Thank goodness this week’s news roundup are manageable at least. Here are some of the interesting announcements that caught the blog’s recent attention:
P&G’s zero manufacturing waste
Procter & Gamble announced that 45 of their facilities have now achieved zero manufacturing waste to landfill. Over the past five years, P&G said they were able to create over $1bn in value from waste.
Shell to invests in new tech firms
Shell will invest several hundred million dollars in emerging technology companies with the aim to accelerate the deployment of innovations that add value to the company’s operations such as areas in gas production and conversion, geophysical imaging, chemical manufacturing and conversion, novel materials, enhanced oil recovery, and water treatment. Shell Technology Ventures will make investments over the next 6-8 years.
Biome bags bioplastic grant
The UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board, has awarded £150,000 ($230,000) grant to a consortium led by bioplastic firm Biome Technologies to investigate a biobased alternative such as lignin-based aromatics for oil-derived organic chemicals used in the manufacture of bioplastics. Biome has partnered with the University of Warwick’s Centre for Biotechnology and Biorefining for research into lignin degrading bacteria and to develop methods to control the lignin breakdown process to determine whether these chemicals can be extracted in significant quantities.
BIO-TIC identifies breakthrough green chems
The European industrial biotechnology project BIO-TIC FP7 have identified five product groups that have the potential to boost EU competitiveness and make a breakthrough in industrial biotechnology, according to the group SusChem. The five product groups include non drop-in biobased polymers (PLA and PHA); chemical building blocks (e.g. succinic acid, isoprene, furfural, 1.3 PDO, 3-HPA); biomass-based bioethanol and bio-based jet fuels; biosurfactants; CO2 as biobased feedstock.
Ecolab launches NPE-free chemistry
Industrial and Institutional cleaning products manufacturer Ecolab has launched the “Performance Industrial Program,” which is a three-product system that uses patented nonylphenol ethoylates (NPE)-free chemistry that, according to Ecolab, addresses the high performance cleaning needs of industrial laundries while helping to minimize environmental impact. The program is projected to save on industrial laundry customer 3m gal/year of water.
Elmer’s launches Natural Glue
Adhesive products manufacturer Elmer’s have launched its line of School Glue Naturals, which are said to consists of 99% natural ingredients for the pourable glue, and 88% for the glue stick formula. The primary ingredient in the adhesive is made from corn while the bottle and the stick are made from 25% post-consumer recycled materials. The label contains 20% recycled paper, printed with soy-based ink.
