FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | July 20, 2007

American Chemical Society unveils new green chemistry award; nominations due Nov. 1

The American Chemical Society has established a new Award for Affordable Green Chemistry. Supported by an endowment from the Rohm and Haas Company, it recognizes outstanding scientific discoveries that lay the foundation for environmentally friendly products or manufacturing processes at a cost comparable to or less than current technologies. The award also recognizes discovery of new eco-friendly chemistries with the potential to yield products or manufacturing processes that are less expensive than existing alternatives.

Green chemistry products and processes reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. With its Green Chemistry Institute, ACS plays a leading role in advancing the implementation of green chemistry and engineering in all aspects of the global chemical enterprise. Most recently, ACS supported legislation introduced in Congress aimed at improving federal coordination, dissemination and investment in green chemistry research (HR 2850). Each year, the ACS also provides experts who judge nominations for the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards issued by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Award for Affordable Green Chemistry will be among the more than 60 other national awards the ACS presents annually to members of industry, academia and government, and the first recipient will be recognized at the Society’s 2009 spring national meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. The award consists of $5,000, a certificate and a plaque. Nominations are now open with an application deadline of Nov. 1, 2007. For additional details and nomination criteria, and to apply for the award, visit ACS Award for Affordable Green Chemistry.

The first presentation of the award in 2009 will coincide with the celebration of Rohm and Haas Company’s 100th anniversary. The company has been committed to green chemistry and eco-friendly technologies since it launched a revolutionary discovery in 1953 –– the first water-based acrylic emulsion for house paint. Rohm and Haas was among the first recipients of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards in 1996.

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