v>EPA
United States
Environmental
Protection
Agency
Presidential
Green Chemistry Challenge
Awards Program:
Nomination Package for
201 2 Awards
Closing Date: December 31, 2011
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Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics (7406M)
744K11001
June 2011
www.epa.gov/greenchemistry
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for
Contents
Introduction[[[ 1
Scope of the Program 1
A. Source Reduction[[[
B. Green Chemistry[[[ 2
C. Eligibility of Organizations for Awards.......................................2
D. Additional Requirements[[[2
Focus Areas 2
Award Categories[[[3
Selection Criteria 4
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Nomination Package for 2012 Awards
THE PRESIDENTIAL GREEN CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE was established to
recognize and promote innovative chemical technologies that prevent pollution
and have broad applicability in industry. The Challenge is sponsored by the Office
of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) in partnership with the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry
Institute and other members of the chemical community.
This nomination package contains explicit instructions on how to enter the
competition. Entries must be sent no later than December 31, 2011. Awards will be
presented the following summer in Washington, D.C.
A. Source Reduction
The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge recognizes chemical technologies that
incorporate the principles of green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture,
and use. For the purposes of the program, green chemistry is defined as the use of
chemistry for source reduction.
The term "source reduction" includes any practice which:
(i) reduces the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant
entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment (including
fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal; and
(ii) reduces the hazards to public health and the environment associated
with the release of such substances, pollutants, or contaminants.
The term includes equipment or technology modifications, process or procedure
modifications, reformulation or redesign of products, substitution of raw materials, and
improvements in housekeeping, maintenance, training, or inventory control.
The term "source reduction" does not include any practice which alters the
physical, chemical, or biological characteristics or the volume of a hazardous
substance, pollutant, or contaminant through a process or activity which itself is not
integral to and necessary for the production of a product or providing a service.
Source reduction prevents the formation of any hazardous substance in any chemical product
or process. Source reduction is the highest tier of the risk management hierarchy as
described in the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (PPA).1 It is preferable to recycling,
treatment, or disposal. Chemical technologies that include recycling, treatment, and
disposal may be eligible for the Challenge Program if they offer source reduction over
traditional technologies for recycling, treatment, and disposal.
Introduction
of the
Program
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Focus Areas
B. Green Chemistry
Green chemistry reduces or eliminates the use or generation of hazardous
substances from chemical products and processes. Green chemistry improves
upon all types of chemical products and processes by reducing impacts on
human health and the environment relative to competing technologies.
Green chemistry technologies encompass all types of chemical processes
including syntheses, catalyses, reaction conditions, separations, analyses,
and monitoring. A green chemistry technology can involve implementing
incremental improvements at any stage. It can, for example, substitute a greener
feedstock, reagent, catalyst, or solvent in an existing synthetic pathway. A green
chemistry technology also can involve substituting an improved product or an
entire synthetic pathway. Ideally, a green chemistry technology incorporates
the principles of green chemistry at the earliest design stages of a new product
or process. Benefits to human health and the environment may occur at any
points in the technology's lifecycle: extraction, synthesis, use, and ultimate fate.
C. Eligibility of Organizations for Awards
Companies (including nonprofit organizations) and their representatives
are eligible for Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards for operating
outstanding or innovative source reduction programs (including research
programs).
Public academic institutions, such as state and tribal universities and their
representatives, are eligible for Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards
for projects or programs that prevent, reduce or eliminate air or water pollution
or the adverse health effects of solid waste entering into the waste stream.
D. Additional Requirements
To be eligible for an award, a green chemistry technology must have
reached a significant milestone within the past five years (e.g., been researched,
demonstrated, implemented, applied, patented, etc.). It must also have a
significant U.S. component: the research, development, or aspects of the
technology that occurred within the United States. If the only aspect of the
technology within the Unites States is product sales, the nomination may not
meet the scope of the program.
If you have a question about the eligibility of your technology, please email
us at greenchemistry@epa.gov
Nominated green chemistry technologies should be an example of one or
more of the following three focus areas:
1. The use of greener synthetic pathways
This focus area involves designing and implementing a novel, green
pathway for a chemical product. Examples include synthetic pathways that:
• Use greener feedstocks that are innocuous or renewable (e.g.,
biomass, natural oils).
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« Use novel reagents or catalysts, including biocatalysts and
microorganisms.
