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Materials & Packaging

The latest developments in materials, feedstocks and processes that are transforming the way many conventional products are made and packaged — and eliminating their negative impacts

Article
Nike, PUMA in Talks with Chemist Revolutionizing Bio-Based Materials

University of Delaware professor Dr. Richard Wool is setting about revolutionizing bio-based materials for a wide variety of applications. The professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering — who is also director of UD’s Affordable Composites... View More

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Blue Sun First to Commercialize Enzymatic Biodiesel Process at Scale

Blue Sun Energy, a transportation fuel technology commercialization company, has implemented its enzymatic biodiesel processing technology at its 30 million gallon per year biodiesel production facility in St. Joseph, Missouri, making it the most adv... View More

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Awards Honoring Innovations in Bio-Based Fuels, Products Now Accepting Nominations

Now in their fifth year, the Sustainable Bio Awards recognize the range of innovations taking place in the development of truly sustainable bio-based fuels and products. From biofuels and feedstocks to face cream and finance, this year’s awards wil... View More

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Nestlé Partners with Stem Cell Tech Company to Study Link Between Nutrition and Disease

The Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) has signed a long-term research agreement with Wisconsin-based Cellular Dynamics International (CDI), a leading developer of stem cell technologies for in vitro drug development, stem cell banking and i... View More

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Not Magic, Science: Startup Creating Plastic Out of Thin Air

We’re hearing more and more often about inventive new ways companies are turning waste into valuable resources — from turning everything from CO2 and methane gases to human and food waste into fuels, and plastic into bacteria-battling “ ... View More

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IBM's Plastic 'Ninja Polymers' Could Be MRSA Bacteria's First Worthy Opponents

A team of research scientists at IBM and Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) have drawn upon years of expertise in semiconductor technology and material discovery to crack the code for safely destroying the antibiotic-r... View More

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Natura Asks: Why Do You Need What You Don't Need?

In December 2011, Patagonia called on US consumers to make more considered purchases with its famous “Don’t buy this jacket” ad and this year encouraged customers to value what they already have with its “Worn Wear” campaign. Along the same... View More

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I'm Dreaming of a Toxin-Free Christmas

With the holidays fast approaching, many of us are scrambling to make last-minute purchases for friends and family. As items cross the check-out counter, products enter our lives carrying with them a chemical footprint that is often overlooked. While... View More

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Sherwin-Williams, ConAgra, NL Industries Fined $1.1 Billion in 1990 Lead-Paint Poison Case

Sherwin-Williams, NL Industries and ConAgra Foods have been found liable for removing lead-based paint from the interiors of thousands of homes throughout California to the tune of $1.1 billion, thanks to a ruling by Santa Clara County Superior Court... View More

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EPA Releases Screening Data on 1,800 Chemicals, Announces ToxCast Data Challenges

“EPA’s use of cost-effective advanced chemical screening techniques has transformed this country’s knowledge of the safety of almost 2,000 chemicals currently in use,” said Lek Kadeli, acting assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Rese... View More

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Lincoln Introducing Tree-Based Alternative to Fiberglass for Interior Parts in 2014 MKX

While many Lincoln MKX drivers may be tying trees to the top of their vehicles this time of year, 2014 will see the MKX crossover with tree-based components inside the vehicle.A three-year collaboration between The Lincoln Motor Company, timber giant... View More

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Seventh Gen, Annie’s, Eileen Fisher Among Companies Pushing Congress for Better Chemicals Policy

A group of the country's leading consumer brands have formed a new coalition to persuade Congress to update the nation's out-of-date and ineffective chemical safety laws. Strong lobbying by other industry groups has given policymakers the impression ... View More

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Companies Need a New Game Plan for Chemical Management

Consumer products companies are faced with a new chemical agenda. The market expectation has shifted from outdated regulatory compliance to greater ingredient transparency and more stringent health and environmental protection. Companies have traditi... View More

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Amazon Now Offering 200,000 Products with 'Frustration-Free' Packaging

On Thursday, Amazon announced that its Frustration-Free Packaging initiative, the retailer’s effort to liberate products from hermetically sealed clamshell cases and plastic-coated steel-wire ties, now offers over 200,000 items, up from 19 when the... View More

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8 Major Consumer Brands and WWF Form Alliance to Promote Plant-Based Plastics

Coca-Cola, Danone, Ford, Heinz, Nestlé, Nike, P&G, Unilever and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have formed a new organization to support the responsible development of plastics made from plant material and promote a more sustainable future for the bi... View More

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The Story of Stuff's 'The Good Stuff' Examines Roadblocks to Greener Chemistry

Do you read the ingredient labels of your products? Here are some from a popular baby shampoo:“Purple paraben, quarternium-15, sorbitan laurate…,” rattles off Annie Leonard, co-director of The Story of Stuff Project, during the most recent epis... View More

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Driving Innovation: Coke and Ford Unveil Fusion Energi with Interiors Made from PlantBottle Technology™

The Coca-Cola Company and Ford Motor Company have teamed up to fuel more sustainable design by collaborating on a first-ever interior fabric made from the same renewable material used to produce Coke’s PlantBottle packaging. ... View More

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New Wastewater Mining Tech Isolates Biosolids for Use as Paper, Pulp, Plastic, Fuel

A Dutch wastewater treatment facility (WWTP) and paper mill are testing out a new sewage recycling system that reduces sludge formation by half, cuts operational costs by 30 percent, significantly increases treatment capacity and yields biosolids tha... View More

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Biome Bioplastics Serving Up Compostable Coffee Pods

UK-based Biome Bioplastics has announced its new biodegradable coffee pod, the latest in a spate of innovations lessening the environmental impact of the roughly $6.6 billion single-serve market.According to Biome, an estimated 9.1 billion single-ser... View More

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Sochi 2014 Pledging to Be First Carbon-Neutral Olympic Games — For Real, This Time

The upcoming Sochi 2014 Olympics will be the first in history to achieve carbon neutrality, according to a recent announcement by The Dow Chemical Company, the Official Carbon Partner for the Games. This includes carbon footprints associated with the... View More

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