China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Application
Published in Andrew Braham, Sadie Casillas, Fundamentals of Sustainability in Civil Engineering, 2020
ASTM E3027, titled “Standard Guide for Making Sustainability-Related Chemical Selection Decisions in the Life-Cycle of Products” provides guidance to product manufacturers when comparing different chemicals or ingredients across the life cycle of a product (ASTM, 2018). E3027 highlights three different methods of evaluating chemical hazards, including: Clean Production Action’s GreenScreen for Safer ChemicalsThe United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Design for the Environment (DtE) Alternatives Assessment Criteria for Hazards Evaluation (Safer Choice)The National Academy of Sciences’ A Framework to Guide Selection of Chemical Alternatives.
Fundamentals of Life Cycle Assessment
Published in Toolseeram Ramjeawon, Introduction to Sustainability for Engineers, 2020
The welfare of modern society largely builds on extensively mining minerals and fossil fuels including coal, petroleum, and natural gas to produce large quantities of synthetic chemicals. Consequently, the chemical industry faces significant challenges for the management of environmental and human health impacts related to chemicals production and use. LCAs are used extensively by the chemical industry for internal support and strategic decision-making, as well as for communication with stakeholders. LCA has been applied to evaluate the environmental performance of chemicals as well as of products and processes where chemicals play a key role. The life cycle stages of chemical products are differentiated into extraction of abiotic and biotic raw materials, chemical synthesis and processing, material processing, product manufacturing, professional or consumer product use, and finally end-of-life. A large number of LCA studies focus on contrasting different feedstocks or chemical synthesis processes, thereby often conducting a cradle to (factory) gate assessment. While typically a large share of potential environmental impacts occurs during the early product life cycle stages, potential impacts related to chemicals that are found as ingredients or residues directly in products can be dominated by the product-use stage. In many studies, LCA is discussed in relation to other chemicals’ management frameworks and concepts including risk assessment, green and sustainable chemistry, and chemical alternatives assessment
The nexus between alternatives assessment and green chemistry: supporting the development and adoption of safer chemicals
Published in Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 2021
Joel A. Tickner, Rachel V. Simon, Molly Jacobs, Lindsey D. Pollard, Saskia K. van Bergen
Similarly, in the field of alternatives assessment, practical application of alternatives, including technical feasibility, are often-overlooked components (3). The Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute, which works with Massachusetts companies to evaluate and support adoption of safer chemistries, has found that overcoming technical barriers in collaboration with companies is critical to the successful adoption of safer alternatives (95, 96). Alternatives assessment provides a framework to systematically consider performance, technical feasibility, economic considerations (such as reformulation and scalability), and potential trade-offs in adoption (e.g. changes to manufacturing processes or working conditions) of a safer option. Additionally, by starting the analysis with a specific chemical of concern in a specific application, alternatives assessment sets the baseline for improvements against the incumbent option, providing refined parameters for function and toxicity.