A new competition was announced today that will honor industrial, academic, student, and non-profit efforts to "green" Michigan's economy. The Michigan Green Chemistry Governor's Awards are open to individuals, groups, and organizations in Michigan, including academia, educators, nonprofit advocacy groups, and industry.

The new award program was announced by the Green Chemistry Roundtable, a group convened as a result of Executive Directive 2006-6 issued by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm that established state policy encouraging the use of safer, less toxic, or non-toxic chemical alternatives to hazardous substances and the research, development, and implementation of green chemistry in Michigan.

"Green Chemistry is an exciting opportunity for the business and academic communities to develop new techniques to grow our economy while better protecting our environment," said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. "The awards will help celebrate these innovations that will become an integral part of Michigan's future."

The Green Chemistry Roundtable, which is comprised of experts representing business, academia, and environmental interests groups, has played an active role in the development of the award program.

"The awards are designed to highlight Michigan efforts to advance Green Chemistry, an important new development in chemistry that seeks to design products, processes, and chemicals so they are safe for health and the environment," said Tracey Easthope, MPH, Environmental Health Director for the Ecology Center in Ann Arbor.

The award program recognizes advances that either incorporate the principles of green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture, or use; or that promote activities that support or implement those technologies. The Roundtable will present one or more awards in each of the following categories:

• Business: individual efforts, team efforts, and/or corporate effort for a   green chemistry technology in any of the four focus areas identified in the nomination packet.
• Academic: academic research and development efforts in any of the identified four focus areas.
• Education: green chemistry education efforts at any level, from high school to post graduate, in any of the identified four focus areas.
• Public: community reform that recognizes efforts from advocates, local government, service organizations, and/or the general public, in any of the identified four focus areas.
• Student: undergraduate and graduate chemistry and engineering student design projects that incorporate one or more of the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry

Entries, other than the student award applications, must be sent no later than July 15, 2009, while the student award applications are due April 10. Award recipients will be honored at a special dinner at the Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit on September 24.

Further information on the Michigan Green Chemistry Program, along with a copy of the nomination packet, is available on the DEQ Web site at www.michigan.gov/deqgreenchemistry, or by calling the DEQ, Environmental Assistance Center at (800) 662-9278.

Editor's note: DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"

Revised March 30, 2009 by Pat Watson