In commemoration of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 50th anniversary, the agency is celebrating progress that has been made in advancing chemical safety. “For the past 50 years, EPA has relied on the bright minds of its career scientists and the country’s inventors, entrepreneurs, academic institutions, and science community to discover new ways to address environmental challenges with remarkable results,” said Alexandra Dapolito Dunn, the EPA’s assistant administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “Looking ahead, EPA will continue to leverage these partnerships to meet tomorrow’s challenges and advance chemical safety for a safer, stronger future.”

Since 1970, the EPA has promoted innovation and advanced the science needed to reduce the environmental impacts associated with design, manufacturing, and use of chemicals and spurred the development of environmentally friendly chemical substitutes. Notable accomplishments reportedly include:

• Promoting Greener Chemistry—Since 1996, the EPA’s Green Chemistry Challenge Awards program has received more than 1,600 nominations for products and processes proven to reduce the environmental impacts associated with design, manufacturing, and use of chemicals. By recognizing greener products and processes, this EPA program has spurred the development of safer chemicals and processes, while its award-winning products and processes have helped eliminate the use of more than 826 million pounds of hazardous chemicals.
• Preventing Pollution through Innovative Approaches—For 30 years, the EPA’s Pollution Prevention (P2) grant program has helped American businesses and communities discover ways to cut waste and pollution prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal. Since 2011, with the help of the P2 program, communities and businesses have saved more than $1.5 billion and reduced the use and emissions of almost 600 million tons of hazardous materials.

For more information, visit www.epa.gov/50.