Each year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, D.C.; www.epa.gov) honors innovative technologies that make an impact in reducing hazards to human health and the environment. As these are goals that the chemical process industries (CPI) continuously strive for, news of such achievements is of great interest.
Over the past 18 years of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge program, the EPA has received around 1,500 nominations and has presented awards for 93 technologies. The EPA reports that these technologies have collectively reduced the use, or generation of, more than 826 million pounds of hazardous chemicals, saved 21 billion gallons of water and eliminated 7.8 billion pounds of CO2-equivalent releases to the air.
The winners of the 2013 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards were announced in December, and are briefly described here (Source: EPA):
Designing Greener Chemicals Award — Cargill Inc. (Minneapolis, Minn.; www.cargill.com) was the recipient of this award for developing a transformer fluid that is based on vegetable oil instead of petroleum. The advantages of Cargill’s bio-based oil are said to be that it is significantly less flammable and less toxic than the mineral oils currently in use; it provides superior performance so that transformers can last longer in service and be made smaller; and it has a smaller carbon footprint.
Greener Reaction Conditions Award — The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich., www.dow.com) received this award for helping to reduce the amount of titanium dioxide needed in paint formulations by developing a pre-composite polymer that coats the TiO2 particles and improves their dispersion in the paint. TiO2 is typically used as the white pigment in paint formulations, and often high levels of TiO2, which is energy-intensive to produce, are needed. Dow Chemical’s technology reduces energy usage, water consumption, NOx and SOx emissions and algae bloom.
Greener Synthetic Pathways Award — Life Technologies Corp. (Carlsbad, Calif.; www.lifetechnologies.com) was honored with this award for its development of a more efficient way to manufacture the key chemicals (deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates) used to perform genetic testing. The new process reduces the amount of hazardous waste by about 1.5 million pounds per year.
Academic Award — This award was presented to Richard Wool of the University of Delaware (Newark; www.udel.edu) for his work on using bio-based feedstocks to make products that can be used in applications such as adhesives, composites, foams and others. The advantages include saving water and energy, as well as producing less hazardous waste materials as compared to petroleum-based processes.
Small Business Award — Hexavalent chromium is used in certain chrome-plating applications. Cr(VI) is, however, a carcinogen. Faraday Technology, Inc. (Clayton, Ohio; www.faradaytechnology.com) won this award for developing a plating process that uses Cr(III), a much less toxic form of chromium, in place of Cr(VI).
November 9-11, 2026Irving Convention Center | Dallas, TX
Explore this topic and more — live at Clean Americas. Join environmental, health, safety, and emergency response professionals tackling the industry's most urgent hazards. View Conference Program →
When a major incident strikes, the people stepping into Incident Command aren't always the ones who trained for it. Engineers, operators, trades supervisors, and compliance specialists may suddenly find themselves filling Command and General Staff roles — not because they volunteered, but because the situation demands it. Panelists will share practical strategies for leading without positional authority, tools and frameworks that help personnel rapidly orient to ICS roles, and approaches for closing the gap between day-to-day job functions and emergency command readiness before the next incident makes it urgent.
Speaking
Scott Andrews (Trans Mountain Canada Inc., Manager Emergency Management)
Kelly Codlin , MSPH, CIH (Marathon Petroleum Company, Emergency Preparedness Director)
Nick Hickson (Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), Hazmat Training Manager)
Josh Dubach MSc, CEM (Onterris, Senior Response Management Consultant)
This session will examine produced water as the largest waste stream in the oil and gas industry and one of its most pressing emerging challenges. It will address the growing volumes of produced water, the increasing regulatory and public scrutiny of constituents such as PFAS, salts, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), and the operational implications for management, treatment, reuse, and disposal. The discussion will also explore how operators, regulators, and communities are redefining approaches to produced water management in response to environmental, technical, and stakeholder pressures.
Speaking
Steve Pepper, Ph.D., (Onterris, Director of Response Management)
Charles Maguire (Railroad Commission of Texas, Advisor, Oil and Gas Division)
Prof. Shane Walker Ph.D. (Texas Produced Water Consortium, Director)
Ray Cheatham (Onterris, Energy Sector Leader)
This session will present a detailed case study of a large-scale lithium-ion battery fire response that extended over 12 months. Attendees will explore the hazards associated with thermal runaway events, the operational challenges of suppressing lithium battery fires, and the response strategies that proved effective in this prolonged incident. The
Drawing on insights from U.S. EPA Region 9 wildfire response efforts, the session will also highlight tactics such as hazard characterization, air monitoring and evaluation, and household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale battery fire incidents and the critical factors to consider when planning and executing an effective response.
Speaking
Robert W. May PG (Clean Harbors, Senior Vice President, Branch Services and Sales)
Crosley Welch (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, State On-Scene Coordinator)
Samuel Cheek , CSP, RRPT (U.S. EPA, Region 6, Federal On-Scene Coordinator)
Christopher Myers (U.S. EPA, Region 9, Federal On-Scene Coordinator)
This session introduces use of remote sensing technologies to detect, characterize and monitor spills across marine and coastal environments. Discussion will highlight how tools can integrate into modern spill response workflows to improve safety and support data-driven decision making.
