December 2009 Archives

Before 2009 ends, I just wanted to greet our faithful (and not-so faithful lol!) blog readers a Happy New Year!! I hope 2010 will bring green chemistry more to the forefront of every nook and cranny of the manufacturing, energy, chemical, and other industrial and commercial sectors.

To celebrate, here's an article from enzymes company Novozymes about producing a low-emitting, great-tasting beer!

Novozymes' new enzyme Ondea® Pro is said to enable brewers to produce beer based on 100% unmalted barley. What does that mean when it comes to green, you ask?

Malting barley consists of soaking the grain in water to allow the grain to germinate, then drying the grain, which utilizes water and energy. Avoiding this step will significantly reduce CO2 emissions, according to the company.

Brewing with unmalted barley reduced the overall carbon footprint of beer production by 8%, they said.

"We also documented a 7% reduction in the amount of barley required to produce the same volume of beer, thereby improving land utilization and operating profit. With every 10% of current global beer production there is a potential to save more than 350,000 tons of CO2. This is roughly equivalent to taking 85,000 cars off the road." - Novozymes

Another way to further green our favorite alcoholic beverage such as wine is to look at how grapes are produced. My recent interview with Agraquest CEO Marcus Meadows-Smith revealed an interesting tidbit on how wines are becoming more sustainable by using biopesticides (and therefore less chemicals).

The company's two major products with vineyard applications are "Sonata," a strain of Bacillus pumilis, for powdery mildew control, and "Serenade," to control Botrytis and sour rot.

Both products can be used for conventional and organic production and both are non-toxic to beneficial insects and other non-target organisms; safe for workers with only a four hour re-entry interval, and can be used up to and including the day of harvest.

You will definitely hear more about biopesticides (and AgraQuest) next year!

So let's drink our sustainable beer and wine and a toast to everybody's (and mother earth's) health!! Cheers and Happy New Year!

[Photo from AgraQuest]

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just announced that it is raising its red warning flag on four chemicals - phthalates, short chain chlorinated paraffins, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and perfluorinated chemicals (including PFOA) that are believed to be of concern to health and environment.

The EPA said it is using, for the first time, its authority under the existing Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to list chemicals that may "present an unreasonable risk of injury to health and the environment." EPA plans to further reform TSCA and said that they would act on other widely studied chemicals that may pose threat to human health.

Since 1976, the EPA only successfully restricted or banned 5 existing chemicals out of 80,000 currently listed under TSCA.

The red flags on these four chemicals signal a possibility of more restrictions or even a ban. Once listed, chemical companies who manufacture the products can provide information to the agency if they want to demonstrate that their chemical does not pose an unreasonable risk.

Sugar-based chemical feedstock seems to be prominently featured in 2009 as several developments continue to center on the promise of sugar as alternative to petroleum.

So what are some of the bioproducts currently using sugar? The International Sugar Organization just published their first-ever report about using sugar for chemicals and other bio-products, which led me to post this article (thanks also to Genomatica for alerting me about the report!).

The study investigates the market potential for sugarcane and beet bio products arising from industrial biotechnology advances.

A major product is bioplastic such as bio-polyethylene made from sugarcane-based ethylene. Brazilian chemical company Braskem is a prominent developer in this area. Braskem also recently announced its development partnership with enzyme company Novozymes for bio-propylene using sugar-cane as feedstock.

Novozymes, meanwhile, just announced its partnership with Cetrel for the development of biogas and electricity from sugarcane bagasse.

Also in Brazil, sugarcane and ethanol producer Pedra Agroindustrial plans to start commercial bioplastics production by late 2012 using sugarcane-based poly-3hydroxybutyrate (PHB). Meanwhile, French chemical company Solvay is also developing bio-polyvinyl chloride (PVC) using sugarcane-based ethylene.

Coca-Cola, by the way, is already using sugarcane-based plastic as part of its newly-launched PlantBottle packaging. Packaging company Tetra Pak also recently announced its partnership with Braskem for the use of Braskem's sugarcane-based high-density polyethylene.

Searching the Green Blog (keyword: sugar) produces interesting development on new sugar-based chemical building blocks such as Genomatica's 1,4 butanediol (BDO) and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK); Cargill and Novozymes' 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HPA) to produce acrylic acid; Virent Energy Systems looking to produce conventional liquid fuels from biomass-derived sugards; Procter & Gamble's Sefose alkyd resin technology made from combined sugar and vegetable oil; Itaconix' itaconic acid; Rivertop Renewables' glucaric acid; DuPont's corn sugar-based propanediol (PDO); Avantium's furanics from C6 sugars; and biosuccinic from BioAmber.

Another major developer of sugar-based chemicals and fuel is Amyris. The company will soon produce its first sugacane-based diesel using its newly purchased ethanol-producing mill owned and operated by the São Martinho Group in Brazil.

Amyris also recently announced other partnerships with three sugar and ethanol manufacturers in Brazil for the development and commercialization of sugar-based chemicals and fuel.

Most of these projects are announced just this year, and we will probably see much, much more in 2010!

Also check more about the sugar-based industrial products developments in Brazil posted by Joe Chang in the blog.

The Bad news: Americans seem to be more exposed to chemicals from 2003 to 2004, according to a biomonitoring survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Good news: Toxic chemicals released into the environment in 2008 was 6% less compared to 2007, according to a recent analysis from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

According to the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) report, which includes data on 650 chemicals from more than 21,000 facilities, total toxic chemicals releases to air last year decreased 14%, although releases to surface water increased 3% partially attributed to a coal ash spill at a Tennessee Valley Authority facility in Kingston, Tenn.

Releases to land remain virtually unchanged from 2007, showing a 0.1% increase, the EPA said.

The report also shows decreases in the releases of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals including lead, dioxin, and mercury. Mercury release/disposal was down 11%, dioxin down 77%, while lead releases decreased by 2%.

Releases of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) increased 121% which represent the removal of PCBs from service for disposal at regulated hazardous waste facilities. PCBs are no longer used in U.S. manufacturing.

The analysis also shows a 5% decline in the number of facilities reporting to TRI from the previous year presumably because more facilities have closed, discontinued or idled. EPA said it will investigate why some facilities reported in 2007 but not 2008.

Information reported by multiple industry sectors including manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities, and commercial hazardous waste facilities is submitted annually to EPA and states. Facilities report by July 1 of each year.

