NEWS OF THE WEEK
PRESIDENT AWARDS SCIENCE MEDALS AWARDS: Winners of the National Medals of Science and of Technology & Innovation are chosen
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Undated photograph of Helen and Alfred Free at work in Miles Laboratories, in Elkhart, Ind.
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RESIDENT BARACK OBAMA has named 10
Obama said in announcing the awards. “It is my tremendous pleasure to honor them.” Included among this year’s award recipients are a number of chemists and chemical engineers. Among them is Helen M. Free, who served as president of ACS in 1993 and whose work on dip-and-read diagnostic strips was named a National Historic Chemical Landmark this year (C&EN, May 24, page 41).—DAVID HANSON
NATIONAL MEDAL OF SCIENCE
people as winners of the National Medal of Science and three people and one team as winners of the National Medal of Technology & Innovation for 2010. The medals are the highest honor bestowed on scientists and engineers by the U.S. government. The recipients will receive their medals at a White House ceremony later this year. The annual awards are administered by the White House and the National Science Foundation, and the nominees are selected by a committee of distinguished presidential appointees. “The extraordinary accomplishments of these scientists, engineers, and inventors are a testament to American industry and ingenuity,”
Yakir Aharonov, Chapman University; Stephen J. Benkovic, Pennsylvania State University; Esther M. Conwell, University of Rochester; Marye Anne Fox, University of California, San Diego; Susan L. Lindquist, Whitehead Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Mortimer Mishkin, National Institutes of Health; David B. Mumford, Brown University; Stanley B. Prusiner, University of California, San Francisco; Warren M. Washington, National Center for Atmospheric Research; Amnon Yariv, California Institute of Technology
REMOVING BISPHENOL A
against BPA poses a risk to shareholder value and brand reputations but that firms are taking action. Half of the food companies responding to a survey for the report have a plan to phase out the use of BPA, compared with only 21% in 2009. Overall, three firms—Hain Celestial, ConAgra, and H. J. Heinz—received a grade of A for their efforts to remove BPA from their products. Each has begun using non-BPA can linings in some products. Of the 22 firms that responded to the survey, 18 are exploring substitutes and 11 have committed to phasing out BPA. Six companies are disclosing their BPA actions to the public. Four companies didn’t respond. Although several firms said they rely on their suppliers to make changes to food packaging, the report commends ConAgra and Campbell Soup for “extensive testing processes for BPA-free can linings.” Yet the firms’ efforts still lack transparency, says report author Emily Stone of Green Century. “The companies are tight-lipped about the substitutes they are testing,” she says. “We don’t want companies introducing new materials that could pose risks.” In addition to consumer pressure, food makers face increased regulatory action on BPA. Earlier this month, Environment Canada designated BPA as toxic (C&EN, Oct. 18, page 22). But the American Chemistry Council, a U.S. chemical industry trade group, counters that BPA is safe to use in food-contact applications.—MELODY VOITH
CANNED FOODS: Many companies plan to phase out use of chemical in product containers, survey finds OOD COMPANIES are making notable progress in replacing the bisphenol A (BPA) used to make epoxy can linings, according to a new report by Green Century Capital Management, an advisory firm focused on environmentally responsible investing, and CAN PLANS As You Sow, a shareholder Survey grades food companies advocacy group. in BPA phaseout activity Consumers and researchers have raised SEEKING PLANNING PUBLIC ALTERNATIVES PHASEOUT DISCLOSURE concerns about possible Hain Celestial A A A health effects of BPA, ConAgra A A B+ which can migrate into H. J. Heinz A A B+ food from epoxy resin General Mills A C B+ can liners (C&EN, July Nestle´ C A B+ 20, 2009, page 28). The NOTE: Top five of 22 food company respondents. report’s authors say that SOURCE: Green Century Capital Management a consumer backlash
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WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
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NATIONAL MEDAL OF TECHNOLOGY & I N N OVAT I O N Individuals Harry W. Coover, Eastman Chemical Co.; Helen M. Free, Miles Laboratories; Steven J. Sasson, Eastman Kodak Co.
Team Federico Faggin, Marcian E. Hoff Jr., Stanley Mazor; Intel Corp.
OCTOBE R 2 5, 20 10
