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The American Chemical Society (ACS) has begun accepting nominations for the 2026 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. The awards are intended to promote the environmental and economic benefits of developing and using novel green chemistry. They recognize novel green chemistry technologies that reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous substances, use less energy and water, and improve the sustainability of products while demonstrating economic benefits. Although the awards were established in 1996 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ACS is now running the program. The ten award categories for 2026 include:
- Focus Area 1: Greener Synthetic Pathway in the Synthesis of Pharmaceuticals;
- Focus Area 2: Greener Synthetic Pathway in the Manufacture of Agrochemicals;
- Focus Area 3: Greener Synthetic Pathway in the Manufacture of Specialty Chemicals;
- Focus Area 4: Product, Chemical, and Process Design for Circularity or Degradability;
- Focus Area 5: Design and Manufacture of Materials for Energy Applications;
- Focus Area 6: Efficient and Impactful Valorization of Biomass;
- Focus Area 7: Design of Safer Chemicals;
- Small Business (for a technology in any of the seven focus areas developed by a small business) (a small business, for purposes of this award, must have annual sales of less than $40 million U.S., including all domestic and foreign sales by the company, its subsidiaries, and its parent company);
- Climate Change (for a technology in any of the seven focus areas that can prevent or reduce greenhouse gas emissions); and
- Academic Award (Fundamental Research that can Enable Real-World Solutions) under one of the seven focus areas.
To be eligible for an award, a nominated technology must meet the scope of the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards program by meeting each of the following criteria:
- It must be a green chemistry technology with a significant chemistry component;
- It must include source reduction;
- Its sponsor must be an eligible entity (companies, individuals, academic institutions (including state and tribal universities), nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations, and their representatives);
- It must have a significant milestone in its development within the past five years;
- It must have a significant U.S. component; and
- It must fit within at least one of the seven focus areas of the program.