I forgot to mention that ICIS Chemical Business (the magazine I work for) is sponsoring and coordinating a program called "Profiles in Sustainability" at the chemical/pharma tradeshow Informex, which as the name implies, will promote, publicize and reward exhibitors' and attendees' achievements in "being green".

A panel of industry experts will be assigned to review all submissions received through January 15, and they will select five as the "innovators".

Companies interested should submit from a business-oriented perspective, how they have implemented processes that minimize negative environmental impacts, conserve energy and natural resources without compromising safety or economics. Of course that also includes how these processes generate revenues.

For more information, pls. contact Caitlin Devin, email: caitlin.devin@ubm.com, phone # 609-759-4735.

In the meantime, maybe these new sustainability and other newly launched green-oriented websites that just cropped up from various chemical companies would help you with your submission ideas. Goodluck!

• Sustainability at Dow Corning

• Danisco launches website for climate-friendly foods

• Cognis launches new sustainability Internet portal

• Sustainability at Akzo Nobel and Formulate Green Page
  

ICIS news reported in November that French specialty chemical company Arkema plans that 10% of its sales will soon come from renewable resources. The company says it is also currently directly allocating over 50% of its R&D expenditure to innovation in every area which contributes to the development of eco-technologies.

The company has been very busy recently in building up its sustainability product portfolio and even launched in November a new Sustainability Additives Group within the company's Functional Additives division.

According to an email from Arkema, the new group's mission is to develop additives solutions that will lead to more efficient use of energy and resources; help manage (or create less) waste; extend the life of existing products; and help develop and grow new materials based on new or renewable sources of energy.

The group is led by General Manager Antonis Papdourakis and with following market-focused teams led by Peggy Sharp (packaging and healthcare), Bill Luzier (energy, buildings and construction), and Leo Kasehagen (automotive and initiation).

Hey, at least now I know who to contact! = ). I was actually supposed to interview Peggy Sharp about this new group but conflicting schedules prevented that. Oh well, maybe next year...

Aside from the previously mentioned markets, the group is also looking at solar and wind energy markets as potential growth source.

A new product the group just recently launched is a biopolymer processing lubricant additive under the company's Biostrength product line. Arkema said its Biostrength® 900 metal release additive enables more consistent processing of polylactic acid (PLA) and other biopolymers and blends.

I was a little bit tied up with deadlines when this report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) came out two weeks ago but this is still interesting enough to warrant a post before the year ends.

CDC said its recently released Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environment Chemicals was the most extensive assessment to date yet covering for the first time 75 new chemicals bringing to a total of 212 chemicals in its database.

Some of the chemicals added include acrylamide and glycidamide adducts; arsenic species and metabolites; environmental phenols including bisphenol A and triclosan; perchlorate; perfluorinated chemicals; polybrominated diphenyl ethers; volatile organic compounds, etc...

The data analyzed in the Fourth Report are based on blood and urine samples that were collected from approximately 2400 people who participated in CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 through 2004.

NHANES is an ongoing national health survey of the non-institutionalized U.S. population that includes collecting and analyzing blood and urine samples to help further research involving exposures and health effects.

CDC said the report can help physicians and public health officials determine whether people have been exposed to higher environmental chemicals as well as help scientists plan and conduct research about health effects.

During my previous interview with CEO Alan Shaw, Codexis mentioned its plans to file an initial public offering (IPO) and I guess this is as good time as any.

The company announced yesterday that it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) relating to the proposed IPO.

Various news reports indicate the company's plan to raise $100m from the offering although no set date or number of shares were announced as of yet.

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and Goldman, Sachs & Co. will be acting as joint book-running managers, with RBC Capital Markets Corporation and Pacific Crest Securities LLC acting as co-managers for the offering.

Shares will trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "CDXS."

Codexis says it plans to use the funds from the IPO to fund working capital and corporate activities, potentially including acquisitions or increasing its production capacity.

Last week, Codexis acquired a 16.59% stake in Canadian company CO2 Solution for CDN$2m ($1.9m). The companies plan to develop and deploy CO2's enzymatic carbon capture technology. CO2 Solution will be responsible for processes, testing and enzyme delivery systems, while Codexis responsible for enzyme development and manufacturing.

Codexis reported 2008 revenue of $50.5 million, and $58.7 million in the first nine months of 2009.The company reportedly lost $15.1 million from January to September this year.

As the title indicated, I am trying to clean up my blog drafts to prepare for 2010 influx (I'm sure there are plenty of outlook reports coming up by January).

Most of the reports in this post are from Frost & Sullivan although there are some other interesting studies from Freedonia, Pike Research, McKinsey and even from Organic Monitor for updates on the organic cosmetic and personal care market.

I hope these will be useful to you!

Transportation:
Biofuels an Important Step in Achieving a Greener Aviation Industry

Southeast Asian Bioethanol Market Stimulated by the need to reduce reliance on Petrochemicals

2010 Will Be a Pivotal Year for Electric Vehicles

Study: Global biofuels reduce GHGs by 123.5 million tonnes

The Ethanol Challenge for the United States

Energy:
Cogeneration Fires Up North American Power Industry

Europe is the Largest Waste to Energy Market in the World, but Delays and Recession Threaten Primacy

New Analysis Projects Asia Pacific Fuel Cell Market at $1.9 Billion in 2015

Materials and Chemicals:
Green Factor Enables Positive Momentum for Biodegradable Plastics Market,

Green Buildings Continue Impressive Growth

Global demand for bioplastics to reach 900,000 metric tons in 2013

The North American and Western European Biopesticides Markets Will Grow Strong Thanks to Chemical-free Crops

Green Propylene Production Technology, Plant Cost & Supply/Demand Market

Carbon Market:
New Report: The Global Carbon Market 2009

Low Carbon Fuels Could Disrupt Oil Market Within Five Years

Climate Change Concerns Drive the Air Pollution Control Market in South Africa

Marketing:
All Green Consumers are not created Equal

Most consumers sticking with organic options in down economy

Healthy Sales Growth Continues for the European Market for Natural Cosmetics

Consulting firm Nexant recently published a report discussing several bisphenol-A (BPA)-free alternative resins for baby bottles production. Some of them include high density polyethylene (HDPE), metallocene polypropylene (PP), polyethylene naphthalate, Eastman's Tritan copolyester, and polyethersulfone.

The consulting firm discussed the pros and cons of these alternative plastics in terms of process economics and properties compared to polycarbonate.

