United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics
(7406)
EPA744-F-97-002
March 1997
vvEPA
OBJECTIVE:
The Presidential Green
Chemistry Challenge
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
Reinvention at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a new
way of carrying out our mission. Reinvention at EPA is using common
sense to focus on environmental results, providing flexibility with account-
Ability, encouraging innovation, assisting citizens to comply with environmental
.requirements, and sharing decision-making with all stakeholders. Through reinVen-
tion, EPA is changing the way that it does business to make environmental
regulation work better so that all Americans can enjoy continued environmental
improvement that is less burdensome and less costly.
The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge seeks to pro-
mote pollution prevention and industrial ecology through a
new EPA Design for the Environment partnership with the
chemical industry.
B AC KG RO UNO: Design for the Environment Green Chemistry partnerships
with the chemical industry can encourage changes that both
promote economic development and benefit industry by
helping find cost-efifective ways to prevent pollution.
DESCRIPTION
The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge was '
announced by President Clinton on March 16, 1995, as a
voluntary partnership program charged with facilitating this
goal. More specifically, the Presidential Green Chemistry
Challenge was established to recognize and promote funda-
mental and innovative green chemical technologies, i.e.,
chemical methods that accomplish pollution prevention and
that have broad application in industry.
anti grants programs, the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
°®^S^ci-.promotes fundamental and innovative technolo-
gies that i|pE>rporate the principles of green chemistry into
d*iisSigni manufacture, and use, and that have been or
-utilized by industry in achieving their pollution
rention goals. The recognition and publicity associated
ith the awards program and the industrially and
Printed on paper that contains at least 20 percent postconsumer fiber.
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economically viable chemical alternatives made available through the grants program
can provide a strong incentive for broad industry cooperation in meeting the chal-
lenge to find cleaner, cheaper, and smarter ways to produce the materials that we
depend on.
The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge operates through a broad consortium of
partners including federal agencies, members of the chemical industry, trade associa-
tions, scientific organizations, and representatives from academia. EPA is working
cooperatively with these partners to establish the program and provide technical
assistance in designing safer chemicals and processes.
FIRST YEAR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge stakeholders workgroup was
formed in June 1995.
• The scope and objectives of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge were
finalized in partnership with the program stakeholders in August 1995.
• The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program selection criteria
and nomination procedure were finalized in partnership with the program
stakeholders in October 1995.
• Nominations for the first Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards were
solicited in November and December of 1995.
• Nominations received for the first Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
Awards were judged by the American Chemical Society in February 1996.
• The first Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards were announced at' a
Ceremony on July 11, 1996, at the National Academy of Sciences in
Washington, DC.
• Proposals for green chemistry grants were solicited in March and April of 1996
by the National Science Foundation and EPA's Office of Research and
Development.
• Proposals received for green chemistry grants were reviewed by the National
Science Foundation and EPA's Office'of Research and Development and Office
of Pollution Prevention and Toxics in July 1996.
« Green chemistry grants were awarded in August 1996.
Additional information on the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
program is available by calling EPA's Pollution Prevention Information
Clearinghouse at 202 260-1023. Information is also available from
Paul Anastas and Tracy Williamson of EPA's Industrial Chemistry
Branch at 202 260-2659, and via the Internet at
(http://www.epa.gov/docs/gcc).
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