ph.d - Microbiology) CANMET-MMSL

Dr. Gould is an active research scientist that is currently employed at Natural Resources Canada's CANMET-MMSL labs in Ottawa. This federal government facility is active in mine and smelter site reclamation research. Dr. Gould works on a collaborative basis with Nature Works and has an active research project examining biological removal of arsenic using test facilities in Trail and in Ottawa. He is an expert in the microbiology of bacteria that are useful in metal removal processes. An expert in anaerobic bacteria he has many years experience working with metal removal using bioremediation processes, including biofilms, anaerobic digestion and rhizofiltration. He has published 36 papers in scientific journals, holds 4 patents and has published 40 other articles (book chapters, review articles and conference proceedings). He has given technical courses in South America (Brazil, Argentina and Chile), as well as throughout North America. He has also worked in research laboratories in Singapore and Japan.

Microbiology and Remediation Consultant - Jack Adams (Ph.d - Microbiology)

Dr. Adam's education and research background is in molecular and applied environmental microbiology and civil and environmental engineering. Hereceived his Ph.D. from Utah State University, Logan, UT. He has worked for the State and Federal government and industry in the environmental biotechnology field for 24+ years. He headed both U.S. Army and U.S. Bureau of Mines Biotechnology Programs and Founded and Directed the Bioremediation Center at Weber State University.

Jack was a founder, President, and Vice President of Research & Development of Applied Biosciences, Salt Lake City, UT through 2003 – one of three spin-off businesses from the Bioremediation Center. Currently, he has ‘Research Professor’ Appointments at Weber State University in the Department of Microbiology and at the University of Utah in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Under these two appointments he is pursuing additional projects in Acid Drainage and metal removal. Jack is CEO of Bioremediation and Bioprocess Consulting, LLC which has established a collaborate partnership with Nature Works of British Columbia, CA to expand and enhance economical treatment of passive and semi-passive acid drainage and metal removal from various environments.

Engineering and Marketing Consultant - Rob Stephens (Ph.D. Chemical and Materials Engineering)

Rob has worked as a process engineer, research engineer, production engineer, and technical manager developing and implementing innovative technologies in New Zealand, Australia, North America, and Europe. While his primary experience is in pyrometallurgy and thermal plasma processing of materials, he has strong experience in solutions for effluent treatment at primary smelters. At Asarco's East Helena Plant, he led the project team that concluded that a zero discharge solution was the only way to meet increasingly stringent discharge permit limits. High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis (HERO) was identified as the most cost-effective, technically viable solution, and was piloted and subsequently installed after he left East Helena. At Teck Cominco Metals Limited (TCML's) Trail Operations, he was Senior Production Engineer responsible for operation of the lime-based Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) and was involved in innovative alternative solutions for some difficult-to-treat streams. For Nature Works, he is working to standardize development and design processes as well as assist in market development. He is also Vice-Chair of The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society's (TMS's) Extraction and Processing Division and has edited 3 international conference proceedings as well as published more than 25 technical papers.