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News from the Toxics Use Reduction Institute
at the University of Massachusetts Lowell 
June 2014 
June's Featured Resource: 
The Cleaning Laboratory 

 

The Cleaning Laboratory  tests the performance of both industrial and janitorial cleaning products to encourage companies,institutions,and product formulators to choose and develop safer substitutes.

 

The Lab works with formulators and distributors of cleaning supplies, as well as commercial and community organizations interested in promoting a healthier environment through safer cleaning practices. The Lab also helps Massachusetts manufacturers to identify and adopt safer alternatives to toxic chemicals for industrial parts cleaning.

 

The Lab conducts both laboratory and on-site performance testing for specific surfaces and soils and provides technical and field assistance for training, process implementation and continuous improvement.

 

The Lab has robust student intern program. This academic year the Lab trained and worked with two dozen graduate and undergraduate students from UMass Lowell across a variety of disciplines.

Deadline Reminder

The deadline for applying for a grant to switch from nPB to aqueous for industrial parts cleaning is June 30, 2014.

The deadline for applying for a community grant is June 30, 2014.

TURI's free bi-weekly e-bulletin features previews of recent publications and websites relevant to reducing the use of toxic chemicals.

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TURI Recognizes 2014 Champions of Toxics Use Reduction

   

On June 10, Massachusetts legislators and TURA program agencies gathered at the Massachusetts State House to present the 2014 Champions of Toxics Use Reduction awards. 

 

Commissioner David Cash, MassDEP
MassDEP Commissioner David Cash praised the Champions of Toxics Use Reduction for their contributions to making Massachusetts business more competitive.

 

 

The honorees are:

 

Community Champions

  • Barnstable County Cape Cod Cooperative
  • Franklin Regional Council of Governments
  • Full Circle Earth
  • Jamaica Plain New Economy Transition
  • La Chic Mentoring Plus
Keisha Conigliaro, La Chic Mentoring Plus
Keisha Conigliaro, President of La Chic Mentoring Plus, talks about their curriculum for safer beauty products.

 

 

 

 

Academic Research Champion

Professor Sammy Shina, UMass Lowell, Mechanical Engineering

 

Dean Joseph Hartman, College of engineering, Professor Sammy Shina, Mechanical Engineering, Dean Shortie McKinney, College of Health Sciences, UMass Lowell
Dean Joseph Hartman, College of Engineering, Professor Sammy Shina, Mechanical Engineering, honored for his work in lead-free electronics, and Dean Shortie McKinney, College of Health Sciences, UMass Lowell

Industry Champion

Raytheon

 

Donna La Violette, Sustainability Manager, Raytheon, describes how Raytheon arrived at a greener cleaning solution.

 

Small Business Champion

KMK Cleaners

Representative John Rogers, Mary and Michael Flaherty, owners of KMK Cleaners, and Representative Louis Kafka. KMK Cleaners is recognized for switching from perchloroethylene to professional wet cleaning.

Read more about the Champions of Toxics Use Reduction and their accomplishments.

 

New TURI Report  

TURI Presentations

 

Pam Eliason, TURI Industry Research Program Manager, made a presentation to The Stakeholder Advisory Council for the Chemicals Management Plan for the Government of Canada: Alternatives Assessments: How the Massachusetts Example Can Inform Effective Chemicals Management Policy

 

Liz Harriman, TURI Deputy Director, delivered a webinar on Solvents as part of Six Classes, a webinar series on chemicals of concern from the Green Science Policy Institute.

 

Greg Morose, TURI Research Manager, moderated a panel, How Leading Retailers are Advancing Green Chemistry and Sourcing Safer Products at the 9th Annual GC3 Innovators Roundtable.

 

Heather Tenney, TURA Program Manager, made a presentation at the National Training Conference on TRI, Beyond TRI: Lessons learned from addition to the Toxics Use Reduction Act.

 

Joy Onasch, TURI Community and Small Business Program Manager, presented Alternatives to Perchloroethylene in Garment Care to the NEWMOA Advanced Hazardous Waste Inspectors Training Workshop.

Congratulations

 

TURI congratulates our capstone students!

 

Anni Geng worked with the TURI lab.

Her capstone project is titled: Evaluation of Two New Janitorial Products: Z-Bioscience and Bio-Protect. Anni earned her Masters Degree at UMass Lowell, 2014, Work Environment Department, Occupational and Industrial Hygiene

 

Chiagoziem Uzor worked with TURI Research. His capstone project is titled: Alternatives Assessment of Polysulfide Sealant Removers in Aircraft Repair Operations. Uzor has a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from UMass Lowell, 2012. His capstone project is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Masters Degree from the UMass Lowell Work Environment Department