— WARF is promoting a newly developed process for breaking down PFAS, which could offer another tool for addressing “forever chemicals.”
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation touted the technology as one of its “top licensing prospects” in its clean technology portfolio, based on research conducted at UW-Madison.
In remarks provided by WARF, graduate student Katelyn Michael notes “we don’t want to go to all of the effort” of removing the contaminant from the environment without having a good way to get rid of it later.
“Our technology is able to efficiently and effectively degrade PFAS … when we look at this compared to different technologies that have been reported in the literature, we’re able to accomplish this in orders of magnitude less,” she said. “And because of the scale of this problem, any cost and energy savings is really important.”
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, were first created in the 1940s and have been used in numerous household products, leading to widespread contamination of the environment. While the name refers to a group of thousands of different chemicals, research has uncovered that exposure to some of them can cause serious health problems.
“Now that chemistry has created this problem, it would be nice for chemistry to fix this problem,” Michael said.
Prof. Song Jin, a chemist who worked with Michael on creating the new process, says most PFAS treatment technologies “are simply just moving them around” because the chemicals are so difficult to break down.
Their approach hinges on a process called “electrochemical degradation,” he explains, and combines multiple methods for destroying PFAS in a “one-two punch.” The research team has demonstrated this principle in the “ideal” laboratory setting, but Michael says further efforts will need to focus on its effectiveness in more complex systems, assessing limitations of their approach and scaling it up.
Jin says he hopes the new method is “a timely invention and timely solution to this big problem.”
See more in WARF’s overview.
— Key lawmakers say they are still pushing for an agreement to combat PFAS contamination and release the $125 million set aside for the effort two years ago. But it’s still unclear whether they can reach a compromise that Gov. Tony Evers is willing to sign this session.
Evers and the GOP-led Legislature have repeatedly clashed over the funding. Republicans put the money in a so-called “PFAS Trust Fund,” intended for release upon passage of a GOP bill, SB 312, laying out how to spend the money.
But Evers vetoed the bill last session over provisions limiting the Department of Natural Resources’ authority to regulate PFAS, arguing they would undermine the agency’s ability to hold bad actors accountable. He has urged the Joint Finance Committee to release the $125 million. Republicans have declined, saying SB 312 includes important protections for those whose properties are contaminated through no fault of their own.
Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Oconto, who co-authored the bill last session, told WisPolitics he plans to reintroduce legislation, though he’s still working out more potential changes to SB 312 that could earn the guv’s support.
Meanwhile, Sen. Brad Pfaff, D-Onalaska, who released his own proposal for the $125 million last session, said he’s pushing for Evers to include his bill in the state budget, set for release Feb. 18. And he said he’s “optimistic” about addressing the issue this session.
See more at WisPolitics.
— A total of 313,579 Wisconsinites signed up for health coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace during open enrollment for 2025, setting a new record for the state.
State officials on Friday announced the final tally, which marks an increase of 18% from the previous record and exceeds last year’s total by more than 47,000, according to the release.
The updated total comes after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services earlier this month released figures showing the state’s enrollment total was already on track to exceed the prior year’s record high.
Gov. Tony Evers on Friday said health care “should not be a privilege only afforded to the healthy and the wealthy” and touted the impact of the Affordable Care Act on millions of Americans, including those in the state with pre-existing conditions.
“This record enrollment proves just how important it is that we continue to defend and protect access to healthcare, close our uninsured gap, and support programs that help make a real difference in the lives of folks and families across our state,” Evers said in a statement.
At the national level, CMS reports a total of nearly 24.2 million plan selections were made during the 2025 open enrollment period. That exceeds the prior year’s total of 21.3 million.
See more in the release.
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— A Madison-based biotech firm called Invenra has formed a research agreement with Orion Corporation aimed at creating new cancer drugs.
The company recently announced the agreement, which will leverage Invenra’s B-Body drug development platform to target new “bispecific antibodies.” These engineered proteins are meant to target two cells or molecules at the same time to achieve a therapeutic effect.
Invenra CEO Roland Green touts the “strength and versatility” of the platform.
“We are thrilled to work with Orion, a company that shares our commitment to delivering innovative therapies that address critical unmet medical needs,” Green said in a statement.
Orion, a pharmaceutical business headquartered in Finland, will select targets and will be “solely responsible” for developing, manufacturing and commercializing the drug candidates, the release shows.
Antti Haapalinna, vice president and head of external science and partnering R&D for Orion, calls the agreement an “important step” in the company’s effort to expand its portfolio in bispecific antibodies.
“Invenra’s cutting-edge bispecific discovery platform, combined with Orion’s expertise in development and commercialization, will accelerate the creation of impactful new therapies for patients worldwide,” Haapalinna said.
See the release and listen to a recent WisBusiness.com podcast with Invenra.
— Total cargo moving through the Port of Green Bay was 6% lower in 2024 than during the previous shipping season, even as more ships passed through the northeastern Wisconsin port.
Brown County on Friday released shipping totals for 2024, showing the port had 1.7 million tons of cargo handled during the shipping season. That’s below the prior season’s total of 1.8 million tons, as salt, limestone and petroleum shipments declined over the year while coal and cement increased.
The port had a total of 181 ships in the latest season, compared to 171 in the previous year.
The port’s release notes cement shipping totals were 21% higher while liquid asphalt was 10% higher, “which is indicative of a strong construction industry” in the state’s northeast region. At the same time, foreign exports of petroleum products including ethanol had “steady growth,” while higher shipments of constructed aluminum components supported the area’s shipbuilding industry.
Dean Haen, director of the Port of Green Bay, notes ports on the Great Lakes had a “brief pause” during this season due to a strike. And last season’s relatively mild winter drove down demand for road salt in 2024, he adds.
“Despite being slightly down in tonnage this year, it was a good year for shipping, and we’re pleased with how the season ended,” he said in a statement. “We’re proud, along with our private sector partners, to be [a] critical link in a resilient supply chain that supports the regional and national economies.”
See more in the release.
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TOPICS
CONSTRUCTION
– $6M effort with Uline aims to bring affordable homes to Kenosha
EDUCATION
– Trump actions prompt UW–Madison to freeze hires paid by federal funds
ENVIRONMENT
– Where’s all the snow? Milwaukee, Madison had their driest Januarys on record
FOOD & BEVERAGE
– Milwaukee chef reflects on 10 years in service after fourth James Beard nomination
HEALTH CARE
– Lawsuits filed against Pulaski assisted-living facility after COVID-19 deaths dismissed
LABOR
– Air Wisconsin plans a mix of temporary, permanent layoffs affecting over 500 people
– Air Wisconsin could lay off more than 500 employees
– Air Wisconsin Airlines could lay off more than 500 workers across the state
MANAGEMENT
– American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin names interim executive director
MANUFACTURING
– Badger Meter sales reached new high in 2024, top $800 million
REAL ESTATE
– The Livingston Inn’s historic mansion is for sale for $2.29M
RETAIL
– Chano’s Warehouse in Milwaukee goes viral after shopper posts video with 2M-plus hits
PRESS RELEASES
See these and other press releases
Port of Green Bay: 2024 tonnage totals
Lee Heinrich: Downtown Thiensville donates $10,000 for park improvements