This project will seek to reduce the amount of hazardous chemicals in the marketplace by providing product manufacturers and their formulators in targeted industry sectors with chemical hazard and…

Grant Award Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 awarded a $961,878 Project Grant to the Regents of the University of California, doing business as University of California, Berkeley, effective October 1, 2025, through December 31, 2027, under the Pollution Prevention Grants Program (CFDA 66.708). The award funds two integrated programs designed to reduce hazardous chemicals in the marketplace: Greener Solutions, a graduate course that partners students with companies to identify safer alternatives to hazardous materials; and Greener Partnerships, a student internship and outreach program matching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) students with partner organizations in industry, government, and nonprofit sectors. No subawards are included in this assistance agreement.

The project delivers targeted technical assistance across six industry sectors, focusing on identifying alternatives to perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), petroleum-based plastic packaging materials, and unsafe active ingredients in consumer products such as preservatives, ultraviolet blockers, and antidegradants. Deliverables include chemical hazard and alternative assessment reports, sector-specific best practices primers, webinar and industry outreach activities, partner workshops, stakeholder roundtables, community roundtables with advocacy organizations, and four case studies documenting safer alternatives suitable for broader sector adoption.

This project will seek to reduce the amount of hazardous chemicals in the marketplace by providing product manufacturers and their formulators in targeted industry sectors with chemical hazard and alternative assessment reports, matching stem student interns in host organizations and disseminating best practices and case studies to the wider sector through webinar, industry and community roundtables. Potential projects include working with industry partners to: 1) identify alternatives to perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), 2) identify alternatives to petroleum based plastic packaging materials, and 3) identify safer active ingredients for consumer products, such as preservatives in cleaning products, UV-blockers in sunscreens, and antidegredants in tires. This agreement provides full federal funding in the amount of $480,938. Refer to terms and conditions. Activities:the project includes two separate programs: greener solutions, a graduate course partnering students with companies to design an inquiry into safer alternatives to a hazardous chemistry or material; and greener partnerships, a student internship program and outreach program to match stem students with partner organizations in industry, government, and nonprofit sectors. This project aligns with the program's national emphasis area #2: chemical manufacturing, processing and formulation.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:this project will deliver safer alternative identifications and recommendations to at least 6 different industry sectors, a best practices primer for organizations within each sector, webinar and industry outreach, partner workshops with industry sector, industry sector roundtables for stakeholders, community roundtables with community advocacy partners, and 4 case studies.