GreenCentre Canada partners with Ontario to foster green innovation by emerging chemical companies

May 17, 2011

KINGSTON, ON -- GreenCentre Canada and the government of Ontario have joined forces to fuel “green growth” in Ontario’s chemistry-driven industries.

Innovative green solvent system forms basis of GreenCentre’s first spinoff companySwitchable Solution appoints CEO and embarks on commercialization

March 28, 2011
KINGSTON, ON – GreenCentre Canada announced today the founding of its first spinoff company, Switchable Solutions Inc.

Based on a breakthrough green solvent technology discovered at Queen’s University, Switchable Solutions will take aim at some of the world’s most pervasive environmental challenges, from plastic recycling to oil sands processing.

GreenCentre Canada brings together Canada’s leading Green Chemistry researchers, industry partners, and commercialization professionals in a common goal of developing cleaner, less energy-intensive solutions for traditional chemical products and manufacturing processes. A National Centre of Excellence, GreenCentre takes a truly hands-on approach, working with academic and industrial partners to identify and develop research breakthroughs that can benefit the environment and that are closely aligned with industrial needs.

A Community Committed to ‘Green’

(Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) – phytoremediation; paleolimnology; DDT in the food chain

(Civil Engineering) – Geotechnical / Geomechanical Engineering
Underground Excavation Stability and Support Design for Weak Rock Tunnelling
Numerical Analysis / Modelling of Environmental and Geotechnical Problems (improvements to modelling techniques)
Near-face response of tunnels in weak, tectonized rockmasses
Physical Testing of Tunnel Support
Integration of Geomechanics and Geomatics
Hazard Assessment and Risk Management in Geotechnical Works
Use of geosynthetics (polymers and composite materials) in geotechnical structures

Civil Engineering) – groundwater systems modeling, sampling and flow characterization; contaminant release, transport and fate

(Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) - remedial technologies; environmental assessment; arsenic speciation; human health and ecological risk assessment

(Civil Engineering) - ground water and soil pollution (mechanisms, prevention and treatment); physico-chemical treatment; dissolution and evaporation of petroleum products and solvents in soil; used snow composition and disposal

(Civil Engineering) - assessment of aquifer parameters affecting contaminant migration; investigation of mobility of fuels and lubricants in permafrost