« Are natural processes, such as fermentation or biomimetic synthesis.
« Are atom-economical.
« Are convergent syntheses.
2. The use of greener reaction conditions
This focus area involves improving conditions other than the overall
design or redesign of a synthesis. Greener analytical methods often fall
within this focus area. Examples include reaction conditions that:
« Replace hazardous solvents with solvents with a lesser impact on
human health and the environment.
« Use solventless reaction conditions and solid-state reactions.
« Use novel processing methods that prevent pollution at its source.
« Eliminate energy- or material-intensive separation and purification
steps.
« Improve energy efficiency, including reactions running closer to
ambient conditions.
3. The design of greener chemicals
This focus area involves designing and implementing chemical products
that are less hazardous than the products or technologies they replace.
Examples include chemical products that are:
« Less toxic than current products.
« Inherently safer with regard to accident potential.
« Recyclable or biodegradable after use.
« Safer for the atmosphere (e.g., do not deplete ozone or form smog).
Many green chemistry technologies fit into more than one focus area.
Technologies that do not fit within at least one focus area may not fall within
the scope of the program.
EPA is particularly interested in technologies that reduce or eliminate high
priority chemicals that are of particular concern for children's exposures. Examples
would be substitutes for formaldehyde, lead, mercury, diisocyanates, phthalates,
bisphenol A (BPA) and certain flame retardants, such as decabromodiphenyl
ethers (decaBDE) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), for use in expanded
and extruded polystyrene. Alternatives that replace persistent, bioaccumulative,
and toxic substances are of particular interest. Innovative alternative approaches,
such as development of inherently flame retardant plastics or fabrics, are
encouraged.
'TV'
ically, EPA presents one award in each of the following categories:
« Small Business: A small business2 for a green chemistry technology in
any of the three focus areas.
« Academic: An academic investigator for a technology in any of the three
focus areas.
« Focus Area 1: An industry sponsor for a technology that uses greener
synthetic pathways.
« Focus Area 2: An industry sponsor for a technology that uses greener
reaction conditions.
Award Categories
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Selection
Criteria
How to Enter
« Focus Area 3: An industry sponsor for a technology that includes the
design of greener chemicals.
Nominated chemistry technologies must fall within the scope of the program.
Technologies that meet the scope will then be judged on how well they
meet the following criteria:
1. Science and innovation
The nominated chemistry technology should be innovative and of
scientific merit. The technology should be, for example:
« Original (i.e., never employed before).
« Scientifically valid. That is, can the nominated technology or
strategy stand up to scientific scrutiny through peer review? Does
the nomination contain enough chemical detail to reinforce or prove
its scientific validity? Has the mechanism of action been clarified via
scientific research?
2. Human health and environmental benefits
The nominated chemistry technology should offer human health and/
or environmental benefits at some point in its lifecycle from resource
extraction to ultimate disposal. The technology might, for example:
« Reduce toxicity (acute or chronic) or the potential for illness or injury
to humans, animals, or plants.
« Reduce flammability or explosion potential.
« Reduce the use or generation of hazardous substances, the transport
of hazardous substances, or releases to air, water, or land.
« Improve the use of natural resources, for example, by substituting a
renewable feedstock for a petrochemical feedstock.
Quantitative statements of benefits are more useful to judges than
qualitative ones.
3. Applicability and impact
The nominated chemistry technology should have a significant impact.
The technology may be broadly applicable to many chemical processes
or industries; alternatively, it may have a great impact on a narrow range
of chemistry. Commercial implementation can support the applicability
and impact of a technology. Nominations for pre-commercial technologies
should discuss economic feasibility. The nominated technology should
offer the following:
« A practical, cost-effective approach to green chemistry.
« A remedy for a real environmental or human health problem.
it One or more technical innovations that can be transferred readily to
other processes, facilities, or industry sectors.
Self-nominations are allowed and welcomed. There is no entry fee and no
standard entry form, but nominations must meet certain requirements.
Nominations must be single-spaced and no longer than eight pages with 12-point
type; references, captions, and footnotes may be as small as 10-point. When
printed on 8V2-by-ll-inch paper, they must have margins of at least 1 inch.
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Nominations that do not meet these requirements may be rejected by EPA. Nominations
may include chemical reactions, tables, graphs, charts, photographs, diagrams, and
other illustrations as part of the eight pages. Although nominations may be in color, the
judges can read the nominations printed in black and white. Nominations should not,
therefore, require color for interpretation.
