The Sherwin-Williams Company announced it has been awarded the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award. The award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) on behalf of the White House, recognizes Sherwin-Williams innovative new paint formulation, utilizing soybean oil and recycled plastic bottles (PET) in the substantial reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOC).

“We are pleased that the White House and EPA have recognized our very talented R&D team that’s committed to innovation and sustainability,” said Chris Connor, chairman and CEO of The Sherwin-Williams Company. “Incorporating simple ingredients like soybean oil and recycled plastic bottles into a first of its kind powerful paint formula, provides a winning transformational combination for our customers and the environment.”

Sherwin-Williams is being recognized in the Designing Greener Chemicals category for water-based acrylic alkyd technology. (WBAAT) Oil-based alkyd paints have high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) that can become air pollutants as the paint dries. But now the Sherwin-Williams R&D Innovation Excellence team has developed water-based acrylic alkyd paint, made from soybean oil and recycled plastic bottles that cut VOC content by 60%.

In 2010, the new environmentally friendly Sherwin-Williams paint formula, found in Pro Classic Waterbased Acrylic Alkyd, ProMar 200 Waterbased Acrylic Alkyd, and ProIndustrial Waterborne Enamel has eliminated 800,000 pounds of VOCs.

In manufacturing the new paint formula, Sherwin-Williams has used 320,000 pounds of soybean oil, 250,000 pounds of PET, and eliminated 1,000 barrels of oil. The continued evolution and expansion of the Sherwin-Williams technology has the potential to eliminate millions of pounds of VOC emissions while supporting the recycling of multi-million pounds of PET each year.