Blogs > Industry Developments
Posted on November 04, 2022 by Lynn L BergesonBy Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
On November 1, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced 26 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners, recognizing their achievements in the design, manufacture, selection, and use of products with safer chemicals. The awardees represent a wide variety of organizations, including small- and medium-sized businesses, women-owned companies, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations, and trade associations.
EPA encouraged applicants for the 2022 awards to show how their work advances environmental justice, bolsters resilience to the impacts of climate change, results in cleaner air or water, or improves drinking water quality. According to EPA, many of the organizations being recognized are working to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and combat the climate crisis. For example, several winners offer products with concentrated formulas that reduce water consumption and plastic use. This practice also lowers GHG emissions by reducing the amount of product that must be transported.
EPA states that additionally, many awardees increased access to products with safer chemical ingredients in underserved and overburdened communities. For example, one nonprofit winner conducted targeted outreach in both English and Spanish to promote safer cleaning techniques and products, including Safer Choice-certified products, in food trucks. Many of these businesses are owned and operated by immigrant entrepreneurs. Another winner made its Safer Choice-certified product line more accessible to lower income shoppers by offering affordable prices and making these products available at retailers that often serve low-income communities.
In early 2023, EPA intends to build on this work by announcing a grant opportunity for projects that can increase supply and demand for safer, environmentally preferable products such as those certified by the Safer Choice program or identified by EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program.
The 2022 winners include:
- American Cleaning Institute, District of Columbia;
- The Ashkin Group, LLC, Channel Islands Harbor, California;
- Bona US, Englewood, Colorado;
- Case Medical, Bloomfield, New Jersey;
- Church & Dwight Co., Inc., Ewing, New Jersey;
- Clean Safety & Health in Food Trucks (CleanSHiFT) Team, Seattle, Washington;
- The Clorox Company, Oakland, California;
- Colgate-Palmolive, New York, New York;
- Design for the Environment Logo Redesign Coalition: Environmental Defense Fund, The Natural Resources Defense Council, The Clorox Company, The Procter & Gamble Company, and Reckitt;
- Dirty Labs Inc., Portland, Oregon;
- ECOS, Cypress, California;
- Grove Collaborative, San Francisco, California;
- The Hazardous Waste Management Program, Seattle, Washington;
- Holloway House, Inc., Fortville, Indiana;
- The Home Depot, Atlanta, Georgia;
- Household & Commercial Products Association, District of Columbia;
- Jelmar, LLC, Skokie, Illinois;
- Lemi Shine, Austin, Texas;
- LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, San Francisco, California;
- Mother Africa, Kent, Washington;
- Novozymes North America, Raleigh, North Carolina;
- The ODP Corporation, Boca Raton, Florida;
- The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio;
- PurposeBuilt Brands, Gurnee, Illinois;
- Sensitive Home, Greenbrae, California; and
- Solutex, Sterling, Virginia.
Posted on October 12, 2022 by Lynn L BergesonBergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) October 11, 2022, webinar “Environmental, Social, and Governance Issues: A Business Imperative” is now available for on-demand viewing at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/4666338769766648838. During this one-hour webinar, experts from FTI Consulting, Christine DiBartolo, Senior Managing Director, Head of Americas Corporate Reputation, and Ken Ditzel, Senior Managing Director, explore the hows and whys of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, clearing up what can be a confusing “alphabet soup” for newcomers and providing practical tips for embarking upon an ESG journey for entities beginning the process. In conversation with Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, B&C, panelists discussed how to conduct an ESG assessment, what makes an ESG program successful, and risks and opportunities that must be considered when undertaking this significant task. A well-designed ESG strategy can achieve meaningful improvements in corporate performance and provide real value to stakeholders through specific commitments to corporate responsibility, making it well worth the effort.
We encourage you to view the webinar, read about ESG and Sustainability, and subscribe to B&C’s informative blogs and newsletters and FTI Consulting’s ESG+ newsletter.
Posted on May 26, 2022 by Lynn L BergesonBergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) May 18, 2022, webinar “Domestic Chemical Regulation and Achieving Circularity” is now available for on-demand viewing. During this one-hour webinar, Lynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, B&C, moderated a timely and fascinating review of the state of sustainable chemical regulation in the United States with Kate Sellers, Technical Fellow, ERM; Mathy Stanislaus, Vice Provost, Executive Director, The Environmental Collaboratory, Drexel University; and Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Director of Chemistry, B&C.
A circular economy requires new thinking about what products we make, from which materials we make them, and where products go at the end of their useful lives. An important but often overlooked aspect of new product development is an understanding of the consequences of the product’s chemical composition and the end-of-life implications of the decisions made at the front end of the process. During the webinar, Ms. Sellers outlined barriers and enablers to the circular economy, including practical challenges like supply chain limitations and industry frameworks; Dr. Engler highlighted how the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulates discarded substances used as feedstocks by others and articles that may contain contaminants that could affect how an article is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under TSCA; and Mr. Stanislaus reviewed policy issues, including waste management hierarchy, circular economy hierarchy, and other mechanisms that incentivize sustainability.
