Green Chemistry 2012: Production of polymers and additives from sustainable sources

Topics: Green Chemistry, Biotechnology, Polymers, Industrial Chemistry, Keywords: thermoplastics, fine chemicals

Date: /20/21/22/ March 2012, Cologne, Germany, Europe

Web Site, Contact: sh [at] amiplastics.com (Sally Humphreys)

  

Official Information:

Green Chemistry 2012 provides a forum for environment and sustainability managers, business development professionals, chemical engineers, plastics manufacturers, researchers, and suppliers to the industry to debate the latest developments in producing conventional polymers and additives from sustainable sources. There is a welcome reception on the first evening followed by a 2-day programme of presentations.

Conventional plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, PET and nylon, have a well-established performance record in protecting and preserving food and water supplies worldwide, from high pressure pipes to thin film packaging. The global population is expanding rapidly and fossil fuel supplies are dwindling, so the polymer supply chain needs to find alternative feedstocks to be sustainable. There is innovative technology to produce chemicals from a variety of sources including: biomass such as waste straw and rice husks, municipal and industrial waste, carbon dioxide and methane. This relatively new industry is being driven by the need to replace petrol in vehicles with biofuels, but similar technology can also be used in the production of polymer raw materials and other fine chemicals. There is also a need to reduce waste in landfill and innovative methods have the potential to turn rubbish into a profitable product.