BPA has been subjected to much worldwide scrutiny these past few years as several studies linked the chemical to health problems and environmental risks.

BPA is primarily used as a feedstock for polycarbonate and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate's applications include food containers and water and baby bottles. Epoxy resins are utilized for lining food and drink cans, and for dental sealants.

Early this month, another study from the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique in France reported that in their research, laboratory rats exposed to BPA have impacted intestinal barrier function and gut health. According to the researchers, few studies have focused on the impact of BPA on the gut, despite food being a major source of exposure.

Despite the chemical industry's assurance of BPA's safety based on decades-long scientific studies, several regulations are on the pipeline to restrict and even ban the use of BPA.

As of January 1, 2010, Minnesota will became the first state to ban the use of BPA in the manufacturing of sippy cups and bottles. The ban extends to all retailers in the state a year later.

Other states such as California, Connecticut, Michigan and New York are said to be considering similar legislation.

Although these products might be too late to give for Christmas but there are still birthdays and Valentine's Day to consider. I tried to compile all of these for the past two months now and if you are already using any of them, give me a feedback!

1. Eco-Green Graffiti Remover - got a problem with the neigborhood kids? Why not give them this eco-friendly graffiti remover from Daimer Industries? The remover is said to be 100% plant-based and can remove paint, permanent marker, pencil, pen and grease. It is available in package sizes ranging from five to 5,000-gallon containers.

2. Carpet backed with green - when looking for a carpet or rug, make sure it has an environment-friendly backing system such as the EnviroCel™ HOME green backing by Universal Textile Technologies. The main carpet backing is made of 50% by weight renewable materials while the secondary backing is from 100% post-consumer recycled PET plastic.

3. Renewable-based swimwear - If you're going to the Caribbean (or other warm places) during winter, opt for swimwear that features green fabrics such as Carvico's Amazzonia warp-knitted stretch fabrics. This Italian fabric is made with ADVANSA's BIOPHYL® eco-polyester yarns that uses biobased-PDO (propanediol).

4. Recycled water-proof clothes - Or if you don't want to get wet but still want your clothing gear to be green, try Teijin Fibers' ECO STORM recyclable, waterproof and breathable material made from recycled fibers laminated with a highly durable thin polyester film. The fibers will be incorporated in sailing wear featured in Henri Lloyd's Blue Eco Range products to be launched in 2010.

5. Bio-based credit card - this will probably be a more popular gift especially if it contains large amount. Presenting the world's first MasterCard credit card that uses polylactic acid (PLA)-based bio-polymer. The card is a joint development effort of Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP), Mitsubishi Plastic Inc., (MPI) and Sony Corporation.

6. Degradable smart cards - if you're afraid of giving somebody credit cards (who isn't?), then why not use your own degradable smart banking card to get cash? Gemalto launched in November the world's first bio-sourced degradable smart banking cards and even SIM cards. The smart cards will be ready for mass production in the first quarter of 2010.

7. Soy-based candles - If you need something way cheaper, SC Johnson's new Fragrance Collections featuring soy-based candles could work. There are various cool fragrant candles here such as currants & acai, lotus bamboo, holiday pomegranate, and jasmine & white orchid.

8. Green sugar - finally, a green sweetener for your sweet with this biodegradable and compostable sugar sachet jointly developed by Novamont and Novarese Zuccheri. The sachet uses Novamont's Mater-Bi bioplastic.

As I am currently writing my article on sustainable buildings and construction, I came across this news about the City Council of New York recently passing four legislation under the six-point Greener, Greater Buildings plan that will reduce emissions from large existing buildings in the city.

The legislation include the following:

• New York City Energy Code Bill that will require all buildings being renovated to comply with the standard energy code International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)

• Benchmarking Bill that will require a benchmarking standard evaluating a building's energy efficiency for all private buildings greater than 50,000 sq.ft. or public buildings greater than 10,000 sq.ft.

• Lighting Upgrades and Sub-metering Bill that will require lighting systems in commercial buildings over 50,000 sq.ft. be upgraded to meet the requirements of the New York City Energy Conservation Code. The bill also requires large commercial buildings sub-meter electricity usage in certain large tenant spaces and that building owners provide these tenants with a monthly statement showing electric consumption and the amount charged for electricity.

• Audits and Retro-Commissioning Bill that requires existing buildings over 50,000 sq.ft. to undergo an energy audit and undertake retro-commissioning measures once every ten years.

According to the City Council, 80% of New York City's carbon footprint comes from buildings' energy use, and 85% of the buildings that exist today will be in use in 2030. Once implemented, the legislation passed today will reduce citywide greenhouse gas emissions by 4.75 percent, the largest reduction achieved by a single program.

France recently signed a framework agreement to promote development and commercialization of compostable bioplastic bags.

The covenant was signed by the French Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development, the French Mayors Association (AMF), the Federation of Commerce and Distribution in France (FCD), the French Bioplastics Association (Club Bio-plastiques), the Association of Plastics Manufacturers (Plastics Europe) and the French Plastic and Flexible Packaging Association (ELIPSO).

According to European Bioplastics group, the agreement intends to develop the availability of compostable bioplastics in mass retail in order to promote collection of compostable waste.

The group said the use of certified compostable bioplastic waste bags supports the organic recovery of biodegradable waste.

France expects to produce the bioplastic waste bag containing 40% vegetable-based material next year, and raising it to 70% in 2018.

The chemical industry knows a thing or two to make your holidays green not blue -- trying to practice my poetry skill here. = )

Here are some tips from the America Chemical Society's Green Chemistry Institute (ACS GCI) to make the holidays more environment-friendly. The Institute works to foster the discovery and design of chemical products and processes that eliminate generation and use of hazardous substances.

• RECYCLE -Instead of buying everything new during the holidays, try recycling a few things like paper, ribbons, tags, bags and even used batteries. If your community offers a program to turn used Christmas trees into mulch or wood chips, use it.

• REUSE -Rather than buying brand new wrapping paper, make your own using old newspapers, maps, or children's artwork. Collect and reuse old bags and boxes. If you buy a live Christmas tree, plant it when the holidays are over. Try to buy only trees grown with sustainable forest practices.

• REPURPOSE -Those old shopping bags can make colorful and roomy gift bags! Even used newspaper comics can double as unusual wrapping paper. Be creative!