Speaking
James Hanzalik (Clean Gulf Associates, Vice-President)
Gordon Staples (MDA Space Ltd., Senior Radar Applications Scientist)
Grant Coolbaugh (Applied Research Associates / Ohmsett, Mechanical Engineer)
Speaking
Allyson Purcell MEP, CEM (ConocoPhillips, CMER Director)
Michael Delio (Maxum Petroleum, EHS & SECURITY MGR)
This session provides a practical, ground‑level introduction to the essential steps required after a battery undergoes a thermal event. We’ll break down how to assess site conditions, stabilize and prepare damaged cells or packs, select appropriate containment and packaging methods, and navigate the regulatory landscape that governs transport and disposal. The lecture emphasizes real‑world decision‑making, safety considerations, and compliance requirements, giving participants a clear framework they can apply immediately in field operations or emergency response planning.
Speaking
Mark Steadman (The Battery Network, Program Manager)
Environment, Health, Safety & Security
Green chemistry reaps rewards
| By Chemical Engineering
Each year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, D.C.; www.epa.gov) honors innovative technologies that make an impact in reducing hazards to human health and the environment. As these are goals that the chemical process industries (CPI) continuously strive for, news of such achievements is of great interest.
Over the past 18 years of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge program, the EPA has received around 1,500 nominations and has presented awards for 93 technologies. The EPA reports that these technologies have collectively reduced the use, or generation of, more than 826 million pounds of hazardous chemicals, saved 21 billion gallons of water and eliminated 7.8 billion pounds of CO2-equivalent releases to the air.
The winners of the 2013 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards were announced in December, and are briefly described here (Source: EPA):
Designing Greener Chemicals Award — Cargill Inc. (Minneapolis, Minn.; www.cargill.com) was the recipient of this award for developing a transformer fluid that is based on vegetable oil instead of petroleum. The advantages of Cargill’s bio-based oil are said to be that it is significantly less flammable and less toxic than the mineral oils currently in use; it provides superior performance so that transformers can last longer in service and be made smaller; and it has a smaller carbon footprint.
Greener Reaction Conditions Award — The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich., www.dow.com) received this award for helping to reduce the amount of titanium dioxide needed in paint formulations by developing a pre-composite polymer that coats the TiO2 particles and improves their dispersion in the paint. TiO2 is typically used as the white pigment in paint formulations, and often high levels of TiO2, which is energy-intensive to produce, are needed. Dow Chemical’s technology reduces energy usage, water consumption, NOx and SOx emissions and algae bloom.
Greener Synthetic Pathways Award — Life Technologies Corp. (Carlsbad, Calif.; www.lifetechnologies.com) was honored with this award for its development of a more efficient way to manufacture the key chemicals (deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates) used to perform genetic testing. The new process reduces the amount of hazardous waste by about 1.5 million pounds per year.
Academic Award — This award was presented to Richard Wool of the University of Delaware (Newark; www.udel.edu) for his work on using bio-based feedstocks to make products that can be used in applications such as adhesives, composites, foams and others. The advantages include saving water and energy, as well as producing less hazardous waste materials as compared to petroleum-based processes.
Small Business Award — Hexavalent chromium is used in certain chrome-plating applications. Cr(VI) is, however, a carcinogen. Faraday Technology, Inc. (Clayton, Ohio; www.faradaytechnology.com) won this award for developing a plating process that uses Cr(III), a much less toxic form of chromium, in place of Cr(VI).
More information about the awards, winners and overall program can be found at www2.epa.gov/green-chemistry.
Featured Conference
When a major incident strikes, the people stepping into Incident Command aren't always the ones who trained for it. Engineers, operators, trades supervisors, and compliance specialists may suddenly find themselves filling Command and General Staff roles — not because they volunteered, but because the situation demands it. Panelists will share practical strategies for leading without positional authority, tools and frameworks that help personnel rapidly orient to ICS roles, and approaches for closing the gap between day-to-day job functions and emergency command readiness before the next incident makes it urgent.
This session will examine produced water as the largest waste stream in the oil and gas industry and one of its most pressing emerging challenges. It will address the growing volumes of produced water, the increasing regulatory and public scrutiny of constituents such as PFAS, salts, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), and the operational implications for management, treatment, reuse, and disposal. The discussion will also explore how operators, regulators, and communities are redefining approaches to produced water management in response to environmental, technical, and stakeholder pressures.
This session will present a detailed case study of a large-scale lithium-ion battery fire response that extended over 12 months. Attendees will explore the hazards associated with thermal runaway events, the operational challenges of suppressing lithium battery fires, and the response strategies that proved effective in this prolonged incident. The
Drawing on insights from U.S. EPA Region 9 wildfire response efforts, the session will also highlight tactics such as hazard characterization, air monitoring and evaluation, and household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale battery fire incidents and the critical factors to consider when planning and executing an effective response.
This session introduces use of remote sensing technologies to detect, characterize and monitor spills across marine and coastal environments. Discussion will highlight how tools can integrate into modern spill response workflows to improve safety and support data-driven decision making.
This session provides a practical, ground‑level introduction to the essential steps required after a battery undergoes a thermal event. We’ll break down how to assess site conditions, stabilize and prepare damaged cells or packs, select appropriate containment and packaging methods, and navigate the regulatory landscape that governs transport and disposal. The lecture emphasizes real‑world decision‑making, safety considerations, and compliance requirements, giving participants a clear framework they can apply immediately in field operations or emergency response planning.