&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA744-F-97-Q01
April 1998
www.epa.gov/docs/gcc
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (7406)
The Presidential
Green Chemistry
Challenge
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BACKGROUND
-n 1990, Congress passed the ; f
Pollution Prevention Act; establishirig
prevention as the nation's preferred ;;{•
approach to environmental protection.
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'Through this hewJapproach, ^heniical;
waste is preventedja't the;source,^,^-<; :^
thereby avoiding ermronme'htkl"::> v :
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.Gfeen Chemistry is a fundamental and innova-
tive new approach to pollution prevention.
Green Chemistry is the design of chemical
products and processes that reduce or eliminate
the use or generation of hazardous substances.
"...the chemical community,
including our major chemicals
companies, has decided that
we can and must be environ*
mentally benign."
— Ronald.Breslow,
former President, American
Chemical Society,
August 1996
PROGRAM SCOPE AND
OBJECTIVES
The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
was launched in 1995 by President Clinton to
promote the design of chemical products and
manufacturing processes that prevent pollution
and are economically competitive. Through
award and grant programs, the Presidential ..
Green Chemistry Challenge recognizes and
promotes innovative green chemistry technolo-
gies that meet this goal.
"Society wants chemical companies and other
industries to develop environmentally friendly mate*
rials. When we answer that call and when there is
an economic incentive to do so, everybody wins."
— Larry P. Koskan, President,
Donlar Corporation,
1996 Small Business Award Winner
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AWARDS
"(An opportunity for individu-
als, groups, and organizations
to] compete for Presidential
awards in recognition oj fun-
damental breakthroughs in
cleaner, cheaper, smarter
chemistry."
— Carol Browner,
Administrator,
U.S. E?n'iron77ie?uaZ
Protection Agency,
October 30, 1995
The annual Presidential Green'
Chemistry Challenge Awards Program
recognizes chemical technologies that
incorporate green chemistry principles
into chemical design, manufacture, and
use. Award recipients receive national
recognition for their outstanding accom-
plishments in the research, development,
or implementation of green chemistry
technologies.
The products and processes selected for
the Presidential Green Chemistry
Challenge Awards illustrate a commit-
ment to designing, developing, and
implementing green chemistry method-
ologies that are technologically and eco-
nomically sound and less hazardous to
human health and the environment.
"The u'innmg chemistry is marketable, prof-
itable, and environmentally beneficial."
— Environmental PROTECTION,
February 1997
GRANTS
Academic research grants for studying or
applying green chemistry are available
through EPA and the National Science
Foundation Partnership for
Environmental Research. Grants are
available on an annual basis as part of
the Technology for a Sustainable
Environment solicitation.
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GREEN CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE
PARTNERS
• American Chemical Society
• American Petroleum Institute
• BF Goodrich
• Chemical Manufacturers Association
• Council for Chemical Research
• Dow Chemical
• Dow-Corning
• DuPont
• Eastman Kodak
• Environmental Commissioners of the States
• Gulf Coast Hazardous Substance Research Center
• Lamar University
• , Los Alamos National Laboratory
• National Research Council
• North Carolina Office of Environment, Health,
and Natural Resources
• Polaroid
• Rochester Midland
• Society of the Plastics Industry
• Solutia
• University of Massachusetts, Boston
• University of Rhode Island
• U.S. Department of Energy
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
A,
dditional information on the Presidential
Green Chemistry Challenge program is available
by calling EPA's Pollution Prevention
Information Clearinghouse at 202 260-1023.
Information also is available from Paul
Anastas and Tracy Williamson of EPA's
Industrial Chemistry Branch at 202
260-2659 and via the Internet at
.
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