A pile of waste and garbage found on the beach. (Photo by Antoine Giret via Unsplash)
The imminent threat of climate change and growing evidence of environmental degradation are intensifying the global search for sustainable solutions. Green chemistry promises to revolutionize the way industrial processes are approached by minimizing harm to the environment.
Green chemistry is the design of chemical processes and products that reduce or eliminate the use and production of hazardous substances, promote sustainability, and minimize environmental impact. We focus on developing safer and more efficient ways to conserve resources and prevent pollution. Everyday examples include the use of biodegradable plastics, environmentally friendly dry cleaning, and the use of water-based paints.
Green chemistry, which focuses on reducing waste, using safer materials, and conserving resources, seems like a ray of hope. In any case, can we really undo the damage we have done? Are we still too entrenched in traditional methods to make a big impact?
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Green chemistry applies to the entire lifecycle of a chemical product, including design, manufacture, use, and ultimate disposal.”
One of the fundamental principles of green chemistry is to “prevent contamination at the molecular level” by minimizing the hazards of chemical raw materials, reagents, solvents, and products.
An example of preventing contamination at the molecular level is water-based paints. Traditional paints use harmful chemical solvents and emit toxic fumes that can cause health problems and cause air pollution.
Green chemistry promotes water as a safer solvent that eliminates these harmful gases and reduces pollution while providing the same quality and finish that people expect from paint.
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The core of green chemistry centers around 12 principles that provide a clear and actionable blueprint for reducing the environmental impact of chemical processes. These principles focus on waste prevention, the atom economy, and safer chemical design.
By applying these guidelines, green chemists aim to create processes that are safer, more efficient, and less harmful to the environment.
The 12 principles put forth by the American Chemical Society (ACS) are:
Prevention: Avoiding waste generation rather than waste management and cleanup.
Atom economy: Maximize the incorporation of materials into final products and reduce waste.
Low-hazard chemical synthesis: Avoiding the use or production of hazardous substances in chemical processes.
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Designing safer chemicals: Designing chemicals to perform their functions while minimizing toxicity.
Safer chemicals and adjuvants: Minimize or avoid the use of harmful adjuvants.
Designed for energy efficiency: Reduce energy usage by running reactions at room temperature and atmospheric pressure when possible.
Use of renewable raw materials: Prefer renewable raw materials over non-renewable raw materials.
Reduce derivatives: Avoid unnecessary derivatives to prevent waste and excessive use of liquids.
Catalysts: Instead of chemicals that are only used once, we use catalysts that can be reused for many reactions.
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Designed for decomposition: Ensures that chemicals break down into harmless substances after use to avoid negative environmental impacts.
Real-time analysis for pollution prevention: Develop real-time monitoring to control processes and prevent the formation of hazardous substances.
Intrinsically safe chemicals for accident prevention: Design processes to minimize risks such as explosion, fire, and accidental release.
For example, designing chemical synthesis to avoid waste involves creating chemical processes that produce little or no harmful byproducts, thereby eliminating the need for expensive processing or disposal. This not only reduces environmental pollution but also helps reduce costs and energy associated with waste management.
Participating in green chemistry has a wide range of benefits, including improving human health and environmental quality, as well as strengthening economies and business operations. EPA supports green chemistry and its long-term benefits across a variety of industries.
Green chemistry contributes to cleaner air and water by reducing the release of harmful chemicals.
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According to the EPA, green chemistry “reduces lung damage” and provides “cleaner drinking and recreational water.” This means practicing green chemistry to minimize pollutants that cause respiratory illnesses and smog, reduce the release of toxic chemicals and harmful byproducts, and clean the air. We also protect water sources by using safer chemicals and processes that prevent drinking and recreational water contamination.
Workers in the chemical industry experience improved safety due to “less use of toxic substances” and fewer accidents such as fires and explosions.
Green chemistry minimizes the release of harmful chemicals into the environment, reduces the risk of ecosystem destruction, and reduces global warming potential, ozone layer depletion and smog formation.
Chemicals designed according to green principles are “broken down into non-hazardous products” or recovered for further use, reducing harm to flora and fauna and reducing reliance on landfills for hazardous waste. It will decrease.
By reducing synthesis steps, green chemistry enables faster manufacturing, reduces waste, and eliminates the need for expensive waste disposal and remediation. Companies will benefit from “improved chemical reaction yields,” allowing them to use less raw material while increasing plant efficiency and saving energy.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) takes this claim further, stating that “green chemistry solutions have reused CO2 as an industrial refrigerant, reducing climate impact by 15%.”
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Green chemistry is the key to achieving a circular economy by addressing resource use at the molecular level. By reducing waste, minimizing toxic substances, and creating safer and more efficient processes, we not only reduce damage to the environment, but also provide economic and health benefits. While it may not be possible to fully undo the damage already done, the innovations are an important step towards a sustainable economy and move us closer to a greener future.
Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau
