Ecovative Design Hailed as Environmental Champion
GILLIBRAND HAILS ECOVATIVE DESIGN AS ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPION After Gillibrand Nomination, Eco-Group Wins Prestigious Environmental Award Albany, NY – Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, congratulated Ecovative Design for winning the 2012 Environmental Quality Award. Located in Green Island, Ecovative Design is leading the way in creating environmentally-responsible products that replace traditional foam packaging, such as Styrofoam, insulation, and denser materials, such as particle board. The organization, which Senator Gillibrand nominated this past February, is set to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious honor for their commitment and significant contributions to greening communities. “I congratulate Ecovative Design for their dedication to securing a cleaner New York,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This environmental champion is paving the way towards a green energy future, revolutionizing our packaging and products using eco-friendly, sustainable materials.” “The US EPA was the first supporter of our research under the Small Business Innovation Research program in 2008, and now we are honored to receive this recognition since we have scaled the business and are manufacturing environmentally-responsible product,” said Gavin McIntyre, Chief Scientist at Ecovative Design. Founded in 2007, Ecovative Design, which makes eco-friendly packaging, building materials, automotive products, uses materials that are environmentally low-impact, 100% biodegradable and renewable, and are part of a healthy ecosystem. Unlike other bio-plastics, the group’s technology is not based on turning food or fuel crops into materials. Ecovative Design uses inedible crop waste to grow their products, which can be composted right in users’ backyard, making Ecovative Design truly sustainable. Awards, which recognize individuals and organizations that have improved the environment and public health in EPA Region 2 (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and seven federally-recognized Indian Nations), will be formally presented to New York organizations in a ceremony on Friday, April 27th at the EPA Regional Headquarters in New York City.
