News

News  Updated ChemGenes Corporation Case Study

Originally finalized in 2013, this case study has been updated.
4/22/2016
  • Office of Technical Assistance and Technology

Over the past decade, ChemGenes Corporation, a biotechnology company located in Wilmington, MA, has worked with the Office of Technical Assistance and Technology (OTA) and the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) to reduce and recycle solvents, improving overall efficiency, and saving thousands of dollars in the process. The first phase of the company’s TUR efforts began in 2005 when OTA provided recommendations that led to the company reducing their annual chloroform use by 61% (50,078 pounds/yr) and hexane use by 42% (11,052 pounds) by 2014, and investing in a new chromatography system that significantly improved the efficiency of their manufacturing process and resulted in a net savings of $215,000 through the end of 2012. ChemGenes started the second phase of their activities in 2012, with TURI at UMass Lowell awarding them an incentive grant to help offset capital costs for a new system to recover and recycle hexane and ethyl acetate. In the long-term, ChemGenes expects to reduce the use of hexane and ethyl acetate by 27,000 pounds over the next three years.  Factoring in the TURI grant, ChemGenes realized a return on investment of less than three years for the recycling system.

  • Office of Technical Assistance and Technology (OTA) 

    The Office of Technical Assistance and Technology works to support the growth of environmentally responsible manufacturing and production in the Commonwealth by encouraging businesses to better comply with environmental regulations, implement cost effective toxics use reduction, energy efficiency, water conservation, and other sustainable practices.
  • Help Us Improve Mass.gov  with your feedback

    Please do not include personal or contact information.
    Feedback