ICIS Blogs : company initiatives

Real time global carbon counter in NYC

Green Chemicals — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:19:13 GMT

I haven't seen this yet but definitely worth checking out during my lunch break. A new real-time global carbon counter was unveiled last week in the heart of New York City at 33rd Street and 7th Avenue, outside Madison Square Garden and Penn Station...(read more)

Poo Power rises

Green Chemicals — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:02:11 GMT

Don't underestimate the chemical power of waste and sh*t (I think I've just been bleeped!) In Manchester, UK, United Utilities and National Grid have teamed up in building a plant producing biomethane from wastewater sludge. The plant will soon...(read more)

Six flags gone green

Green Chemicals — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:19:07 GMT

Following Mickey Mouse's carbon footprint, Bugs Bunny and the rest of Six Flags amusement park 's characters are joining to save world from the evil greenhouse gas emissions...and save money at the same time. Six Flags said all their vehicles...(read more)

US biorefineries step up capacities

Green Chemicals — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:44:38 GMT

A recent round table hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) produced interesting updates on several biorefineries planned in the US. Participants at the roundtable included Coskata , Zeachem , Genomatica and Genencor . First let's...(read more)

Europe's future chem industry

Green Chemicals — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:55:14 GMT

The European Chemical Industry (Cefic) launched last week its latest sustainability vision project, the F3 Factory , under the EU Technology Platform for Sustainable Chemistry ( SusChem ). Cefic and its partner EuropaBio created the multi-stakeholder...(read more)

Degradable petro plastics: Your thoughts?

Green Chemicals — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:04:06 GMT

Adding to the confusion of bioplastic definition (see comments on previous bioplastic blog) is another growing sector, the development of biodegradable petroleum-based plastics. I'm sure petroleum-plastics eventually degrade give or take a century...(read more)

SC Johnson's sustainable insecticide

Green Chemicals — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:49:07 GMT

Another addition to my biopesticide saga, although this might be my last this summer. For this post, SC Johnson is making sure that one of their key natural insecticide ingredient, Pyrethrum extracted from the dried flower heads of chrysanthemums, is...(read more)

The challenge of biopesticides

Green Chemicals — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:13:07 GMT

Got the copy of my latest article about biopesticide , with pretty cool (and a little gross) graphic of a venus flytrap. As previously tweeted , I was intrigued by how the biopesticide industry have been struggling in the overall pesticide and crop protection...(read more)

Green trend affects biocide demand

Green Chemicals — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:30:27 GMT

A new report from consulting firm Kline & Company said that the green trend is affecting customers of specialty biocides within the cleaning products sector. Biocides are chemicals used as antimicrobials (and disinfectants). Specialty biocides used...(read more)

Dow Corning green innovation

Green Chemicals — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:50:47 GMT

As mentioned in this week's news roundup, I attended Dow Corning's worldwide press conference (this one held in New York last week) where part of their agenda is to reinforce the company's goals toward sustainability. Dow Corning is a major...(read more)

UL verifies its first green product

Green Chemicals — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:13:44 GMT

Underwriters Laboratories or UL is well known for its safety product testing (just look at the back of your electric appliances for their symbol). Now their venturing into the Eco logo categories with their first-ever green validation announced a few...(read more)

Green news from Cargill

Green Chemicals — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:49:02 GMT

Natural-based glycerine production and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are Cargill's recent top green news. Cargill said today that it has successfully registered and sold over 400,000 tonnes of Verified Emission Offsets through the Canadian Standards...(read more)

Celebrating World Environment Day

Green Chemicals — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:41:37 GMT

I have no idea that there is such a thing as World Environment Day but I was reminded from this corporate e-mail that came in from Reed Elsevier (our parent company) this morning: -------------------------- Dear Colleagues, Today, on World Environment...(read more)

Battered by battery news

Green Chemicals — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:15:43 GMT

A lot of chemical investments going on for next generation alternative energy storage (specifically lithium ion), which could accelerate the use of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles in the near future. Just this week, BASF announced its plans to build...(read more)

Gov't should stop deforestation - Unilever

Green Chemicals — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:55:31 GMT

Consumer goods producer Unilever said governments especially in Southeast Asia particularly Indonesia should call for a moratorium on deforestation of tropical rainforest. Unilever CEO Paul Polman said the destruction of the world's tropical rainforests...(read more)