The Green Chemistry Challenge Awards recognize scientific solutions to environmental problems that reduce hazards associated with the design, manufacture and use of chemicals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention sponsors the awards in partnership with the American Chemical Society (ACS) and other members of the chemical community. This year, a new award category for climate change was added to recognize technologies that reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. A brief summary of the 2022 winners follows [1]:
Greener Synthetic Pathways — Merck & Co., Inc. (www.merck.com) has once again received this award for its achievement in creating a “greener” process. Merck developed a process for manufacturing molnupiravir (tradename LAGEVRIO), an antiviral medication for treating COVID-19, with less organic solvent waste and less energy use. Breakthroughs in the process development include a dynamic crystallization with product selectively crystallizing as it is formed; direct isolation by changing the solvents used, which decreased byproduct formation and increased purity; and utilization of a novel multi-enzyme cascade to increase the efficiency of the process.
Greener Reaction Conditions— Amgen (www.amgen.com) was awarded this honor for an improved manufacturing process for sotorasib (tradename LUMAKRAS), which is a drug for treating certain non-small-cell lung cancers. Amgen decreased the number of reaction steps in the commercial manufacturing process by using telescoped synthesis. This involves creating sequential reactions in one vessel by adding reagents one at a time, thereby eliminating intermediate separation and purification steps. Additional changes, including a recycling step, were also implemented to achieve a more sustainable process.
Small Business— Provivi (www.provivi.com) was recognized for its green solution for crop protection against pests. Provivi’s product, tradenamed ProviviFAW, is a pheromone produced from renewable plant oils. It targets the fall armyworm moth that is destructive to corn and other crops. The company improved the reaction to make this type of pheromone by using fermentation to produce raw materials from plants instead of petroleum. In addition to creating a more sustainable synthesis route, use of the pheromone in place of traditional pesticides offers ecological benefits.
Academic— Professor Song Lin of Cornell University’s Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (www.cornell.edu) received this award for developing a new route to manufacture complicated molecules that are typically needed in pharmaceuticals. The technology employs an electrochemical approach that uses inexpensive carbon or magnesium electrodes and eliminates the need for transition metal catalysts.
Specific Environmental Benefit, Climate Change— Professor Mark Mascal at the University of California at Davis (www.ucdavis.edu) in partnership with Origin Materials (www.originmaterials.com) was recognized for developing a process using acidic digestion of biomass to make 5-(chloromethyl)furfural (CMF). CMF is a bio-based platform chemical that can be used to replace petroleum-based feedstocks to manufacture a variety of chemicals. Origin Materials has developed a process for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from CMF.■ Dorothy Lozowski, Editorial Director
Dorothy Lozowski
1. Source: EPA; more details about the winners and the awards can be found on the EPA’s website, www.epa.gov
Featured Conference
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
The ‘Green’ Chemistry Challenge
| By Dorothy Lozowski
The Green Chemistry Challenge Awards recognize scientific solutions to environmental problems that reduce hazards associated with the design, manufacture and use of chemicals. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention sponsors the awards in partnership with the American Chemical Society (ACS) and other members of the chemical community. This year, a new award category for climate change was added to recognize technologies that reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. A brief summary of the 2022 winners follows [1]:
Greener Synthetic Pathways — Merck & Co., Inc. (www.merck.com) has once again received this award for its achievement in creating a “greener” process. Merck developed a process for manufacturing molnupiravir (tradename LAGEVRIO), an antiviral medication for treating COVID-19, with less organic solvent waste and less energy use. Breakthroughs in the process development include a dynamic crystallization with product selectively crystallizing as it is formed; direct isolation by changing the solvents used, which decreased byproduct formation and increased purity; and utilization of a novel multi-enzyme cascade to increase the efficiency of the process.
Greener Reaction Conditions — Amgen (www.amgen.com) was awarded this honor for an improved manufacturing process for sotorasib (tradename LUMAKRAS), which is a drug for treating certain non-small-cell lung cancers. Amgen decreased the number of reaction steps in the commercial manufacturing process by using telescoped synthesis. This involves creating sequential reactions in one vessel by adding reagents one at a time, thereby eliminating intermediate separation and purification steps. Additional changes, including a recycling step, were also implemented to achieve a more sustainable process.
Small Business — Provivi (www.provivi.com) was recognized for its green solution for crop protection against pests. Provivi’s product, tradenamed ProviviFAW, is a pheromone produced from renewable plant oils. It targets the fall armyworm moth that is destructive to corn and other crops. The company improved the reaction to make this type of pheromone by using fermentation to produce raw materials from plants instead of petroleum. In addition to creating a more sustainable synthesis route, use of the pheromone in place of traditional pesticides offers ecological benefits.
Academic — Professor Song Lin of Cornell University’s Dept. of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (www.cornell.edu) received this award for developing a new route to manufacture complicated molecules that are typically needed in pharmaceuticals. The technology employs an electrochemical approach that uses inexpensive carbon or magnesium electrodes and eliminates the need for transition metal catalysts.
Specific Environmental Benefit, Climate Change — Professor Mark Mascal at the University of California at Davis (www.ucdavis.edu) in partnership with Origin Materials (www.originmaterials.com) was recognized for developing a process using acidic digestion of biomass to make 5-(chloromethyl)furfural (CMF). CMF is a bio-based platform chemical that can be used to replace petroleum-based feedstocks to manufacture a variety of chemicals. Origin Materials has developed a process for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from CMF.■ Dorothy Lozowski, Editorial Director
Dorothy Lozowski
1. Source: EPA; more details about the winners and the awards can be found on the EPA’s website, www.epa.gov
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.