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What
is Green Chemistry?
The Green Chemistry
Program was developed by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) with the goal of preventing or reducing
pollution at its source, rather than having to clean it up afterwards.
Green chemistry is focused on designing chemical products (and
manufacturing processes) such that the use/generation of hazardous
substances is reduced or eliminated.
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Green chemistry
dates to the Pollution Prevention Act of
1990 which established a national US policy to prevent or
reduce pollution at its source. |
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In 1991, the
EPA began awarding research grants for including pollution
prevention in the design and synthesis of chemicals. |
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In 1993, the
program was renamed "Green Chemistry" and expanded to include
greener solvents and safer chemicals. |
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In 1995, the
EPA launched the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards
recognizing innovators of technologies that prevent pollution at the
source while increasing commercial competitiveness. |
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Green
Chemistry: Theory and Practice by Paul T Anastas
and John C Warner
(Oxford University Press: New
York, 1998) is the landmark reference. Anastas, then at the EPA, and
Warner, at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, identified
six
key tools for designing greener chemicals/processes: |
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1. |
Alternative
feedstocks/starting materials (raw materials) |
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2. |
Alternative
reagents (substances added to bring about a chemical
reaction) |
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3. |
Alternative
solvents (substances in which other substances are
dissolved) |
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4. |
Alternative
product/target molecule (molecule on which
research is focused) |
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5. |
Process
analytical chemistry (real-time measurements of
manufacturing processes for production and quality
control) |
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6. |
Alternative
catalysts (reusable reagents that are not consumed during
the chemical reaction) |
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Working
with these tools, Anastas and Warner developed
the well-known
12 Principles of Green Chemistry.
The principles provide both a strategy for developing safer
products/chemical processes and the normative standards for
distinguishing desirable outcomes from less desirable ones. |
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1. |
It is
better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste
after it is formed |
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2. |
Synthetic
methods should be designed to maximize the incorporation of
all materials used in the process into the final product |
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3. |
Whenever
practicable, synthetic methodologies should be designed to
use and generate substances that possess little or no
toxicity to human health and the environment |
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4. |
Chemical
products should be designed to preserve efficacy of function
while reducing toxicity |
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5. |
The use of
auxiliary substances (e.g. solvents, separation agents)
should be made unnecessary whenever possible and innocuous
when used |
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6. |
Energy
requirements should be recognized for their environmental
and economic impacts and should be minimized |
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7. |
A raw
material or feedstock should be renewable rather than
depleting, wherever technically and economically practicable |
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8. |
Unnecessary
derivatization (blocking group, protection/deprotection,
temporary modification of physical/chemical processes)
should be avoided whenever possible |
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9. |
Catalytic
reagents (as selective as possible) are superior to
stoichiometric reagents |
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10. |
Chemical
products should be designed so that at the end of their
function they do not persist in the environment and break
down into innocuous degradation products |
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11. |
Analytical
methodologies need to be further developed to allow for
real-time, in-process monitoring and control prior to the
formation of hazardous substances |
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12. |
Substances
and the form of a substance used in a chemical process
should be chosen so as to minimize the potential for
chemical accidents, including releases, explosions and fires |
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In the ensuing
years, green chemistry has become a
generic term referring to the design of safer products
with reduced toxicity over the entire life cycle of the product,
including an ever-expanding array of environmental impacts. |
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Green Chemistry
Institute (GCI) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) is a
non-profit organization based in Washington, DC (incorporated
1997) |
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Green Chemistry
Network (GCN) of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RAC) is a
non-profit organization based in Coventry, UK (registered 1998)
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Green
Chemistry is a peer-reviewed scientific journal of the RAC
based in London and Cambridge (published 1999) |
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Green
Chemistry Initiative is California's regulatory
framework for toxic chemicals (adopted 2008)
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Green Chemistry
now commonly appears in the names of US university departments,
institutes, centers, roundtables, etc (too numerous to name) |
This summary of Green Chemistry is designed to provide you with an accurate, easy-to-understand
overview of the topic and does not constitute legal advice. The actual
standard in the original language should be reviewed and used for all
business, legal, and product compliance purposes.
RSJ's
awareness training is an excellent "first step" for
those just learning about a regulation. Our customized training helps
you understand your current responsibilities and business risks, as well
as the "big picture" of where the legislation is going so that you can
make better business decisions.
We are here to help you!
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