A nomination must include the following:
1. A cover page with the
a. Project title followed by the date of the nomination.
b. Primary sponsor(s): the individual or organizational owner(s) of the
technology. For academic nominations, the primary sponsor is usually the
principal investigator. For nominations with more than one sponsor, each
co-sponsor should have had a significant role in the research, development, or
implementation of the technology.
c. Contact person: the one individual with whom EPA should communicate
regarding the nomination. For academic nominations, the contact person is
usually the principal investigator. For other nominations, the contact should
be a project manager or other technical representative. Include the full mailing
address, email address, and telephone number of the contact person.
d. Contributors (optional): those individuals or organizations that have
provided financial or technical support for development or implementation of
the nominated technology.
EPA will add the person listed as a contact to a contact database. EPA periodically
sends reminders and updates about the program to those in this database. Anyone may
opt out at any time.
2. The second page should contain the following information:
« Project title.
« Short description of the most recent milestone for the nominated technology
and the year it occurred. For 2012, milestone dates must be 2007 or
later. One or two lines are sufficient. Examples include, but are not
limited to: critical discovery made, results published, patent application
submitted or approved, pilot plant constructed, technology implemented or
commercialized, and relevant regulatory review (e.g., by EPA under TSCA3
or FIFRA3; by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under FFDCA4)
initiated or completed. Only one milestone with the year it occurred is
required.
« A sentence indicating whether the nominated technology is eligible for the
small business award, the academic award, both, or neither.
« Identification of the EPA award focus area (or areas) that fit your technology.
The focus areas are (1) the use of greener synthetic pathways; (2) the use of
greener reaction conditions; and (3) the design of greener chemicals. See pages
2 and 3 for descriptions of the three focus areas. No explanation is needed.
« A one- or two-sentence description of the U.S. component: the research,
development, or aspects of the technology that occurred within the United
States. If the only aspect of the technology within the Unites States is product
sales, the nomination may not meet the scope of the program.
« An abstract (not to exceed 350 words) that describes the nominated
technology, the problem it addresses, and its benefits. Include the state of
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implementation of the technology and any quantitative benefits such
as amount (or potential amount) of hazardous substances eliminated.
EPA plans to publish these abstracts in its annual Summary of Award
Entries and Recipients booklet. If you are renominating a technology,
you may use the abstract previously published by EPA in whole or
in part.
The information in this section should fit on page 2, but you may continue
on page 3 if necessary.
3. The remaining pages should explain in detail how the nominated
technology meets both the scope of the program (see pages 1-2) and the
selection criteria (see page 4). Explain the following:
« The chemistry of the new technology, emphasizing how the technology
is innovative and of scientific merit. Consider including chemical
structure diagrams rather than text to describe your chemistry. Patent
numbers or references to peer-reviewed publications may strengthen
your nomination. The judges recognize the interdisciplinary nature
of green chemistry; however, to be eligible for an award, your
technology must include a significant chemistry component.
« The problem (environmental or human health risk) that your
technology addresses, the importance of that problem, and how your
technology solves the problem.
• How your technology compares with other technologies that may
address the same problem.
« The realized or potential benefits and drawbacks across all stages of
your technology's lifecycle: from feedstocks to manufacture to use
of the product to ultimate disposal of the product.
IMPORTANT: To make the strongest presentation of your
technology for the judges, you should include as much
nonproprietary detail as possible in your nomination.
The judges will pay close attention to the specifics of your
chemistry, including detailed reaction pathways, comparisons to
existing technology, toxicity data, quantities of hazardous
substances reduced or eliminated, degree of implementation in
commerce, and other technical, human health, environmental,
and economic benefits. The judges recognize that some sponsors
will not be able to conduct a full lifecycle analysis, but like to
see a discussion of impacts across the lifecycle. In addition, EPA
strongly encourages you to compare the cost, performance, and
environmental profile of your technology with any competing
technologies. This may help you demonstrate the broad
applicability of your technology.
It may help the judges if you address the status of any novel chemical
substances or organisms under any appropriate laws such as TSCA3, FIFRA3, or
FFDCA4, especially if the technology is or is about to be commercially available.
