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GREEN CHEMISTRY
Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award winners came to Washington, D.C., last week to speak with members of Congress on the environmental and economic benefits of green chemistry and engineering research and education. Representatives for 19 of the 41 awards presented since the EPA program's inception in 1996 attended the two-day program sponsored by the American Chemical Society's Science & the Congress Project, Committee on Environmental Improvement, and Green Chemistry Institute. The award winners from universities and chemical and pharmaceutical companies attended a series of events designed to brief them on the operational procedures of Congress and its committees and to allow them to share their success stories, issues of concern, and ideas with congressional staff. Speakers and attendees at the events included staff and officers from ACS, the White House, the House Science Committee, EPA, NIST, USDA, and the American Chemistry Council. The high point was visits by the award winners to their senators and representatives. The awardees described the importance of the science behind their awards to make products as diverse as prescription drugs, flame retardants, pesticides, and carpets that are environmentally friendlier, inherently safer, and that provide an economic advantage. They also discussed incentives to encourage broader implementation of green chemistry to help improve global competitiveness of the U.S. chemical industry. These ranged from business tax credits, patent extension, grants for small businesses, better enforcement of environmental regulations, and increased research funding. |
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Chemical & Engineering News |
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