• RETHINK - Consider buying organic, locally-produced foods as well as locally-made gifts to avoid energy consumption associated with shipping. Instead of mailing greetings, send E-cards. And don't leave outdoor holiday lights on all night.

• REGROUP - Drop your thermostat a few degrees, don that holiday sweater and sip hot cider with family and friends saving a bit of energy while reducing green house gases.
  

For now, here are last week's news roundup:

Lactide for bioplastics
Purac will start construction of a lactide plant in Thailand to produce components for bioplastics. The EUR 45 million ($64.6m) plant will start up in the second half of 2011.

Bagasse to biogas
Cetrel and Novozymes joined in a research partnership to turn the sugarcane waste bagasse into biogas using enzymes. The biogas can be used to produce electricity for production facilities, and surplus electricity can be sold to the market through the electric grid.

Carbon capture project in Texas
Air Products has signed a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Energy (DOE) on a two-phase carbon capture project that will design and construct a state-of-the-art system to capture CO2 from Air Products' steam methane reformers located at a refinery in Port Arthur, Texas.

Valero buys ethanol plants
Valero will pay $200m to ASA Ethanol Holdings LLC to buy two ethanol plants that had been previously owned by VeraSun Energy. The plants - located in Linden, Ind. and Bloomingburg, Ohio - each have an annual production capacity of 110 million gallons.

Kyocera supplies solar
Kyocera has supplied roughly 190,000 solar modules, equivalent to approximately 40 megawatts (MW) for two newly completed large-scale solar power plants in Spain. The company will also supply 13 MW of solar modules for the Ohgishima Solar Power Plant planned by Tokyo Electric Power Company. The installation will be one of the largest in Japan.

And in ICIS news (requires subscription):
The European Biodiesel Board (EBB) is close to launching an official complaint to EU trade authorities against importers of US biodiesel alleged to have circumvented anti-dumping tariffs imposed earlier in the year.

The photovoltaic (PV) industry will likely grow, fuelling demand for raw materials produced by chemical companies, according to Deloitte Services.

The dispute between the Obama administration and the US energy sector over development of the nation's vast domestic oil and gas resources is growing increasingly heated, and it may play a central role in next year's national elections.

Chemical companies Albemarle, Chemtura and ICL just announced today that they will phase out their flame retardant Deca-BDE even though it has been deemed safe for years by scientific studies

The companies have committed to end production, importation, and sales of deca BDE for most uses in the United States by December 31, 2012, and to end all uses by the end of 2013.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it has long been concerned about its impact on human health and the environment and asked the three producers to voluntantarily phase out the chemical.

Albemarle said there are other "environmentally sound and safe" substitutes for the flame retardant that are available today. The company notes its newly launched polymer-based flame retardant technology GreenArmor, which is said to be a recyclable and eco-friendly alternative to decabrom technology.

"Our investment in this new fire safety technology demonstrates Albemarle's commitment to constantly seek higher-performing, sustainable alternatives to existing fire safety products," said Tony Parnell, vice president of the company's polymer solutions division.

Chemtura noted on its letter to the EPA that it will complete a phase-out of decaBDE production by the end of 2012 except for certain uses, which will be discontinued by the end of 2013. The phase-out will focus first on consumer applications such as electronics and home furnishings followed by other applications.

The company promised not to stockpile inventories for future sale.

ICL said it will focus first on imports and sales for electrical and electronic equipment, which they will discontinue by December 31, 2010. Imports and sale to other markets will be phase out by the end of 2012.

A very interesting development here is the recent agreement between the Danish government and the Californian environment authorities on green chemistry initiatives.

The Danish Minister for the Environment, Troels Lund Poulsen, said this cooperation will focus on exchanging experience, training, and best available technology in the chemicals field, particularly on endocrine disruptors, combination effects and nanotechnology.

"I know that people in California are very interested in our knowledge about endocrine disruptors and our experience in enforcing regulation and informing about problem substances in consumer products. On the other hand, California has invested huge resources in developing "green chemicals", environmental and health assessments of nanomaterials, and developing consumer product registers. This is where we in Denmark can benefit from Californian knowledge and experience," said Mr. Lund Poulsen.

California's Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is currently continuing to develop the Safer Alternative Regulations under its Green Chemistry Initiative. Under the proposal, California manufacturers will be forced to use non-toxic chemicals in their products by 2011. There are currently around 10,000 chemicals on the state's draft list. DTSC expects to finalize the proposal by the end of 2010.

Some of the comments coming from proponents and against the regulation proposal can be found here.

This one is about the the $800,000 funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYERSDA) will soon help Novomer commercialize its polypropylene carbonate (PPC) materials made carbon dioxide.

Novomer said it will use Kodak Specialty Chemicals' existing facility at Eastman Business Park in Rochester, NY, for a pilot project to create the PPC plastic for packaging and coating applications (examples are bottles and shrink wrap). Other potential PPC markets include surfactants and fibers.  The Rochester Institute of Technology is helping with the product processing development, according to Novomer.

The technology, however, was developed at Cornell University.

This project is the second phase of Novomer's partnership with NYSERDA. The first phase with a $150,000 grant was carried out between December 2008 and May 2009 to investigate the financial, marketing, and environmental potential for PPC materials.

According to an anonymous tip, Novomer is also hooking up with LyondellBasell on a multimillion dollar grant from the Department of Energy for using waste carbon dioxide into chemicals and other products. Based on the synopsis of the DOE grant, LyondellBasell is probably looking into a carbon capture project with Novomer using the carbon to transform it into plastics and other chemicals. Of course this is just my speculation and we will probably hear more about this grant in the near future.

In another green plastic development, scientists from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced late last month that they were able to produce bioengineered polylactic acid (PLA) plastic using the E.coli strain in a direct fermentation process.

This makes the renewable production of PLA and lactate-containing copolymers cheaper and more commercially viable, according to the researchers. The team are working with Korean chemical company LG Chem.

In the commercial market meanwhile, Nestle announced its next-generation Eco-Shape(®) bottle, which is said to weigh 9.3 grams on average and contains 60% less plastic than the original, pre-Eco-Shape half-liter PET bottle introduced in the mid-1990s.

The bottle is currently rolling out in Poland Spring® Natural Spring Water, Arrowhead® Mountain Spring Water and Nestle® Pure Life® Purified Water. Other brands as well as additional product sizes will roll out starting in spring 2010.

I wonder how these news including Coca-Cola's PlantBottle and other beverage manufacturers cutting back on their product packaging will affect overall demand for petroleum-based plastics?

