Washing away carbon emissions in the laundry | Roger Berry | TEDxBoston

TAML: Rebalancing Chemistry and Nature

Key Concepts:

• TAML (Tetra-Amido Macrocyclic Ligand): A catalyst mimicking natural peroxidases for efficient oxidation.
• Biomimicry: Designing and producing materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes.
• Hygienically Clean: A standard of cleanliness, particularly in commercial laundry, indicating the absence of harmful levels of yeast, mold, and bacteria.
• Oxidation: A chemical reaction involving the loss of electrons, often resulting in the breakdown of substances.
• Carbon Emissions: The release of carbon dioxide and other carbon compounds into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

The Problem: Bad Chemistry and Resource Consumption

• Traditional chemical processes rely on high heat and large volumes of chemicals, leading to excessive energy and water consumption.
• Laundry, surprisingly, contributes 8% of global carbon emissions due to inefficient chemical processes.
• Commercial laundry, especially in hotels and hospitals, requires stringent "hygienically clean" standards, currently achieved through resource-intensive methods.
• Example: Cleaning towels and linens in a hotel room can use 25 gallons of water, totaling nearly 10,000 gallons per room annually.
• US hotels alone consume 30 billion gallons of water annually, heated to over 140°F, for laundry.

The Solution: TAML Catalyst and Biomimicry

• TAML is a catalyst inspired by natural peroxidases found in the human body.
• Peroxidases, along with hydrogen peroxide, facilitate efficient oxidation reactions to break down substances.
• Dr. Terry Collins at Carnegie Mellon University created TAML catalysts, mimicking peroxidases but being 100 times smaller and up to 1,000 times more powerful.
• TAML works by stealing an oxygen atom from an oxidant (like hydrogen peroxide) and transferring it to the target compound, effectively "burning it up."
• Unlike 2,500 other catalysts, TAML breaks down into harmless components after the reaction.

TAML in Action: Commercial and Hotel Laundry

• Commercial Laundry (Tunnel Washer):
  • TAML, combined with normal detergents and hydrogen peroxide, reduced energy use by 68% and chemical volumes by 25% in a laundry facility using a large, multi-chamber tunnel washer.
• Hotel Laundry (Pocket Washer):
  • Using TAML in a hotel pocket washer (larger than home machines) at 90°F (compared to the industry standard of 140°F) resulted in:
    • 60% reduction in energy demand.
    • 50% reduction in water usage.
    • Almost a third reduction in cycle times.
  • The laundry still met the "hygienically clean" standard.
  • Fiber degradation was reduced by four times, extending the life of linens and reducing waste.
• 100 grams of TAML can enable the washing of over 200,000 lbs of laundry, filling three 18-wheelers.

Environmental and Commercial Impact

• Potential Carbon Savings:
  • US households adopting TAML: 25 million tons of carbon annually.
  • Hotels adopting TAML: 55 million tons of carbon annually.
  • Hospitals adopting TAML: 5 million tons of carbon annually.
  • Total: 85 million tons of carbon annually (equivalent to the annual emissions of New Jersey or Austria).
• Potential Water Savings:
  • Global hotels adopting TAML: 26 billion gallons of water annually.
  • Households using TAML for shorter cycle times: Hundreds of billions of gallons of water annually.
• Commercial Benefits:
  • For every $1 of TAML used, commercial laundry facilities can save $2-4 in utility costs and $15-25 in labor.

Broader Applications and Conclusion

• TAML's applications extend beyond laundry; it could potentially reduce global annual carbon emissions by 1% across multiple industries.
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of considering the impact of chemicals on the planet and our bodies.
• Solving climate change requires not only energy infrastructure changes (like electric vehicles) but also better chemistry.
• With continued development and adoption, TAML chemistry could save billions of tons of carbon, hundreds of billions of gallons of water, and reduce chemical volumes, ultimately rebalancing chemistry with nature.