The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is now accepting nominations for the 2025 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. The awards program is designed to highlight green chemistry that helps prevent pollution before it’s even created.
The 2025 competition includes six award categories, including one to recognize green chemistry technology that can prevent or reduce greenhouse gas emissions and one that debuted last year to emphasize circularity through the design of greener chemicals and materials that can be continuously reused or remanufactured to reduce waste.
Nominations are due by Dec. 13, 2024. An independent panel of technical experts convened by the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute will judge the 2025 nominations. Winners will be announced in the fall of 2025.
The EPA will host a webinar on Oct. 9, 2024, to educate stakeholders on the awards program and nomination process.
Since the awards' inception more than a quarter century ago, the EPA has received more than 1,800 nominations and presented awards for 139 technologies that decrease hazardous chemicals and resources, reduce costs, protect human health and spur economic growth.
Last year’s winners included a company that developed a textile dying process that dramatically reduces the use of water, energy, dyes and chemicals compared to traditional dyeing methods, and a university professor who designed a way to refine agricultural waste into materials like lithium-ion batteries.
