Midland, Michigan, USA
October 01, 2009
Dow AgroSciences, a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, received a 2009 Michigan Green Chemistry Governor's Award at the inaugural event held at the Detroit Institute of Arts on September 24.
The award was launched by Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in response to Governor Jennifer M. Granholm's Executive Directive: "Promotion of Green Chemistry for Sustainable Economic Development and Protection of Public Health." This directive established state policy encouraging the research, development, and implementation of sustainable chemistry in Michigan.
Nominations for the award must illustrate how the innovation supports Michigan's growth, economy, environment, and health - and fit within one or more of the following focus areas: Greener Synthetic Pathways, Greener Reaction Conditions, Design or Implementation of Greener Chemicals and Materials, and Design, Implementation, or Advocacy of Greener Processes. Categories for nominations include Business, Academic, Public and Student.
Spinetoram, the winning entry from Dow AgroSciences in the business category, is a breakthrough insecticide derived through the fermentation of a natural soil organism followed by chemical modification. So it has the favorable environmental profile of a biological product combined with the efficacy of synthetic technologies:
- Controls a broad spectrum of insect pests in a wide variety of crops and is applied at lower rates than many conventional insecticides.
- Has a very favorable toxicological profile as it relates to mammals, birds and aquatic organisms,
- Has low impact to most beneficial insects, providing an excellent fit with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, and
- Unique mode of action makes it an ideal fit for resistance management programs.
"Spinetoram is a great example of an innovation advancing sustainable chemistry that enables our customers to improve the environmental footprint of their products - while delivering business value at the same time," said Anne Wallin, Dow's Sustainable Chemistry Program Director and participant in the State's Green Chemistry Roundtable.
"These award winners have demonstrated that environmental protection and sound business practices can, and do, go hand-in-hand," said Department of Environmental Quality Director Steven E. Chester. "I congratulate them on their innovation and commitment to the ideals of green chemistry."
While research efforts to discover and develop spinetoram were conducted at locations around the world, research required to develop an efficient manufacturing process was conducted entirely in Michigan. Dow's Harbor Beach, Michigan facility, which participated in research and pilot plant studies, is now the sole producer of the starting materials for all spinetoram sold in the world today.
"This type of innovation is essential as we try to increase agriculture's productivity in order to help feed growing world population," said Jim Dripps, Ph.D., global biology team leader, Dow AgroSciences. "Our customers in the apple market told us that they needed something effective against their No. 1 enemy - the codling moth - in a way that left a softer footprint on the environment than the choices they currently had."
Because agriculture accounts for almost 20 percent of economic value and 24 percent of its workforce, spinetoram sold under the brand name DELEGATE™ plays a significant role in Michigan's economy. The product is registered for use to control pests on a wide range of crops that account for 78 percent ($2.6 billion) of the total value of crops produced in Michigan in 2007. Apples alone, with a value of over $125 million in 2007, are a very important crop for the state and DELEGATE is effective in controlling the most damaging apple pests.
For a complete list of the 2009 Michigan Green Chemistry Governor's Award winners, visit www.michigan.gov/deqgreenchemistry
