CorkSorb, a cork based absorbents range has just won the Sustainability Innovation Award 2011 (EBAEpis) and has scooped two of the four prizes awarded by the European Business Awards for the Environment in the "Product" and "Business & Biodiversity" categories. This latter category is a cross-sectional approach to the three contest categories. This initiative, which is undertaken in Portugal by the Portuguese Environment Agency in collaboration with the Department of Foresight and Planning and International Affairs, the Directorate-General for Economic Affairs, the BCSD Portugal (Business Council for Sustainable Development) and GCI, took place during the afternoon at the Electricity Museum in Lisbon. Since the launch of the Corksorb products in early 2010, this is the third time that an award is given to this range of cork based absorbents after these products having been previously acknowledged with the National Award for Environmental Innovation and the Green Project Awards (here, the CorkSorb products won the prize in the "Product" category).
This award was given to CorkSorb because this range of products combines the use of a sustainable raw material with an excellent performance in containing and absorbing spills, thus reducing the environmental impacts usually associated with such procedures. CorkSorb is made of cork, a 100% natural, renewable and recyclable raw material by means of an integrated production process that generates no waste. CorkSorb products offer more satisfactory results than other mineral, organic or synthetic absorbents.
CorkSorb is the result of CORTICEIRA AMORIM's energy and constant commitment to R & D and Innovation; it is a new line of natural and highly competitive absorbents, boasting a greater absorptive capacity and generating 20 times less waste than a conventional mineral absorbent. As CorkSorb absorbs oils and organic solvents without absorbing water, it is the ideal solution for any spill/leak situation, even in aquatic environments.
In addition to their environmental advantages, cork based solutions - such as the CorkSorb products - support a whole endogenous ecosystem - the cork oak forest - and play a key role in CO2 retention, in the regulation of the hydrologic cycle, in combating desertification and biodiversity conservation.
This is the second time that Portugal participates in the European Business Awards for the Environment, an European Commission initiative which awards companies that have demonstrated exemplary policies and practices that contribute to Sustainable Development. The projects acknowledged with awards at the Portuguese award competition will be presented in Europe in 2012.
