Greenchemistry CIC

Professor James Clark

University of York

2nd Green Chemistry and the Consumer symposium

FEEDSTOCKS

MANUFACTURING

PRODUCTION

RETAIL

Life Cycle for Supply Chain

E C

W

Feedstock Manufacturing Production Retail End of Life

E C

W

E

W

E C

W W

E

RefurbishRemanufactureRecycle

The Green Chemistry & the Consumer project

• New venture aimed at delivering knowledge and understanding of green chemistry to retailers & consumers

• Covers all chemical-dependant consumer products including clothing, furnishing, electronic goods, personal care products and food

• Objectives– to encourage direct involvement of the retail sector in green chemistry

research– to engage representatives from throughout the supply chain

• Main outputs• Quarterly newsletter

– Current green chemical information that is comprehensible to a widely non-technical audience

• Annual events

Highlights to date• 1st symposium held in London in April 2003

• Sample issue produced and circulated to 200 individuals and selected organisations

• Core sponsorship secured from the RSC, M&S and GSK for forthcoming year

• Advisory committee established with representatives from core funders as well as the CIA and Greenpeace

• Positive feedback from The Rt Hon Alun Michael MP, the CIA, NFU, British Retail Consortium, Greenpeace and WWF as well the retail trade.

Research areas relevant to

consumer products

Packaging & Plastics

SolventsDyes & Pigments

Flame Retardants

Preservatives

Textiles & Fabric

Treatments

Electronics

Fragrances & Perfumes

Surfactants

Pesticides

Food additives

Lubricants

Adhesives

Highlights from the newsletter

Polychromic plastics: one chemical, many colours

Corn cob packaging

Stopping corrosion - naturally

Greener wood adhesives

Green dyeing in any colour

WEEE and RoHS explained & how Green Chemistry

can help

Unwrapping the packaging options

Fluorine takes the fizz out of sparkling wine

Wanted: solutions and customers for

UK farming

The latest on the EU’s proposed chemicals legislation REACH

The New Green Chemistry CIC

• One of 6 CICs funded by Yorkshire Forward• Hub at York University with Leeds and CSL

as partners• Goal: Provide Industry with a flexible, reliable

way to tap into University expertise to help improve their products and processes

Green Chemistry CIC

• Projects managed via Commercial manager• Senior researchers assigned specifically to

work on the Projects• An expert academic assigned to advise on

Projects• Pool of approx. 20 experts not just from

Chemistry Depts, includes Chem.Eng. and Biochemistry

Green Chemistry CICFacilities/Equipment

• The York Clean Technology Centre and the Leeds Cleaner synthesis group have modern labs and a wide range of equipment

• Additional facilities are available within the Universities (e.g. £25m SRIF Technologies Facilities York) and at CSL

Green Chemistry CICServices based on expertise in:

Chemical synthesis Catalysts, including biocatalysts Surface chemistry Alternative solvents Alternative reagents Analytical services Renewable raw materials Environmental Legislation

Green Chemistry CICServices

• 3 Tier approach– tier 1: short problem solving exercises to

identify opportunities– tier 2: short lab based studies (indication of

feasibility)– tier 3: longer lab based studies

(demonstration of feasibility)

Green Chemistry CIC Examples

• A Catalyst that cannot be reused - conditions found that allow limited re-use, longer term studies to find better catalyst

• An adhesive failing to stick properly-cause found and Company able to modify process

• Bromination processes using toxic/dangerous phosphorus - improved conditions found, demonstrated and incorporated by Company

• Chromium used for priming aluminium prior to bonding - investigations ongoing for replacement