So my news roundup schedule is busted the past two weeks but it's a shame to not post these announcements especially updates about bio-succinic acid. I have also several consulting studies on draft that hopefully will soon be posted (as soon as school final exams are over this week! Yeah!).

For now here are last week's big announcements. The biggest one by the way is oil company Valero dipping it's fingers in jatropha biodiesel for $3.5bn!

Valero's $3.5bn biodiesel deal
Australian biodiesel refiner and jatropha producer Mission NewEnergy entered a 5-year biodiesel supply deal with oil company Valero. Mission will supply Valero up to 200,000 tonnes/year of biodiesel and the option to double the amount and extend the contract to 5 more years. Valero also has the right to buy 25% of Mission's common shares. The deal represents gross revenue potential to Mission of over US$3.5 billion.

Bio-succinic in PBS plastic
Bioamber (a joint venture between DNP Green Technology and ARD) and Sinoven Biopolymers Inc. have signed a supply agreement for biobased succinic acid. Bioamber will be Sinoven's exclusive supplier of biobased succinic acid, enabling Sinoven to produce renewable modified polybutylene succinate plastic (PBS).

Novozymes, it seems, is flooding my inbox with lots of news from Copenhagen, but this one is pretty significant for the bioplastic market.

Novozymes and Brazilian chemical company Braskem announced today that they formed a research partnership to develop large-scale polypropylene production from sugarcane. The sugar-based propylene production will use Novozyme's fermentation technology, although the development is expected to run for at least 5 years.

Polypropylene (PP) is current made from petroleum oil, and is said to be most widely used thermoplastic worldwide. The market is estimated to be worth $66bn with an annual growth rate of 4%. Global consumption for PP last year was 44m metric tons.

Braskem is also currently building a 200,000-tons-per-year green polyethylene plant in Brazil with ethanol from sugarcane as the raw material.

That facility is expected to start operations in 2011. Last month, Braskem signed a deal with Tetra Pak to supply the company limited volumes of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) derived entirely from a renewable feedstock.

Braskem will begin supplying Tetra Pak with 5 Kilotons per year of green HDPE from 2011, for use in the production of plastic caps and closures. The volume represents just over 5% of Tetra pak's total HDPE demand, and is said to be slightly less than 1% of its total plastics purchases.

Big consumer goods manufacturer Unilever is making an example of how serious they are when it comes to sourcing sustainable raw materials for their products.

Last Friday, Unilever said it will stop all future purchase of palm oil from the Indonesian company PT SMART, part of the Sinar Mas group, until they clean up their act and provide verifiable proof that none of their palm plantations are contributing to the destruction of forests and peat lands.

Early in 2009 Unilever conducted an independent audit of its major suppliers, and the company said it revealed several areas of concern that are now being addressed on an individual basis.

However, the decision about PT Smart was driven by Greenpeace's new report that feature a case study on Sinar Mas alleging that the company is engaging in illegal deforestation and peatland clearance in Indonesia.

"The Greenpeace claims are of a nature that we can't ignore. We have notified PT SMART that we have no choice but to suspend our future purchasing of palm oil unless they are able to come forward with concrete proof that they are not involved in unacceptable environmental practices. Then we would certainly re-consider our position." - Marc Engel, Chief Procurement Officer, Unilever.

An Indonesian news report note that Unilever will buy CPO from PT SMART until first quarter of 2010 as they look for other CPO suppliers. PT SMART said the volume of CPO supplied to Unilever only represented 3% of the company's total production.

Palm oil products account for 5% of total agriculture raw material volume Unilever consumed in 2008. The company plans all palm oil and derivatives used in its products to be sustainably sourced and traceable by 2015.

The green blog does not believe on waste so here are some of the emails I received about reports and activities concerning the Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen (before they magically disappear lol!).

• The Global Climate Network released its report, "Low-Carbon Jobs in an Interconnected World", stating that low-carbon policies has the potential to create 20 million jobs between now and 2020 in low-carbon energy in eight of the world's leading economies including the United States, China, India, and the United Kingdom.

• Enzyme producer Genencor and its parent company Danisco were at booth 62 at the Bright Green Expo in Forum Copenhagen on December 12-13 talking about their bio-based solutions. If you miss them there, you can always email them for further information.

• Global Food Service Company Huhtamaki is serving 285,000 BioWare drinking cups made of the bioplastic Ingeo for the delegates at the Summit.

• Several news from enzyme producer Novozymes at the Summit including a development deal on advanced biofuel with Indian biofuel technology company Praj; participating in a "Hopenhagen" car parade using waste-based biofuel; showcasing to journalists their Volvo limousines that run on straw-based biofuel; and showcasing at the Sustainable fashion industry conference its textile technology that reduces emissions of fabrics.

• Analysts from Datamonitor share their opinions in this 12 Days of Copenhagen newsletter. I think you have to hum it like this...On the first day of Copenhagen, EU Nations brought to me...

• A study by (S&T)² Consultants state that world biofuels production in 2009 has reduced global greenhouse gas emissions by 123.5 million tonnes representing an average reduction of 57% compared to the emissions that would have occurred from the production and use of equal quantities of petroleum fuels.

• The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and EuropaBio is hosting on December 17 a technology showcase, panel session and dinner to discuss biotechnology as a tool that can help countries and a diverse number of industries reduce emissions of carbon and other pollutants. Too bad I can't go...

• Honeywell's UOP and Solazyme have partnered to demonstrate an advanced biofuel derived from algae at the Copenhagen's Transportation showcase. An algae-fueled vehicle is shuttling journalists to and from summit events. Again, too bad I'm not there : (

Once again, I apologize for the sparse blog as I tried to sharpen my brain last week for my school exams, which unfortunately is still ongoing this week (finals week ugh!) I'll start with some video updates from the Climate Change summit in Copenhagen.

European Union leaders last Friday agreed to pay $10.5 billion over the next three years to help poor countries begin tackling the effects of global warming. The developing world, meanwhile, is said to be seeking a commitment from industrial powers to provide long-term financing of more than $100 billion each year by the end of the next decade. No answers from European Union leaders...Hey can't blame them. $100bn/year is pretty steep I think.

At the summit, delegates from around the world hope to reach an international climate accord where various nations will commit themselves to sharply reduce and by 2050 nearly eliminate greenhouse-gas emissions. Financing, of course, is the biggest hurdle.

