Wasser 3.0

Wasser 3.0 is a pioneering non-profit GreenTech initiative based in Germany, led by chemist Dr. Katrin Schuhen, that’s helping protect the planet’s most vital resource: water. With a spirit of collaboration and care, their mission is to detect, remove, and reuse microplastics and harmful micropollutants — making sustainable water solutions more accessible to communities, industries, and ecosystems worldwide.

Advanced Microplastic Removal Technology: Wasser 3.0 PE-X®

At the core of their work is an innovative, low-cost microplastic removal process known as “agglomeration fixation” or “Clump & Skim Technology” (Wasser 3.0 PE-X®). By using specially developed, non-toxic hybrid silica gels, the process gently gathers microplastic particles into larger, popcorn-like agglomerates that can be easily skimmed from the surface of the water.

What sets this environmental technology apart is its remarkable efficiency and sustainability:

• High Efficiency: Removes up to 95% of microplastics across different water types — including wastewater, freshwater, and saltwater. It also reduces other micropollutants like PFAS and significantly lowers Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD).
• Energy-Efficient & Cost-Effective: Requires less energy and results in lower capital (20% less CapEx) and operational costs (up to 75% less OpEx) than traditional filtration methods. This makes it not only sustainable, but also financially viable for partners.
• Filter-Free Process: No need for conventional filters, reducing maintenance and complexity.
• Circular Economy Integration: The collected microplastics can be reused — for example, in construction materials — turning waste into a resource and supporting a circular model.

Because the technology is scalable and adaptable, it’s being used not only in municipal wastewater plants, but also in industrial settings where microplastic pollution is most intense — helping transform both awareness and action.

More Than Technology: Real-world impact

Wasser 3.0’s work goes far beyond technical innovation. They offer a range of services designed to create real-world impact:

• Microplastic Detection & Analysis: Standardized and affordable methods using fluorescent markers help municipalities and companies monitor water quality. Get your test kit here.
• Education & Knowledge Transfer (WASoMI): Through school workshops, citizen science projects, and the WASoMI initiative (Water without Microplastics), they bring awareness into classrooms, labs, and everyday life.
• Consulting & Research Partnerships: Wasser 3.0 shares its expertise with institutions and industries, supporting tailor-made solutions for specific pollution challenges.

The Global Map of Microplastics: Everyone Can Contribute

A key part of Wasser 3.0's educational and awareness-raising efforts is the Global Map of Microplastics. This interactive tool, accessible via their website and the Wasser 3.0 app, invites individuals and organizations worldwide to contribute data, visualize the scale of plastic pollution, and identify hotspots. It's a powerful example of how citizen science can turn curiosity into action and learning into tangible change.

Get your analysis kit here and test your local waters. Join the Global Map of Microplastics and help to indentify hotspot to create a momentum for change - for cleaner water.

A Future Worth Supporting

Wasser 3.0 isn’t just building better water systems — they’re helping build a more connected, hopeful future. By blending science, education, and community engagement, they remind us that even the most complex problems can be met with care, creativity, and collective action.

As a non-profit, Wasser 3.0 reinvests all profits into continued research and education. They are actively seeking donors and sponsors — especially for their learning and outreach work — to help scale their solutions where they’re needed most.

Because clean water shouldn’t be a privilege — it should be a promise we keep, together.