The University of Illinois at Chicago has received $8M in funds from the National Nuclear Security Administration through the Stewardship Science Academic Alliances program to manage a Center of Excellence that will focus on the properties of materials under austere conditions.

UIC will oversee the Chicago/Department of Energy Alliance Center for four years under the SSAA program, DOE said Monday.

The facility will establish interactions between academic groups and NNSA laboratory scientists and train graduate students in stewardship science. The center will also perform high pressure-temperature studies on the properties of materials.

“This work will expand the boundaries of knowledge in materials and high-pressure science, while also developing the next generation of scientists to support the stockpile stewardship mission,” said Mark Anderson, assistant deputy administrator for research, development, test and evaluation at NNSA’s Office of Defense Programs.

The SSAA initiative seeks to recruit engineers and scientists for the Nuclear Security Enterprise in a move to support NNSA’s stockpile stewardship efforts.

The Trump administration has established a Pandemic Response Accountability Committee to oversee the provision of government funds for COVID-19 relief efforts in line with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

According to PRAC’s website, the group of 20 inspectors general will operate as part of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency to ensure transparency in the allocation of funds for CARES Act efforts and other related federal programs.

The committee will include an additional member once a Special IG for Pandemic Recovery has been confirmed.

“The PRAC, working closely with all Federal [IGs], seeks to ensure that funds intended to support individuals, workers, healthcare professionals, businesses, and others affected by the pandemic are used efficiently, effectively, and in accordance with the law,” said Michael Horowitz, the Department of Justice IG and acting PRAC chair.

The CARES Act earmarks $2.4 trillion for individual economic relief as well as loans for impacted businesses and support for medical institutions.

Ball Corporation has announced the five aluminum packaging plants with the most significant operational and social sustainability improvements in 2019, the company reported on Tuesday.

“In our ongoing efforts to further enhance the sustainability credentials of aluminum packaging, all of our operations are continuously seeking opportunities to achieve zero accidents, minimize environmental impacts, support their local communities, and educate consumers about the importance of beverage and aerosol can recycling,” said Bjoern Kulmann, director, global sustainability.

The selected plants include progress across the areas with the most significant sustainability impact across Ball’s operations such as safety, energy, water and waste, as well as the promotion of aluminum packaging’s sustainability credentials and engagement in their local communities.

Ball will award one plant in each region of its Global Beverage Packaging and one plant in its Aerosol Packaging businesses with the 2019 R. David Hoover Sustainability Award. Of the awardees, Global Beverage Packaging, a Kapolei, Hawaii-based beverage packaging company.

The Kapolei plant set a plant record for electricity and gas efficiency in January 2019 and, during the year, saved Ball more than $1 million through energy efficiency projects. Kapolei has also completed 3 water efficiency projects, which resulted in a 30 percent reduction in normalized water usage between 2018 and 2019.

The second company, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina has continued to improve efficiency across Ball’s Big 6 categories since 2014. Between 2018 and 2019, Buenos Aires reduced total waste 15 percent, increased recycling 4 percent and decreased water usage by more than 3 percent in 2019. Buenos Aires also demonstrated an “exceptional” willingness to participate in innovative projects, and share best practices and provide assistance to other Ball plants.

The Gelsenkirchen in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, has improved across Ball’s Big 6 categories, achieving zero total recordable incidents, improving electricity efficiency by nearly 5 percent, natural gas efficiency by 12 percent and water efficiency by 6% in 2019.

The plant also decreased its waste by 24 percent and was rated “excellent” for its ongoing improvement and commitment to efficiency projects, as well as dedication supporting others. Gelsenkirchen also excelled in driving BPEMEA’s Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification.

The Yangon, Myanmar plant has consistently improved its electricity efficiency since 2016, improving by nearly 23 percent in 2019 by implementing several energy efficiency projects. The plant also improved its overall safety culture with improved reporting and a greater focus on corrective actions.

The San Luis Potosí, Mexico plant attained zero total recordable incidents for the year. As Ball’s most electricity efficient aerosol plant in 2018, San Luis Potosí reduced its electricity intensity by another almost 5 percent in 2019, improving its electricity efficiency by 10.4 percent since 2016. The plant also launched a campaign to educate the public about aluminum’s sustainability credentials and to increase recycling rates.

“We have seen fantastic results and impacts by each of our plants in 2019 and congratulate these five plants who went above and beyond in their commitment to sustainability,” added Kulmann.

About Ball Corporation

Ball Corporation supplies innovative, sustainable aluminum packaging solutions for beverage, personal care and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 18,300 people worldwide and reported 2019 net sales of $11.5 billion.