Eastman was recently honored with one of only five 2009 Presidential Green Chemistry Awards presented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on behalf of the White House. The award recognizes technologies that incorporate the principles of green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture and use.
“Eastman’s talented technology team has scored another bulls-eye,” said Jim Rogers, president and chief executive officer. “This latest recognition offers eloquent testimony to how our continued investments deliver real-world results – the creation and nurturing of sustainable technologies and products.”
Green chemistry, also known as sustainable chemistry, encompasses chemicals and processes that reduce negative impacts on human health and the environment. Aspects of green chemistry include reducing waste, devising safer products and processes, and reducing the use of energy and resources.
“The EPA and American Chemical Society are encouraging companies like us to think sustainably,” said Greg W. Nelson, executive vice president and chief technology officer. “By thinking green, we’re preparing ourselves for the future.”
The future is exactly what Eastman is focusing on. From product development to process improvement, the future is important to us. The Eastman™ green biocatalytic process is a key example of the talents of our Eastman men and women and their commitment to sustainability. This process provides new green, sustainable, and natural ingredients for use in cosmetics and personal care products.
The process uses enzymes and closely controlled conditions to produce esters, an important class of cosmetic ingredients that includes actives, emollients and emulsifiers. Some important key benefits of the process are low energy consumption, operates at low temperatures and uses no solvent of strong acids, and can utilize natural source materials to produce natural ingredients. The process also adheres to as many of the EPA’s 12 Principles of Green Chemistry as possible. “I welcome the challenges of a world that’s changing, that’s encouraging us to do more projects like this,” said Nelson.
