The Atlantic County Utilities Authority and PolyGone Systems have launched two commercial filtration systems designed to capture microplastics before they reach the ocean.
The installation at ACUA’s wastewater treatment facility in Atlantic City is believed to be the world’s first permanent operation of its kind. Officials say it will help protect water quality for more than 200,000 residents and beach visitors, along with marine ecosystems on the New Jersey coast.
The project follows a two-year pilot program that began in 2024, when ACUA became the first utility in the country to test PolyGone’s microplastic filtration technology.
According to ACUA, the pilot captured more than 580 million microplastic particles annually at a facility that processes about 40 million gallons of wastewater each day.
Based on those results, ACUA and PolyGone installed two upgraded PolyPod units for permanent use. The systems will continuously filter treated wastewater before it is released into local waterways.
“ACUA is proud to continue its partnership with PolyGone and be the first to implement its permanent microplastic filtration system,” ACUA President Matthew DeNafo said. “Wastewater treatment facilities have long worked to keep waterways clean. This project highlights how embracing technology and addressing new challenges head-on can advance that mission.”
The PolyPod uses a specialized passive filtration process that attracts and captures water-resistant plastic particles from treated wastewater.
PolyGone CEO Nathaniel Banks said the technology takes a different approach to treating water.
“The greatest opportunity in water treatment isn’t simply filtering smaller particles; it’s rethinking how we remove them altogether,” Banks said. “By designing technologies that work with natural material interactions instead of against them, we can protect public health by making microplastic water treatment practical at a global scale.”
The project was financed through the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Commissioner Joe Seebode said the project comes as scientists continue studying how microplastics affect public health and the environment.
“New Jersey is leading the way in better understanding the potential impacts microplastics are having on drinking water, wastewater and our environment,” Seebode said.
He said the department supports efforts by ACUA and PolyGone to prevent microplastics from entering sensitive coastal ecosystems.
Microplastics are small plastic particles that can come from the breakdown of larger plastic products, synthetic clothing, vehicle tires and other sources. Their small size makes them difficult to remove through traditional wastewater treatment.
The two permanent PolyPod systems will allow ACUA and PolyGone to continue measuring how effectively the technology works during daily operations and changing water conditions.
