WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking nominations for its 2020 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. These national awards honor companies and institutions that have developed a new process or product using green chemistry approaches that help to protect public health and the environment.

The EPA usually presents one award in each award category. Award categories for the 2019 competition include the following:  Focus Area 1 — Greener Synthetic Pathways; Focus Area 2 — Greener Reaction Conditions; Focus Area 3 — The Design of Greener Chemicals, Small Business (for a technology in any of the three focus areas developed by a small business); and Academic (for a technology in any of the three focus areas developed by an academic researcher). For the purposes of the award, a small business must have annual sales of less than $96 million, including all domestic and foreign sales, including sales from the company, subsidiaries and parent company.

If your USDA Certified Biobased Product is a candidate for recognition, submit an award nomination. Visit https://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/2020-green-chemistry-challenge-award-nomination-package to get a nomination packet.

Submissions for the award are due Dec. 31, 2019. Learn more about the award at: http://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry.