GC3 Member Update - December 2021

New Plasticizer Report Issued for GC3 

The Sustainable Chemistry Catalyst just issued a new report for the GC3 entitled Landscape Analysis of Drivers, Enablers, and Barriers to Plasticizer Substitution. The Catalyst, led by Joel Tickner, is an independent research and strategy initiative, based at the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, focused on accelerating the transition to safer, more sustainable chemistry through research and analysis, and stakeholder engagement with scientists, policymakers, advocates, and commercial actors.

The new report explores barriers and enablers to the adoption of green and sustainable chemistry that can be effectively leveraged to accelerate commercialization and adoption actions in the future. The report focuses on identifying factors that have led to the successful substitution of plasticizers in some product categories and to understand what is holding substitution back in others.

Among the report findings: given the technical challenges, cost, and potential for supply chain disruption, strong and clear drivers are needed for chemical substitution to occur, and these drivers can be closely interconnected. Brand action, customer expectations, non-governmental organization (NGO) action, and regulations were identified as important drivers for substitution in the three case studies where substitution is widespread. The availability of suitable substitutes was a key enabler.

GC3 Speed Scouting Event Fosters Networking

With more than 50 companies participating, the GC3’s Speed Scouting event provided ample networking opportunities for large strategic companies and startups alike on December 1. Using a panel format, technical and investment experts drew out information about recent advances in new products, markets, scale-up, and commercialization from GC3 startups. As part of the structured networking, participating strategics were able to sign up for 1:1 follow up meetings with the startups and a robust calendar of follow-on discussions has been set up. A recording of the event is available for GC3 members here along with contacts information for all the participating startups.