Here are some of the day-to-day highlights take at the Summit last week:

Another "better late than never" post in this week's news roundup! I guess one of my wish list this holiday is to have an elf or two helping me in my social media operations. I wonder if Santa has a twitter account.... = )

Lithium-ion in smart grids
Advanced lithium-ion battery maker EnerDel enters the utility-scale energy storage market, supplying batteries for a major new smart grid program by the US Department of Energy. EnerDel will build the batteries for five one-megawatt power systems that will be used by Portland General Electric (PGE)to help manage peak demand and smooth the variations in power from renewable sources like wind and solar.

Thermochem production of biofuels
Ceres is working with CHOREN to optimize energy crops for thermochemical conversion to advanced low-carbon biofuels. The process does not require enzymes or microorganisms; instead, the biomass is gasified producing synthesis gas, a carbon monoxide and hydrogen-rich gas that can be converted into high quality synthetic fuels, intermediate chemicals or electricity.

Algae biofuel collaboration
Endicott Biofuels and TransAlgae Ltd., an algal biotechnology company signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of algae as a potential transportation fuel and renewable chemical feedstock source.

German biofuel acquisition
Mercuria Energy has acquired 3B Biofuels Gmbh & Co. KG, a leading European bio-diesel refinery with 250,000 MT of fully operational production capacity. The plant is located in Brunsbuttel, Germany.

More GE wind farms
GE Energy Financial Services, in partnership with Horizon Wind Energy LLC, is investing $117 million in an Oklahoma wind farm. Horizon Wind Energy's Blue Canyon V wind farm is a 99 MW expansion of a 225-megawatt wind farm near the small towns of Lawton and Elgin in Comanche County and Apache in Caddo County in southwest Oklahoma.

And in ICIS news (requires subscription):
Itochu Corp has signed a contract with Felda Palm Industries of Malaysia to form a joint venture in Kuala Lumpur to produce solid biomass fuel from empty fruit bunch (EFB).

The EU's Renewable Energy Directive should drive the proliferation of long-term contracts for ethanol starting 2011, said an official at the Brazilian sugarcane industry association UNICA.

Polyvinyl chloride went into 42% of toys tested in 2009, a percentage that an environmental group said was too high given its concerns about the plastic, according to an annual consumer guide released by the Michigan-based Ecology Center.

Even 25 years after the Union Carbide chemical plant catastrophe in Bhopal, India, the global chemical industry needs to continue learning its lessons, the head of Germany's federal environmental agency Umweltbundesamt (UBA) said.

Sorry about the blog's temporary hiatus as I am up to my eyeballs with exams this week and needed every extra minute to cram information in my aching brain. By the way, thanks for the good luck wishes from @AmChemistry and @plasticpossible = )

Our green chemicals of the month is a little bit late but November was still robust when it comes to green chemicals launch. Also to make amends for the sparse blog these past few days, I will try to post some interesting green commercial products to consider just in time for the holidays!

1. Cognis' green thickener - Cognis launched its DSX 3100, a new nonionic associative polyurethane thickener suitable for water-based architectural and industrial coatings and paints. It is free from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), does not contain heavy metals (such as organic tin compounds) or solvents and is odor-free.

2. Cortec's Eco-resin - Cortec introduced its EcoWorks® Resin, a proprietary blend of aliphatic and aromatic polyesters for biodegradable film extruding applications. The resin also contains plant sugar-based components.

3. Clariant green cosmetic formulation - Clariant presented its silicone-free cosmetic formulation using Aristoflex® polymers rheology modifiers and naturally-derived emulsifier Hostacerin®. The non-biodegradable nature of silicone restricts its use in natural/eco-labeled cosmetics according to Clariant.

4. ITRI's safe Li-ion batteries - ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute) introduces STOBA (self-terminated oligomers with hyper-branched architecture), the first material technology to enhance the safety of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. STOBA has passed mandatory shorting and piercing experiments conducted in 2008 and 2009 by battery manufacturers in Japan and Taiwan.

5. BASF bio-plastic - BASF has launched Ecovio® FS Paper for coating paper, and Ecovio® FS Shrink Film for manufactur­ing shrink films, which serve to easily wrap packaged goods. Introduction into the market at large is scheduled for the first quarter of 2010.

6. PPG green coatings - PPG Industries' commercial coatings group has introduced Aquacron water-based, low-volatile organic compound coatings for light industrial applications. The new product line includes primer and topcoat technologies.

7. Rhodia green polyamide - Rhodia introduced its new polyamide 6.10-based product line produced partly from castor oil, which the company said requires 20% less fossil fuels than a ton of a conventional polyamide.

8. Americhem recycled additive - Americhem has introduced a post consumer recyclate (PCR) renewal additive that adds clarity and eliminates yellow discoloration normally associated with recycled resin.

9. Novamont bioplastic - Novamont presented its the 2nd generation of Mater-Bi® bioplastic which integrates Novamont's starch-based technology with the technology of polyesters from vegetable oil. The material was recently introduced in high quantities by some leading European retail chains for compostable shopping bags.

Up to $483m will go to 14 pilot scale projects and 4 demonstration-scale biorefinery projects while the remaining $81m will go to Bluefire LLC to accelerate the company's construction of a cellulosic ethanol fuel facility in Fulton, Mississippi. The Bluefire project, which also got previous funding from the DOE, is expected to produce 19m gallons/year of fuel-grade ethanol using using wood wastes, mill residue and sorted municipal waste.

The DOE said all the biorefinery projects will be matched with more than $700m in private and non-government cost-share funds amounting to a total investments of almost $1.3bn.

Ineos, which was awarded $50m for its commercial-scale bioenergy facility project in Indian River County, Florida, said that it expects to begin their facility's construction in the second quarter next year and to start operations by late 2011. The facility will produce 8m gallons/year of ethanol and 2 megawatts of electricity/year using wood and vegetative residues and construction and demolition materials. The project is a joint venture of Ineos and New Planet Energy.

Zeachem, meanwhile, sent me their press release (which alerted me to this news in the first place) stating that their $25m grant from the DOE will be used to support construction of the company's first cellulosic biorefinery in Boardman, Oregon, which will have capacity of 250,000 gallons/year producing biobased chemical ethyl acetate and cellulosic ethanol.

Construction of the biorefinery is already underway and will be online by the end of 2010. ZeaChem said it intends to scale to a commercial biorefinery upon successful operation of the demo facility. The company will use for feedstock purpose-grown hybrid poplar trees and potentially agricultural residues and energy crops.