You may include structure diagrams, tables, other graphics, and references,
but all information must fit within the eight-page limit. You may use color in
your nomination, but be aware that the nomination may be printed in black
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and white, so information in color may be illegible. You may add hot links to published
articles, patents, etc. Nominations should not rely on information in links, however, to
present their technology and judges may (or may not) follow any links.
You may nominate more than one technology, but you must submit a
separate nomination for each technology. You should probably combine multiple
applications of the same general technology in a single nomination, however.
All entries received will be considered public information. No material will be
returned. Program sponsors are not responsible for lost or damaged entries. EPA
acknowledges receipt of nominations by email to the person listed as the Contact
Person on page 1. If you have not received an acknowledgment by mid-January, please
contact the Green Chemistry Program at greenchemistry@epa.gov or (202) 564-8740.
Submit an electronic copy of the nomination in such a format that EPA can select
and copy text from it. Please include the primary sponsor's name in the file name.
It may be to your advantage to submit your nomination as a .pdf file to minimize
possible reading errors, but EPA accepts and is able to read all common file types.
You should email the electronic copy to greenchemistiy@epa.gov. If you cannot
send the file via email, you may send it on a CD or flash drive, clearly labeled with
the sponsor(s). The nomination must be sent no later than December 31, 2011.
Note: Irradiation of Federal mail may damage electronic media. To send a disk or
flash drive, please use a package delivery service and the following address:
Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
c/o Dr. Carol Farris
EPA East, Room 5133
1201 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20004
Telephone: 202-564-8740
A panel of technical experts convened by the American Chemical Society Green
Chemistry Institute will judge nominations. These experts might include members
of the scientific, industrial, governmental, educational, and environmental communities.
The judges may request verification of any chemistry described or claims made in
nominations that are selected as finalists. The judges will select as award recipients those
green chemistry technologies that best meet selection criteria.
Winners will be notified prior to the official public announcement, which will be made
in summer 2012, in Washington, D.C. A crystal sculpture will be presented to the
primary sponsor(s) of the winning green chemistry technology in each of the five award
categories. Certificates will be presented to individuals (as identified by the primary sponsor (s))
who contributed to the research, development, or implementation of the chemistry.
Direct any questions about eligibility, nomination procedures, or the Presidential
Green Chemistry Challenge program to EPA's Industrial Chemistry Branch at
greenchemistry@epa.gov or (202) 564-8740.
Judging
of
Winners
Additional
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Sample Cover
Page
Please use the format below for the cover page of your nomination.
Nominations with an Academic Sponsor
Title of Nomination
Date of Nomination
Primary Sponsor(s):
Full Name (Primary Investigator)
Name of Institution
Contact Person:
Full name
Title
Address
Phone
Email
Contributor (s): (optional) Individuals and/or organizations
Nominations with a Business Sponsor
Title of Nomination
Date of Nomination
Primary Sponsor (s):
Company Name
Full Name (optional)
Title (optional)
Address (optional)
Phone (optional)
Email (optional)
Contact Person:
Full name
Title
Address
Phone
Email
Contributor (s): (optional) Individuals and/or organizations
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Include the following components (see "How to Enter," page 4, for details):
D Cover page.
D Short description of the most recent milestone and the year it occurred; only one
milestone is required.
D Statement indicating whether the nomination is eligible for an award in the
academic category, the small business category, both, or neither.
D Statement identifying the EPA award focus area(s) for the nominated technology.
D Statement of the activities that took place within the United States.
D Abstract (350 words or fewer).
D Detailed description of how the nominated technology meets the scope of the program
and the selection criteria.
Award
Nomination
Checklist
1 Pertinent sections of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990: Sec. 6601.
SHORT TITLE. This subtitle may be cited as the "Pollution Prevention
Act of 1990." Sec. 6602. FINDINGS AND POLICY.
(b) Policy. - "The Congress hereby declares it to be the national policy of the United States that pollution
should be prevented or reduced at the source whenever feasible."
Sec. 6603. DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this subtitle -"(5)(A) The term "source reduction" means any
practice which:
(i) reduces the amount of any hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant entering any waste stream or
otherwise released into the environment (including fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal, and
(ii) reduces the hazards to public health and the environment associated with the release of such substances,
pollutants, or contaminants."
2 A small business is defined here as one with annual sales of less than $40 million, including all domestic and
foreign sales by the company, its subsidiaries, and its parent company.
3TSCA is the Toxic Substances Control Act; FIFRA is the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
4FFDCA is the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
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