Green Chili????

[ACSGCI]

Contributed by Stephen Schafer, Pharmaceutical Technology Specialist, Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals

To help continue to foster a Green and Sustainable culture (i.e., recycling initiatives, waste reduction, and maximizing efficiency of processes) at Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals Inc. (KU), the Quality Control CIP Committee held a Bake Sale, Silent Auction, and Chili Cook-Off (with the winner receiving $100) on site February 27th – 28th with the goal of raising $1,000 to donate to the ACS GCI.  This fundraiser was held in order to show KU’s ongoing commitment and support for Green Chemistry education and outreach.

This event was kicked-off on February 27th with the Bake Sale and a Silent Auction, with the Bake Sale continuing on February 28th along with the Chili Cook-Off.  All bake sale items were $1 and a bowl of chili was $5.  There were over 10 items up for bid in the Silent Auction including an Oreo® cake, a skillet pineapple upside down cake, & a dozen homemade cinnamon rolls.  We had 13 different chilies entered in the Chili Cook-Off, including two vegetarian style.  We had a panel of five judges representing various KU departments for the Chili Cook-Off, and the winner of the $100 cash prize in a very close competition (only three total points separated the top three chilies) was Laboratory Technician Andy Hill (pictured left receiving $100 cash prize for winning the Chili Cook-Off from KU QC CIP Committee member Stephen Schafer).

With the help and support of several people at KU, we were able to successfully raise $810 ( $190 short of the $1,000 goal) from the Bake Sale, Silent Auction, and Chili Cook-Off for the ACS GCI and their Green Chemistry education and outreach programs.  Jeff Siefert, VP of Manufacturing at KU, generously authorized that KU would make up this $190 shortfall so that our goal of $1,000 was achieved.  As this fundraising event showed, Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals is committed to helping further promote and advance Green Chemistry education and principles within our workplace and the surrounding communities – GO GREEN CHEMISTRY!

Teaching Green Chemistry to the Next Generation

KU Analytical Development Support Chemist Stephen Schafer leads a group of Scottsburg Middle School 8th graders from Mr. Jeffries Science class in a Green Chemistry E-Factor Lab using snack items such as potato chips & candy. The “What is Green Chemistry – Concepts & Ideas” lesson from Beyond Benign & Fisher Scientific Education was also presented to this class of 8th graders.  After the lab lesson, “GO GREEN CHEMISTRY” wristbands were handed out to all of the students to help continue to promote Green Chemistry awareness, education, & principles within the community.  The Green Chemistry lesson & lab were both a part of Stephen’s participation in the ACS Science Coaches Program that helps to leverage the passion Chemists bring to their job to engage the next generation on Science & Sustainability.

Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals Recycles

Laboratory Technician Dustin Bailey is shown in this picture putting glass solvent & chemical bottles from the QC Department into a roll-off box / dumpster for recycling.  The QC Department started this recycling initiative in mid-January 2013 & estimates that close to 10 tons of glass was recycled by the end of the year.

QC Operations Chemist Addee Bishop puts plastics into the QC plastics 1 – 7 dumpster for recycling. The QC Department started its plastics recycling initiative in September, 2012.  When the city began taking all plastics 1 – 7, the QC Department also broadened its recycling initiative to include all plastics. This includes disposable drinking cups, vials & caps packaging, centrifuge packaging, centrifuge tubes & caps, glue stick containers, filter & syringe packaging, sample bottles & caps, chemical bottles & caps,used / broken safety glasses, & damaged / broken carboys.  In 2012, KU recycled 4.5 tons of plastics.  With the QC Department’s enhanced plastics recycling efforts, Kremers Urban should easily surpass 5 or more tons of recycled plastics for 2013.

Analytical Development Support Chemist Stephen Schafer  loads the Distillation Apparatus with Aqueous/Methanol Waste & filling 4L bottles with the Recycled Methanol that is collected from the distillation process.  To date, the QC Department at Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals Inc. has recovered / recycled ~ 277 Liters of Methanol & eliminated ~ 352 Liters of water-containing waste from the waste stream for a total cost savings of ~ $2,634.

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