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) said the almost $600m funding represents the largest single federal investment in advanced biorefineries to date.

"This unprecedented investment by DOE and USDA shows how important advanced biofuels and biobased chemicals are to the economic and energy security of the country," said Jim Greenwood, President and CEO of BIO. "These are precisely the kind of projects the Recovery Act should be funding - creating jobs while helping the country move to a more sustainable industrial future."

Here is the list of the companies who bagged the DOE funding:

German chemical company BASF has joined the Thai Bioplastics Industry Association (TBAI), Thailand's National Innovation Agency (NIA) and Germany's Technical Cooperation group GTZ in launching a biodegradable bag project in Thailand, which aims to build composting facilities in the country for efficient waste management as well as support the development of the country's bioplastic industry.

The pilot project is a first for Thailand and will demonstrate the use of bioplastic bags to efficiently collect household organic waste as well as produce fertilizer or other organic matter from that waste.

BASF said the potential production capacity of high quality organic fertilizer from the composted waste is 6 million tons/year, which could be exported.

The plastic bags going to be used could be made of cassava starch and calcium carbonate compounded with BASF's biodegradable compostable polyester Ecoflex, which the company said is tear-resistant, puncture-resistant, waterproof, printable and elastic. BASF said their Ecoflex is already commonly used in Thailand for organic waste bags, carrier bags and shopping bags.

As part of the launch, which was held at the pilot plant site in the Kradangar District of Samut Songkhram Province, a community outreach group consisting of community leaders and students promoted the use of biodegradable plastic bags to 730 households.

NIA said recommendations for the bioplastics environmental policy, which is expected to be completed within the next six months, will outline the infrastructure, framework, instruments and guidelines to promote the use and production of bioplastics in Thailand.

[Photo of the project site where organic wastes in biodegradable bags are placed into a biodigester. Source: BASF]

Speaking of Brazil (and in connection to my last post about Amyris), I think I mentioned before that there seems to be more investments and activities going on in that part of the world when it comes to biofuel and renewable-based chemicals.

The blog reported on May 15 about bioplastic development in Brazil. Since then more announcements were noted such as the renewable feedstock of Coca-Cola's PlantBottle being made in Brazil; Brazilian margarine tubs using Cereplast's bioplastic; and Cargill selling its Ingeo bioplastics in Brazil.

Last month, ICIS news* reported that Brazilian sugarcane and ethanol producer Pedra Agroindustrial plans to start commercial bioplastics production by late 2012 with a new sugarcane-based bioplastics facility with a capacity of between 35,000-40,000 tonnes/year.

The compostable poly-3-hydroxybuyrate (PHB) plastic is said to be suitable for niche applications such as throw-away products like plastic utensils, as well as cosmetics packaging and potentially medical products

ICIS news* also reported that Brazil's Braskem signed a deal last month to sell 5,000 tonnes/year of sugarcane ethanol-based polyethylene (PE) to Swedish food packaging company Tetra Pak. Braskem said it would supply Tetra Pak with sugarcane ethanol-based high density PE (HDPE) starting in 2011.

Specialty chemicals company Rhodia was also reported (by ICIS news*) as becoming interested in developing more chemical products in Brazil based on ethanol as a renewable raw material. Rhodia was said to be in discussion with players in the field of sugar cane/ethanol although no specific concrete project was yet announced.

Also more news here about biofuel development in Brazil:

• Jatropha Takes Root in Brazil - NYTimes.com

• Brazil's Biofuel Producers Hail Government's Proposal for 20% Biodiesel Blend by 2015

• Brazil's Unica lauds environmental benefits of bioethanol buses- ICIS News*

• Sugar Cane Waste as Pellet Fuel - NYTimes.com

• Brazil airline to test sugarcane kerosene - ICIS News*

Amyris Biotechnologies will soon produce its first renewable diesel made from sugarcane using its newly purchased ethanol-producing mill owned and operated by the São Martinho Group.

Amyris now owns 40% stake in the Boa Vista mill and plans to manufacture sugarcane-based renewable products for the 2011-2012 harvest season. The mill currently has 2.25 million metric tons of sugarcane crush capacity.

The company paid R$140 million ($81.9m) for the stake through a combination of Amyris stock, cash and a note payable.

"São Martinho is the ideal partner for the initial commercial launch of our renewable products, providing complementary industry operating experience to support this first commercial conversion," said John Melo, CEO of Amyris. "In addition, the Boa Vista mill is one of the most modern, efficient mills in Brazil - a fitting starting point for the launch of our renewable products."

By the way, for more information on Brazilian sugarcane mills and other sugar-related industrial products manufacture in Brazil, check out the videos in our guest post by Joseph Chang.

If you're one of the lucky few who will be attending the Copenhagen climate summit next week, maybe you'll find yourself walking in a renewable-based carpet; drive a European car using renewable-based tires and also fueled by algae; have lunch using bioplastic cups and cutlery; stay in an eco-friendly hotel that uses green cleaning products or even organic toiletries; and attend a fashion show wearing your newly-purchased green/renewable/sustainable textiles.

At the Bella Center where the United Nations global conference on climate change will be held, 15,000 dignitaries will reportedly stand, walk, and rest their feet on an ultra low carbon footprint Eco2punch® carpet made with plant-based Ingeo™ fibers produced by bioplastic producer NatureWorks.

According to French carpet producer Sommer Needlepunch, the "green" carpet reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 60% and reduced energy consumption by 50% compared to petroleum-based carpet. The 20,000 square meters (215,000 square feet) of carpet is enough to cover nearly five soccer fields.

In December 7, NatureWorks said Ingeo will also be featured in a runway show at the Nordic Fashion Industry fashion sustainability summit located in the Copenhagen Opera House. Guests at the fashion show will be served with Ingeo plates, cups, and cutlery, in a venue furnished with Sommer's Eco2punch Ingeo carpet. After use, all Ingeo products will be collected and uniquely recycled.

Belgium based company Galactic will collect the Ingeo carpet and food service-ware after their use in Copenhagen and, using their Loopla™ process, will convert them back to virgin lactic acid, the building block for Ingeo biopolymer.

Meanwhile, Goodyear's concept tire made with BioIsoprene will be on display at a lounge in the common departure area at the Copenhagen International Airport throughout December 21, while another will make appearances at several special events during the UN Climate Change Conference. The tires made with BioIsoprene are the result of a collaboration between Genencor, a division of Danisco, and Goodyear.

