EPA ANNOUNCES 2003 WINNERS OF PRESIDENTIAL
GREEN CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE AWARDS

EPA has announced the winners of the 2003 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards for recognition of innovative technologies that prevent pollution at the source in manufacturing and industrial processes. The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 established a national policy to reduce pollution at the source, one of the most effective means of reducing costly and complicated clean-up of pollutants. Green chemistry is the design of chemical and industrial processes that reduce or eliminate the use or release of hazardous substances. An independent panel of technical experts selected the five winners after reviewing more than 70 nominations:

• Professor Richard Gross of Polytechnic University for the development of a new enzymatic method to create polyester products without using heavy metal catalysts.
• AgraQuest, Inc. for developing Serenade®, a biologically-derived fungicide that can replace pesticides with heavy metals or chlorine. Serenade® has been tested on 30 crops in 20 countries and is registered for use in the United States on crops including grape vines, leafy vegetables, green beans, hops, potatoes and peanuts.
• Süd-Chemie, Inc. for using green chemistry to make a catalyst for the synthesis of cleaner fuels and chemicals. The catalyst produces "green" fuels and chemicals in a process that produces no wastewater, nitrates, or emissions of nitrogen oxides or sulfur oxides. This new process will prevent millions of pounds of nitrate and nitrogen oxide waste from being released to air or water and save millions of gallons of water.
• DuPont for developing a process that uses renewable resources like corn -- instead of toxic petrochemicals to create 1,3-propanediol, the key building block for several DuPont textile apparel, carpeting and packaging products. The new bio-based method uses less energy, reduces emissions, and employs renewable resources compared to traditional petrochemical processes. The unique structure of the polymer containing 1,3-propanediol also improves textile resiliency after stretching, resulting in improved automotive upholstery and home textiles.
• Shaw Carpet, Inc. for developing EcoWorx carpet system that makes nylon carpet tiles with carpet backing that is lighter, recyclable, and free of urethane, polyvinylchlorides, and plasticizers. Ultimately, 4.5 billion pounds of carpet has the potential to be recycled rather than landfilled.

Summary of 2003 Award Entries and Recipients

Alternative Synthetic Pathways Award
Süd-Chemie Inc.
A Wastewater-Free Process for Synthesis of Solid Oxide Catalysts (abstract)

Alternative Solvents and Reaction Conditions Award
DuPont
Microbial Production of 1,3-Propanediol. (abstract)

Designing Safer Chemical Award
Shaw Industries, Inc.
EcoWorx? Carpet Tile: A Cradle-to-Cradle Product. (abstract)

Academic Award
Prof. Richard A. Gross
Polytechnic University
New Options for Mild and Selective Polymerizations Using Lipases. (abstract)

Small Business Award
AgraQuest, Inc.
Serenade®: An Effective, Environmentally Friendly Biofungicide. (abstract)