PPG Innovation Receives Michigan Green Chemistry Award
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's Green Chemistry Roundtable recognized PPG Industries on Sept. 25 with a Michigan Green Chemistry Governor's Award for innovation in "green" chemistry to reduce or eliminate hazardous substances from chemical products and processes.
The award recognizes Green Logic paint detackifier by PPG. The liquid, chitosan-containing paint denaturant technology provides a more environmentally responsible alternative to traditional melamine-formaldehyde or acrylic acid-based chemistries. Paint denaturants or "detackifiers" are used in automotive plant paint booths to help reclaim oversprayed paint. Green Logic paint detackifier's technology is derived from crab, lobster and shrimp shells that are waste products of food production, providing significant cost-savings and carbon-footprint-reduction advantages to customers.
"We are honored to be recognized as one of Michigan's leaders in green chemistry," said Cynthia Niekamp, PPG vice president, automotive coatings, based in Troy, Mich. "This product's research, development, sales and marketing are all performed in Michigan, and PPG is pleased to contribute to the state's economy in such an environmentally conscious way."
The Michigan Green Chemistry Roundtable assists the DEQ in the implementation of Gov. Jennifer Granholm's directive to promote green chemistry for sustainable economic development and protection of public health.
PPG's automotive coatings business is part of the company's Industrial Coatings segment and supplies electrocoats, primer surfacers, base coats, clearcoats, bedliner, pretreatment chemicals, adhesives and sealants to the automotive manufacturing industry.
Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. The company has more than 140 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates and operates in more than 60 countries. Sales in 2008 were $15.8 billion.