The 20TH Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Industrial Biotechnology Companies for Innovative Efforts to Tackle Climate Change and Pollution Prevention
Washington, D.C. (July 13, 2015) - Biotechnology companies LanzaTech and Renmatix today received awards in the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge for industrial biotechnology applications that produce carbon negative renewable chemicals and fuels. The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) congratulates its member companies on receiving the awards, which recognize industrial biotechnology’s contribution to reducing pollution at the source.
BIO President & CEO Jim Greenwood said, “Recognition from the White House for our industry’s work is one of the highest honors a company can receive and I congratulate both LanzaTech and Renmatix on receiving this award. Every day BIO’s members are using cutting edge science and technology to deliver game-changing products that will help to heal, feed and fuel the world. It is this type of exciting innovation that captures the true spirit of biotechnology. In fact, our organization will soon be changing our full name to the Biotechnology Innovation Organization to better reflect that spirit.”
LanzaTech in Skokie, Illinois, is being recognized for the development of a process that uses waste gas to produce fuels and chemicals, reducing companies’ carbon footprint. LanzaTech has partnered with Global Fortune 500 Companies and others to use this technology, including facilities that can each produce 100,000 gallons per year of ethanol, and a number of chemical ingredients for the manufacture of plastics. This technology has enormous potential for American industry.
Renmatix in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, is being recognized for developing a process using supercritical water to more cost effectively break down plant material into sugars used as building blocks for renewable chemicals and fuels. This innovative low-cost process could result in a sizeable increase in the production of plant-based chemicals and fuels, and reduce the dependence on petroleum fuels.
Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards have been issued by the Environmental Protection Agency each year since 1996. Of the 104 annual awards given, 37 have been given to biotechnology and biobased applications. For more information, visit BIO.org.
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