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December 16, 2016

EPA Accepting Nominations for 2017 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards

Richard E. Engler, Ph.D.

As previously reported in the BRAG Biobased and Renewable Products Update of October 21, 2016, EPA announced that it has opened nominations for the 2017 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards (PGCCA).  EPA’s strong support for the adoption of green chemistry has helped strengthen the development and commercialization of green chemistry products, leading to significant environmental benefits alongside economic benefits.  Previous PGCCA winners annually eliminate 826 million pounds of hazardous chemicals and solvents and 7.8 billion pounds of carbon dioxide releases, and save over 21 billion gallons of water.  There are six award categories for  2017:  

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Focus Area 1:  Greener Synthetic Pathways;  
 
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Focus Area 2:  Greener Reaction Conditions; 
 
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Focus Area 3:  The Design of Greener Chemicals;  
 
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Small Business (for a technology in any of the three focus areas developed by a small business);  
 
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Academic (for a technology in any of the three focus areas developed by an academic researcher); and 
 
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Specific Environmental Benefit:  Climate Change (for a technology in any of the three focus areas that reduces greenhouse gas emissions).
 
More information about the PGCCA is available in the BRAG blog post EPA Opens Nominations For The 2017 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards . Nominations for these awards are due to EPA by December 31, 2016.