The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is asking companies or institutions to nominate their innovative technologies for the 2014 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. EPA is looking for nominations from companies and institutions that have developed safer chemical processes and products that may reduce the generation and use of chemicals that are hazardous to people's health and the environment.
"The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards recognize innovative technologies that are making chemicals and chemical processes safer, more efficient, or cleaner. These game-changing technologies are having real world results with significant reductions in waste and greenhouse gas emissions as well as substantial savings of water and other resources," said Jim Jones, EPA's assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "As an added benefit, these technologies often result in reduced costs, increased market opportunities, or both. EPA is complementing the Award Program by providing a forum for winners and nominees to focus on maximizing their investment in green chemistry."
Nominations for innovative technologies that feature the design of greener chemicals/products, greener chemical synthesis, or greener chemical reactions are due to the agency by April 30, 2014. EPA anticipates recognizing five award winning green chemistry technologies this fall. Previous award winning technologies include an additive used during aluminum production that prevents billions of pounds of CO2 emissions each year, a water treatment system for industrial and commercial cooling systems that uses less chemical additives and saves billions of gallons of water a year, and a redesigned synthesis for a pharmaceutical ingredient that prevents over one million of pounds of hazardous waste a year.
Since the inception of the awards 19 years ago, EPA has received more than 1500 nominations and presented awards to 93 technologies. The use of green chemistry practices around the country has resulted in the elimination of more than 826 million pounds of hazardous chemicals and solvents from industrial processes and consumer products, savings of 21 billion gallons of water, and the prevention of 7.9 billion pounds of carbon pollution emissions to the air. Green chemistry technologies also offer significant cost savings to companies due to reduced material needs, energy usage, and compliance-related costs.
