What Is Bioremediation?

Bioremediation is the process of using naturally occurring, safe and beneficial micro-organisms to degrade environmentally harmful contaminants and turn them into non-toxic compounds. In particular, these organisms will break down most petroleum hydrocarbons and transform them into carbon dioxide (natural CO₂) & water. Further, this natural process will produce valuable bio-nutrients that can be utilised by both plant and aquatic life, whilst the natural CO₂, unlike fossil fuels, is available for photosynthesis and can be turned back into oxygen. The process of bioremediation is listed as one of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) innovative technologies.