NOVEMBER 25, 2002

Green Chemistry Awards Presented to Northeastern, UVM and Pfizer

Boston - Two institutions of higher learning and a pharmaceutical company were recognized with awards for their contributions to "green chemistry" and pollution prevention in research and teaching laboratories. The Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence (C2E2) presented the awards at a November 12th workshop hosted by Boston College.

Associate Professor Scott Gordon at the University of Vermont was recognized for modifications to the introductory chemistry curriculum to reduce the toxicity and volume of waste generated from certain teaching experiments. The Environmental, Health and Safety Department at Northeastern University received an award for its approach to capturing and recycling on-site spent solvents generated from organic synthesis laboratories. Pfizer, Inc. received an award for its comprehensive program for the promotion of green chemistry among its researchers and internal recognition of green chemistry achievements.

More than twenty-five (25) approaches to pollution prevention and green chemistry were described at the conference through research posters, vendor booths and presentations. Participants included university faculty and staff, regulatory agency representatives, environmental, health and safety professionals and students.

The importance of promoting pollution prevention and "green chemistry" in laboratories was addressed during a workshop panel discussion. Joshua Secunda, senior enforcement counsel at EPA New England, noted that the topic is important to the Agency because inspectors have identified compliance problems in laboratories, and the Agency recognizes the enormous potential in educating the next generation of chemists and scientists to fully address the environmental, health and safety implications of their work. Dr. Joanna Negri, a process chemist and manager at Pfizer and a member of its Green Chemistry Team, explained that the company "views sustainability and green chemistry as outcomes of good science and this provides competitive business advantage through enhanced efficiency and safer processes." Ralph Stuart, environmental safety manager at UVM described the importance of providing institutional leadership for laboratory workers as the foundation for seeking the behavior change that leads to a reduction of chemicals and the generations of wastes from laboratories.

Dr. John Warner, associated professor of chemistry and director of the Green Chemistry Laboratory for Research and Education in Sustainable Innovation at University of Massachusetts Boston provided an introduction to the principles of green chemistry and a description of innovative research at UMB. To reduce pollution, green chemistry combines existing industrial experience with an understanding of how our bodies and other natural systems operate to find more efficient and generally safer chemical processes and products.

The Conference was co-sponsored by the C2E2, the Environmental Protection Agency - New England, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, and the American Chemical Society, Division of Chemical Health and Safety.

The Campus Consortium of Environmental Excellence, or C2E2, is a national, non-profit organization based in Boston. It's mission is to support the continued improvement of environmental performance in higher education through environmental professional networking, information exchange, the development of professional resources and tools, and the advancement of innovative regulatory models. Three member institutions - Boston College, University of Massachusetts Boston and the University of Vermont - are piloting an EPA and state approved regulatory model for managing wastes from laboratories. The alternative regulatory model is designed to provide additional regulatory flexibility in managing wastes and to measure potential environmental performance improvements.