When it comes to cleaning products, Novozymes said it will hold a Detergent Sustainability summit to coincide with the UN Climate Change conference. The summit brings together all stakeholders in the detergent value chain to discuss the future of the detergent industry.

Novozymes said that by replacing traditional chemical ingredients with readily biodegradable enzymes, detergent manufacturers can offer their consumers a sustainable detergent that works well at low wash temperatures to reduce the environmental impact of washing.

Companies and organizations such as WWF, Marks & Spencer, Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser, Henkel, McBride, A.I.S.E., and Whirlpool will present at the summit.

Novozymes will also participate in the white biotechnology forum and green chemicals technology showcase hosted by BIO on December 17. BIO said the event will highlight biotechnology companies that help make low-carbon products - including biofuels, automobile tires, and carpets chosen by the COP15 organizers for use at Conference venues.

Lastly, Solazyme tweeted early this morning that they will be in Copenhagen next week driving delegates with test vehicle using their algae fuel...

More press release from biotech/chemical companies regarding the Climate Change summit:

• Genomatica Signs Copenhagen Communiqué Supporting Global Climate Agreement

• Global Chemical Industry Offers Principles for Post-2012 Greenhouse Gas Talks

• U.S. leadership is essential to fostering a global solution to rising greenhouse gas emissions - Dow Chemical

Increasing regulatory issues pushed the fragrance group of the European Flavours and Fragrance Association (EFFA) to move its regulatory and advocacy activities to the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) effective January 1, 2010.

Cristina Arregui, EFFA's manager on Reach (Europe's ongoing chemical legislation) will move to the newly created IFRA EU affairs department, according to the agency. The department's committee will include representatives of the national fragrance associations and direct members of IFRA.

The objective of the reorganisation is to build on the regulatory work of EFFA and expand the advocacy and communication activities for the European fragrance industry, said Christian Solomon, president of EFFA.

"The scope of EFFA will change," said Solomon. "The membership felt that both sectors, flavours and fragrance, would be better served by dedicated association teams specialising in each area."

I forgot to add this report to my last soy post about soybean-based chemicals demand expected to increase 7.8%/year to $2.7 billion by 2013 according to Freedonia Group.

Methyl soyate used in biodiesel is said to be by far the most established soy chemical although it is beginning to face competition from other raw materials. Methyl soyate is also finding greater use as a solvent in cleaning products and paints and coatings.

"Other soy oil derivatives, such as polyols, will benefit from corporate initiatives to use more renewable feedstocks, as well as from consumer demand for more greener products particularly in the plastics (foam products), and paint and coatings market. Intense research and development activities will further fuel growth in soybean oil derivatives as new products enter the market over the next 5 years." - Freedonia

The green blog continues to see the growing use of soybean and derivatives as a renewable chemical feedstock.

Yesterday, the United Soybean Board (USB) released its annual list of soy-based products the U.S. farmer-led organization helped introduce this year. 26 new soy-based products hit the market in 2009, according to the group, which helps provides funding to scientists and industrial partners to research, develop and commercialize products containing soybeans.

Some of this year's new products include a soy-based wood floor stain from Rust-Oleum, a line of Simmons mattresses that include soy-based foam, and a soy-based degreaser and adhesive remover available at The Home Depot and Ace Hardware.

Others, such as a soy-based adhesive used to manufacture plywood, a soy-based pavement crack sealant and soy-based bioremediation agents used in environmental cleanup, will mostly be utilized by industrial users, according to USB.

"We solicit applications, review the concepts and select them based on their technical merit and market potential," said Marty Ross, vice chair of the USB New Uses program. "Number one, the product must be technically feasible - can it be done? And, number two, just because it can be done, is it viable? What's the product's market value, and how many bushels of U.S. soybeans will it use?"

PLASTICS

• Soy Seal™ - soy-based canned insulating foams being sold at hardware stores, from BioBased Technologies

• Polylite™ 31325-00 - unsaturated polyester resin for composites, from Reichhold Chemical

• Renuva™ - soy-based Natural Oil Polyols used to make bedding foams for Simmons Bedding's Natural Care Collection, from Dow Polyurethanes

• SoyFoam™ - soy foam for seats/headrests/armrests in the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe, Sonata sedan and the 2009 Kia Amanti sedan, from Lear. Lear will also supply General Motors with SoyFoam for its trucks and SUVs as well as Ford for the seats in the Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKE, from Lear

Just like the FDA delayed its decision about bisphenol-A, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also delayed its decision on whether to raise the allowable ethanol content in fuel which is currently at a maximum of 10%.

The EPA said it will make a final determination in mid-2010 when more testing data is available. The agency said it has also begun the process to craft the labeling requirements that will be necessary if the blending limit is raised.

The ethanol industry group Growth Energy send a waiver request to the EPA last March asking for an increase of up to 15% ethanol content in gasoline. The EPA was required to respond to the waiver request by today.

In a statement, Growth Energy said it was optimistic about the EPA's soon-to-come decision.

"This announcement is a strong signal that we are preparing to move to E15, a measure that will create 136,000 new U.S. jobs, cut greenhouse gas emissions and lessen America's dependence on imported oil," said Gen. Wesley Clark, Co-Chairman of Growth Energy

"The EPA should immediately approve intermediate ethanol blends, such as E12. Allowing for a 20 percent increase in ethanol's potential share of the market would provide some breathing room for the industry while EPA finishes its testing on E15. Additionally, it would represent a good faith gesture that underscores the commitment President Obama has pledged to biofuels." - RFA

In their campaign, the group cited a recent survey of 2,101 adults where 61% agreed on a government BPA ban.

"Already voluntarily withdrawn from shelves in Canada and the USA, polycarbonate baby bottles made with BPA are still available in the UK, despite our view being that clear and compelling scientific evidence in lab experiments have linked even low level exposure to increased risk of breast cancer and other chronic conditions." - Breast Cancer UK

"The survey is not a good basis for assessing public feeling on BPA as it features leading questions and a preamble that presupposes risks associated with BPA." - BPF

In an ICIS News* report, FDA Agency spokesman Michael Herndon said that an announcement will come soon but he did not give a reason for the delay.

The pressure is on for the FDA to make a decision as more and more research studies came out this year accusing BPA's content in food packaging and baby bottles enough to be a health risk.