Lancaster Environment Centre

Enabling growth and development of chemical using businesses

The chemical industry develops and produces a huge array of products that are vital to our economy and quality of life. However, the use and release of some chemical products, by-products or intermediates (both synthetic and natural) have resulted in damage to the natural environment and to human health. It is therefore crucial that we continue to develop a detailed understanding of how chemicals behave in the environment in order to identify the inherent beneficial or detrimental effects of chemical use. This will allow the risks and benefits of the use of chemicals to be assessed, ultimately resulting in the development of 'greener' chemicals which pose a minimal risk to biota and the environment.

Lancaster Environment Centre can offer business a valuable resource to boost competitiveness in the chemicals and environmental monitoring sectors. Benefits are delivered by enabling access to our extensive technical, R&D, consultancy and training resources. Furthermore co-location of your company alongside us maximises the above opportunities through integration with the largest environmental research institute in Europe.

Centre for Chemicals Management

The Centre for Chemicals Management (CCM), an integrated research centre within LEC, brings together experts from across Lancaster University and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology offering significant national and international expertise in chemicals management. The CCM offers industry integrated solutions covering all aspects of chemical fate, behaviour and effects, promoting sustainable practices for the chemicals sector. The Chemical Centre team, directed by Prof Kevin C. Jones, are keen to foster R&D relationships with companies with a view to developing Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Case Studentships and independent research opportunities.

Areas of Expertise

The CCM conducts cutting edge research into the fundamental processes that affect chemical fate, behaviour and effects in the environment. Key areas of expertise include:

• Sources of chemicals to the environment and reduction measures
• Environmental fate and behaviour profiling (biologically and non-biologically mediated)
• Environmental monitoring, modeling and quantification of food chain transfer
• Exposure and risk assessment
• Toxicological/ecotoxicological effects (e.g. endocrine disruption; environmental carcinogens)
• Contaminated Land Remediation and Bioremediation
• Advice on compliance to chemicals regulation through the CCM and The REACH Centre

Facilities

Lancaster Environment Centre has state of the art facilities for both organic and inorganic chemistry research including HRGC-MS, GC-MS instruments, LC-MS, C14HPLC, GC-FID/ECD, dedicated Sample Preparation Laboratories, Class 2 Microbiology Laboratories and Clean Room facilities. It also has expertise on chemical fate modeling and risk assessment.

Training in Chemicals Management

Lancaster Environment Centre is currently working with industry to improve environmental quality, training and education through its Affinity Group and Workshop programme. Through the formation of industrial consortia the CCM can offer an independent provision to address the environmental concerns, regulatory requirements and research needs of industry. Current workshop themes include:

• Product and Chemical Stewardship
• Preparing for the EU REACH regulation
• Flame Retardants in Industry; Environmental and Regulatory Challenges Workshop
• Contaminated land: Risk Assessment and Bioremediation Training Courses
• Sustainability in Surface Engineering Workshop

Lancaster Environment Centre can offer industry significant national and international expertise in key areas of chemicals research and chemicals management, resulting in a move towards a sustainable future for chemicals of commerce.

For further information on how Lancaster Environment Centre can help your business please contact Martin Gilmore Tel: 01524 510229 or download the Capabilities Flyer.