Green Chemistry December 1999 G169 This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 1999 Which magazine has published its findings from a review of eco-labelling schemes for domestic products. In 1998 the UK Government launched a voluntary code of practice—the Green Claims Code—to give guidance to manufacturers wishing to make green claims about their products. It was hoped that the code would help to avoid confusing logos and misleading statements and claims and enable consumers to better judge the relative environmental merits of different products. The verdicts on some of the schemes are summarised below. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) This was set up in 1993 and is meant to show which wood-based products come from well-managed forests and cause minimal environmental and local community damage.Which found this to be an example of a good environmental- labelling scheme with clear objectives focused targets and thorough monitoring. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This was developed by the B&Q stores and was meant to inform customers of the level of VOCs in paints and varnishes. Not all manufacturers have adopted the scheme. Which view this as an important scheme and suggest that it can be improved through independent tests and more consistent reporting of information by the various manufacturers. Washright. This was launched in 1998 and is part of a campaign by the European soap and detergent manufacturer’s trade association to reduce the environmental impact of laundry detergents by 2002. This scheme is meant to educate users about the correct quantity of detergent that should be used and to reduce the energy consumed per application.All UK laundry-detergent manufacturers are taking part in this voluntary scheme. Which found that not all manufacturers gave clear information and some simply refer the customer to a web site. Which also reported on the failure of the eco-labelling scheme. This was launched by the EU in 1992 with the aim to endorse products that cause less damage to the environment during their use or production. Unfortunately take-up of the scheme has been very slow with only about 200 products having been awarded. This lack of popularity is at least partly due to the high fees as well as to competition with local environmental schemes. The scheme is currently being revised. Which also revealed some remaining examples of unhelpful and misleading green logos and statements on packaging.These include l claims on aerosol products to be ‘CFCfree’ even though CFCs have not been used in consumer aerosols for 10 years l claims on washing powders that they contain biodegradable detergents when all such materials must be biodegradable by law l claims on paint products that they have ‘no added lead’ when its been illegal to add lead to paint for 10 years Which October 1999 DOE support for alternative fuels The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a $4.2M grant towards a $5.4M research project on the production of cleaner alternative fuels and premiumquality chemicals. This project is backed the Consortium for Fossil Fuel Liquefaction Science (CFFLS)— a five- University partnership (University of Kentucky University of Pittsburgh University of Utah West Virginia University Auburn University) engaged in a broad research program to liquefy waste material with coal to transform a major environmental disposal problem into a valuable transportation fuel C G FOR U M resource.Specific projects under the DOE grant will include new methods of using coal coke municipal waste and natural gas along with unconventional chemical processes (Oil and Gas 1999 97 4). For more information on the CFFLS see http://www.uky.edu/CFFLS/ Tougher pollution legislation The EPA in Washington is to introduce tougher new legislation on emissions form trucks. Details are to be expected within weeks. Environmentalists have claimed that 26% of the smog-causing nitrogen oxides are emitted from larger trucks even though they only represent 2.5% of all vehicles on the US roads.Earlier this year the EPA proposed to sharply cut smog-causing chemicals found in automobiles as well as new requirements for low-sulfur gasoline across the USA. The tougher emissions and fuel standards for large trucks will begin to be phased in by 2007 (Reuters News Service). Germany pushes for sulfur-free diesel Germany has urged the EU to introduce sulfur-free diesel by 2007. They believe that the 1998 agreement to reduce the sulfur levels to 50 ppm did not go far enough. It called for fuels with less than 10 ppm sulfur to be available from 2005 and mandatory by 2007. Reduced sulfur levels will have multiple benefits including increased lifetimes for catalytic converters reduced fuel consumption and reduced emissions.Germany will offer tax incentives for sulfur-free fuels from January 2003 (Reuters News Service). Greening the HSE One of the major considerations of the Environmental Audit being carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been the UK Government’s initiative to green its departments. Following this the ‘Green Team’ was launched in July 1999 with responsibilities to create and monitor a programme for improving the environmental impact of HSE’s operations and leading all relevant HSE Eco-labelling for domestic products initiatives. Initially they are expected to produce a Green Improvement Programme which will include conserving resources such as water energy etc and minimising waste. The HSE also wants a network of green contacts to be established throughout the HSE (http://www.open.gov.uk/hse/ hsehome.htm).Green Chemistry Network concentrates on education In recent months the Green Chemistry Network (GCN) has started to concentrate more effort to get green chemistry concepts into schools. We have been working with the editorial board of Chemistry Review (Philip Allan Publishers ISSN 0959 8464) to provide a variety or articles covering many aspects of green chemistry. Green chemistry will be the theme running throughout volume 9 of the journal; issues 1 and 2 gives an overview of the subject together with more detailed articles on how catalysis can improve atom economy the search for ecofriendly electroplating electrolytes and green chemistry resources available on the web. We are also becoming increasingly involved in RSC’s Chemistry at Work events about 70 GCSE pupils from six schools in North Yorkshire attended a recent event at York.The level of understanding they demonstrated about green issues was high and they were particularly interested in what industry is doing to become greener. We are also involved in running a schools challenge (along with ACTIN) on the uses of renewable resources as chemical feedstocks. This is part of a wider Food and Farming Challenge run by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society as an annual event and involves 14–18 year olds researching and presenting a report on a scientific issue connected with agriculture. The RSC’s Environmental Chemistry Group the RSC’s Education Division and the GCN are planning a one-day conference/ training course for teachers and lecturers on green chemistry and environmental sciences relevant to the curriculum.This event will be held in London on 25 March 2000. Joe Breen Memorial Scholarship Letter from Dennis Hjeresen Acting Director of the Green Chemistry Institute Following the sad passing of Joe Breen one of the fathers of green chemistry this past summer a Joe Breen Memorial Scholarship was established. The current fund stands at about $2200 and the American Chemical Society has generously offered to match the fund if it exceeds $2500. Thus I am requesting additional donations to enable the matching sum to be exceeded. Information will be released shortly on how to apply for scholarship funding and the necessary criteria but it is intended that the funds will be directed to an educational activity—very much in the spirit of Joe Breen. Donations should be sent to The Green Chemistry Institute Internship Program The Green Chemistry Institute 600 Barranca Road Los Alamos NM 87544 USA Thanks Dennis L. Hjeresen Los Alamos National Laboratory e-mail dennish@lanl.gov F O R UM C G G170 Green Chemistry December 1999 This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 1999 Know of any green chemistry activities? If you have any items relating to green chemistry initiatives funding opportunities or regulatory activities which could be included in the FORUM section of Green Chemistry please send them to James Clark or Duncan Macquarrie [email greenchem@york.ac.uk; FAX +44 (0)1904 434533 or +44 (0)1904 423559]