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PA EPA HONORS WINNERS OF GREEN CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE

Release Date: 07/12/96
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PA EPA HONORS WINNERS OF GREEN CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE

FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1996

EPA HONORS WINNERS OF GREEN CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE

EPA has honored five organizations for their accomplishments in "green chemistry." The Green Chemistry Challenge was announced in March 1995 by President Clinton and Vice President Gore as part of the Administration's Reinventing Environmental Regulations initiative to promote pollution prevention and industrial ecology. EPA, working with partners from industry, the states and other federal agencies solicited nominations for the Challenge in October 1995. More than 70 entries were reviewed by a technical panel selected by the American Chemical Society. The winners are:

° Monsanto Corp., for creating a new process to manufacture the widely used consumer pesticide "Round-Up." Monsanto switched from a well-established process using extremely hazardous substances including formaldehyde, ammonia and cyanide-based chemicals to a new, highly innovative process that eliminates these hazardous substances from the pesticide, replacing them with more benign chemicals. (Category: Reducing waste from manufacturing and reducing toxicity of materials used in manufacturing)
° Dow Chemical Co., for finding a replacement for chlorofluorocarbons and other volatile organic compounds used in the manufacture of foam products. The Dow process now uses carbon dioxide, a completely harmless substance to humans, in the manufacture of high-volume commercial foam products. (Category: Using alternative solvents and reaction conditions associated with chemical manufacturing)
° Rohm and Haas Corp., for designing its product "Sea-Nine," a marine anti-foulant used in coating boats and ship hulls to prevent the accumulation of marine life, as a safer chemical. Sea-Nine is significantly less toxic to humans than existing products, thus reducing hazards to workers who manufacture it, but also does not persist in or harm aquatic environments. (Category: Designing safer chemical products)
° Donlar Corp., for developing polyaspartates, a new class of polymer products that can be used in products including fertilizer and personal hygiene products. Polyaspartates are very effective substitutes for some toxic chemicals used in these products and, because they are derived from naturally occurring aspartic acid, are biodegradable. (Category: Small business)
° Texas A&M University, for research in using agricultural wastes (biomass) for use in animal feed, fuels and high value chemicals. Through these innovative processes, waste materials are being converted to useful products and replacing toxic chemicals. (Category: Academia)