September 24, 2008 10:49 pm by pna
http://balita.ph/2008/09/24/green-chemistry-a-new-way-to-save-the-environment/

By Mediatrix P. Cristobal

MANILA, Sept. 24 - A new trend is emerging in the industrial technology worldwide and one local firm is encouraging fellow companies to follow suit to help save the environment from further degradation.

"Green Chemistry" is slowly taking over the industrial trade. It is the use of chemicals designed to reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts, with some innovations are available in the Philippines.

Green chemistry is a new and highly effective approach to pollution prevention and ecological degradation because it applies innovative scientific solutions to real-world environmental situations, proceeding from the concept that “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Chemical-manufacturer Chemrez Technologies Inc., for one, is leading the way in producing raw materials for making biodegradable plastic and water-based polyester resin, MB BioMate BM-305 and Polycol Aqua respectively, especially designed to lessen environmental pollution.
Use of such products will ultimately result in reduced waste, less costly end-of-the-pipe treatments, safer products, reduced use of energy and resources and improved competitiveness of chemical manufacturers and their customers.

Of the estimated 83,000 chemicals in global commerce, only a few hundred are "green" or environmentally-friendly.

Hundreds of others accumulate in human bodies, build up in nature or are linked to diseases such as cancer. For many of the rest, the risks are unknown or uncertain.
And with the voluminous innovations created in different parts of the world every day, creating "green chemicals" is virtually easy. However, insufficient investment and lack of training keep scientists from embracing green chemistry and designing safer substitutes, even synthetic ones, for the vast majority of compounds in use today.

To promote Green Chemistry in the country, Chemrez is launching the Chemrez Green Chemistry Awards.

It consists of two categories, CHEMREZ Green Chemistry Special Award for the general public, individuals or groups; profit or non-profit organizations and the Sibol Special Award: CHEMREZ Green Chemistry Award for students, individuals or groups, high school or college level.

The winners will be announced coinciding with the Department of Science and Technology's National Inventors' Week in November.
The Chemrez Green Chemistry Awards will provide national recognition of the winning chemical technologies that incorporate the principles of green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture, and use, and that have been or can be utilized by industry and the public in achieving their pollution prevention goals, with green chemistry processes and principles.

The CHEMREZ Green Chemistry Awards entries for both categories above will be adjudged on the exhibit days from November 17-21. (PNA)

LAP/MPC