Administration recognizes chemical innovations
Pollution Engineering
Newton
Aug 1999

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Authors:                  John Kurkowski

Volume:                   31

Issue:                    8

Pagination:               7

ISSN:                     00323640

Subject Terms:            Editorials
                          Environmental protection
                          Chemicals
                          Awards & honors

Classification Codes:     1540: Pollution control
                          9190: US
                          9000: Short article
                          8640: Chemical industry, includes rubber & plastics

Geographic Names:         US


Abstract:

The White House is honoring several "green chemicals" that may have applications
in the environmental protection industry.  Other developments in the industry
are discussed.
Copyright Cahners Magazine Division of Reed Publishing USA Aug 1999

Full Text:

he White House is honoring several "green chemicals" that may have applications
in our industry. 

The four-year-old Presidential Green Chemistry Program seeks "to recognize
and promote fundamental and innovative green chemical challenges, i.e.,
chemical methods that accomplish broad pollution prevention and that have
broad applications in industry," according to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). 

The technologies developed by the five award recipients do indeed have
broad potential applications. But three are likely to be of interest to
Pollution Engineering readers, and two in particular may impact readers
in the pulp and paper industry. 

In the Academic category, a Carnegie Mellon University professor was selected
for developing tetraamidomacrocyclic ligand (TAML) activators that enhance
the oxidizing capability of hydrogen peroxide (H202) in wood pulp delignification.
Prof. Terrence Collins' development could make H202 a viable alternative
to chlorine. 

Massachusetts-based Biofine Inc. was honored in the Small Business category
for finding a low-cost way to convert paper mill sludge into levulinic
acid, an important intermediate in the synthesis of other chemical products.


Finally, an award went to Nalco Chemical Co. for its process to manufacture
water-soluble polymers for wastewater treatment applications. 

International alliances 

Speaking of Nalco, the Naperville, III.-based company is one of the latest
U.S. environmental vendors to announce an alliance with a European partner.
In this case, Nalco was purchased by France's Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux.
At the time the acquisition was announced late in June, the ink was barely
dry on Lyonnaise's agreement to purchase Pittsburgh-based Calgon. 

This spring, Vivendi, Lyonnaise's rival in Europe, purchased American water
giant USFilter. And recently, Environmental Resources Mangement (ERM) of
Exton, Pa., announced an alliance with the U.K.'s Severn Trent Environmental
Services to provide contract O&M services for industrial wastewater. 

In every case, company representatives from both sides of the Atlantic
said the alliances would allow them to provide "integrated" environmental
services. Indeed, the U.S. partners often can boast of extensive technology
and engineering expertise, while their European counterparts have much
experience in contract operations. 

Another goal is take advantage of the burgeoning wastewater outsourcing
trend. "It is becoming increasingly popular for manufacturers to choose
to focus on their core business and leave wastewater treatment services
to others," said a Severn Trent official. 

Our career survey 

The outsourcing or privatization mantra is nothing new, but our latest
career survey suggests the trend is finally picking up steam among Pollution
Engineering readers. More readers report their companies have begun outsourcing
environmental functions in the past year. 

You can read about other results from our 1999 survey in this month's Pollution
Engineering. If you log on to our web site at www.pollutionengineering.com
this month, you can participate in an exercise that will show you how your
salary compares to readers in our survey. Also online, you can look up
back issues of Pollution Engineering International to get a sense of the
technologies and projects European companies have been involved in lately.


[IMAGE PHOTOGRAPH] Captioned as: John Krukowski, Chief Editor