We encourage you to view the webinar, listen to the All Things Chemical® episodes “Trends in Product Sustainability and Circularity — A Conversation with Kate Sellers” and “How Can Battery Production Be Greener? — A Conversation with Mathy Stanislaus,” read ERM’s report Circularity: From Theory to Practice, and subscribe to B&C’s informative blogs and newsletters.
Posted on February 07, 2022 by Lynn L BergesonOn December 9, 2021, the American Chemical Society (ACS) announced the 2022 Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference’s (GC&E) lineup of symposia accepted to the conference. The symposia focus on the 2022 GC&E overarching theme: “Thinking in Systems: Designing for Sustainable Use.” This theme will explore how green and sustainable chemistry and engineering contribute to the development and commercialization of products for sustainable use. Accepted symposia include a session organized by B&C’s Director of Chemistry, Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., and Ligia Duarte Botelho, Regulatory Associate. B&C’s symposium will explore the “new chemical bias” and how it continues to pose a barrier to market acceptance of novel chemistry and sustainable thinking.
The GC&E call for abstracts opened on January 3, 2022, and abstracts must be submitted by February 14, 2022. B&C’s symposium is open for abstract submissions.
Early registration for the conference will be open from February 15 through April 30, 2022.
Posted on January 19, 2022 by Lynn L BergesonBy Lynn L. Bergeson
On December 22, 2021, Cargill announced an agreement with Croda to acquire the majority of its performance technologies and industrial chemicals business in Summer 2022, pending regulatory approvals. This investment includes biobased and renewable technologies used in the automotive, polymer, and food packaging industries, as well as production facilities across Europe and Asia. “The bioindustrial space is a priority for Cargill, as we strive to support our customers with innovative, nature-based solutions that deliver real-world benefits,” said Colleen May, President of Cargill’s Bioindustrial business. “Combining our diverse, global supply chain and deep operational expertise with Croda’s extensive industrial business capabilities and broad bio-based portfolio will spark a new wave of innovation and create tremendous value for our customers.”
Posted on January 19, 2022 by Lynn L BergesonBy Lynn L. Bergeson
On December 9, 2021, the American Chemical Society (ACS) announced the 2022 Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference’s (GC&E) lineup of symposia accepted to the conference. The symposia focus on the 2022 GC&E overarching theme: “Thinking in Systems: Designing for Sustainable Use.” This theme will explore how green and sustainable chemistry and engineering contribute to the development and commercialization of products for sustainable use. Accepted symposia include a session organized by B&C’s Director of Chemistry, Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., and Ligia Duarte Botelho, Regulatory Associate. B&C’s symposium will explore the “new chemical bias” and how it continues to pose a barrier to market acceptance of novel chemistry and sustainable thinking.
The GC&E call for abstracts opened on January 3, 2022, and abstracts must be submitted by February 14, 2022. B&C’s symposium is open for abstract submissions.
Early registration for the conference will be open from February 15 through April 30, 2022.
Posted on November 04, 2021 by Lynn L BergesonBy Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has posted a recording of the September 22, 2021, webinar that it hosted to educate stakeholders on the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards and the nomination process. The webinar reviewed the history of the awards, the categories within the awards, eligibility requirements, and what is needed to submit a nomination. As reported in our August 27, 2021, blog item, EPA is currently accepting nominations for the 2022 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards from companies or institutions that have developed a new green chemistry process or product that helps protect human health and the environment. Nominations are due December 10, 2021. An independent panel of technical experts convened by the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute will formally judge the 2022 nominations and make recommendations to EPA for the 2022 winners. EPA anticipates giving awards to outstanding green chemistry technologies in six categories in June 2022.
Posted on October 08, 2021 by Lynn L BergesonLynn L. Bergeson, Managing Partner, Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®), will present during the “Moving Towards ‘Cradle-to-Cradle’: Regulatory Drivers and Barriers in Reducing Waste and Achieving Sustainable Lifecycle Management and a Circular Economy” session on October 14, 2021, at 1:45 p.m. (EDT), at the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) 29th Fall Conference.
Posted on August 27, 2021 by Lynn L BergesonBy Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards from companies or institutions that have developed a new green chemistry process or product that helps protect human health and the environment. EPA states that in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to tackle the climate crisis, it is adding a new award category to recognize technology that reduces or eliminates greenhouse gas emissions. EPA will hold a webinar during Pollution Prevention (P2) Week, on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, from 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. (EDT), to educate stakeholders on the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards and the nomination process. Nominations are due to EPA by December 10, 2021. According to EPA, an independent panel of technical experts convened by the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute will formally judge the 2022 nominations and make recommendations to EPA for the 2022 winners. EPA anticipates giving awards to outstanding green chemistry technologies in six categories in June 2022.
Posted on August 06, 2021 by Lynn L BergesonBy Lynn L. Bergeson
Join the Product Stewardship Society (PSS) and a panel of experts for a unique webinar on how your role as a product steward can make an impact. You will learn strategies you can use to support your organization during business disruptions. “The Critical Role of Product Stewardship in Business Continuity” includes a facilitated panel discussion with real-world examples provided of product stewardship management in the aftermath of disruptive events like the pandemic. Specific examples will be shared to illustrate how product stewards can help organizations successfully transition from incident management to recovery and resume operations in a “new normal.” Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is pleased to sponsor this complimentary webinar.
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