Eastman Debuts First Cosmetic Ingredient to Use GEM Green Manufacturing

Eastman Chemical Co. (Kingsport, TN) has introduced GEM 2-ethylhexyl palmitate, the first skin-care and color-cosmetic ingredient produced using the company’s GEM green manufacturing biocatalytic process. GEM technology was the winner of the EPA’s Presidential Green Chemical Award in 2009.

“We created Eastman GEM 2-ethylhexyl palmitate to meet the rising consumer and brand desire for sustainably manufactured cosmetic ingredients,” said Marcie Natale, the company’s biocatalysis platform manager.

The technology significantly removes waste and reduces energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. It uses enzymatic technology and closely controlled manufacturing conditions to make esters, eliminating the high temperature and strong acids traditionally required in their manufacture. (Esters are a vital building block of thousands of products.)

The company says that this “gentler” technology consumes less energy, while making high-quality products, even when beginning with sensitive starting materials.