12 Principles of Green Chemistry
1. Prevent waste
2. Design safer chemicals and products
3. Design less hazardous chemical syntheses
4. Use renewable feedstocks
5. Use catalysts, not stoichiometric reagents
6. Avoid chemical derivatives
7. Maximize atom economy
8. Use safer solvents and reaction conditions
9. Increase energy efficiency
10. Design chemicals and products to degrade after use
11. Analyze in real time to prevent pollution
12. Minimize the potential for accidents
Operating sustainable businesses that provide value-added products and services with minimal or no environmental impact has become a top priority for the chemical and process industries. A green approach to the manufacture and marketing of chemical products is an important aspect of a successful sustainability initiative. Green chemistry also offers chemical producers a mechanism for connecting chemicals and chemistry to the consumer in a positive way. Many companies, both large and small, have demonstrated that a green chemistry approach can be a commercially viable one by developing products or services that have enhanced performance qualities and/or cost savings in addition to reducing the environmental footprint of their businesses.
Green chemistry focuses on the reduction, recycling, and/or elimination of the use of toxic and hazardous chemicals in production processes by finding creative, alternative routes for making the desired products that minimize the impact on the environment. “Green chemistry is a more eco-friendly green alternative to conventional chemistry practices,” says Dr. Louis M. Scarmoutzos, Founder & Managing Partner, MVS SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED. “The green chemistry movement is part of a larger movement ultimately leading to a green economy- namely sustainable development, sustainable business and sustainable living practices,” he explains. Paul Anastas, Director of the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute adds that “Green chemistry is pollution prevention at the molecular level; it is chemistry that is benign by design.”
Companies that desire to embark on a green chemistry initiative should be aware that there are some challenges to overcome. Getting chemists to look “outside the box” for non-traditional raw materials and processes is one of the major hurdles to implementing green chemistry initiatives, according to Richard Engler, Ph.D., Director of EPA’s Green Chemistry Program. “Overcoming an inherent reluctance to change, and particularly to changing existing and established processes and products is another major challenge,” says Dr. Scarmoutzos. In addition, management must be prepared for the extended time-frames necessary for many green chemistry initiatives to provide a significant return on expenditures or investments.
Several steps can be taken to increase the odds of achieving a successful green chemistry initiative. Most importantly, implementing green chemistry thinking and practices up front and early on in the development of new chemical-based products and chemistry-based technologies is key. “Top to bottom commitment and participation from all aspects of the business enterprise and its activities is also imperative,” notes Dr. Scarmoutzos. Keeping initial green chemistry programs simple, and targeting obvious changes where the results can be readily observed, is strongly recommended. Tracking progress, publicizing results and rewarding employees are also aspects of a successful green chemistry initiative.
Benefits of taking a green chemistry approach to chemical manufacturing include economic savings, reduction of specific environmental impacts, enhanced company spirit, quality of work life, reduced employee absenteeism and illness, and goodwill (customers, vendors, stakeholders), according to Dr. Scarmoutzos. “Notwithstanding the obvious benefits of green chemistry to the environment and to human health, there is growing motivation for businesses and manufacturers to adapt green chemistry processes and to develop or use green products,” he says. “Consumer sentiment is increasingly favoring eco-friendly and green alternatives over conventional products and processes. Whenever price and quality are comparable, the environmentally responsible product will have the advantage.”
Commitment to the adoption of green chemistry approaches by the chemical industry has been growing significantly over the past decade. In addition to possessing a desire to be positive members of the community and to operate sustainable businesses, chemical companies have a vested interest in developing greener operations. Green chemistry can be a driver of innovation and give companies a leadership position in technology, increase internal expertise, provide competitive advantage, improve corporate culture, and address concerns of the public.
The strong support afforded by the chemical industry to green chemistry legislation approved by the US House of Representatives in mid-April of 2004 is one indication of the extent of its commitment to sustainability and green chemical operations. The bill, which passed with almost unanimous support (402-14) has now moved to the Senate Commerce Committee for review. The new legislation focuses on support of R&D and education and authorizes $84 million for its activities, which does not include any other additional funding that might be raised from other sources. A green chemistry R&D program within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of Defense (DOE) would direct these federal agencies to fund R&D for green chemistry initiatives. The bill also promotes green chemistry education and the collection and dissemination of information about green chemistry.
Through its Green Chemistry Program, the EPA has already begun efforts to assist industry with the development and implementation of green chemistry initiatives. The mission of the program is “to promote innovative chemical technologies that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture and use of chemical products.” The Green Chemistry Program supports fundamental research in the areas of environmentally benign chemistry as well as a variety of educational activities, international activities, conferences and meetings, and development tools through voluntary partnerships with academia, industry, and other both governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations. Its Green Chemistry Expert System allows users to build a green chemical process, design green chemicals or survey the field of green chemistry. Within the program, a large emphasis is placed on training and education. Short courses for chemical professionals are offered in conjunction with the ACS and its Green Chemistry Institute.
“Our primary message is that green chemistry really does work,” says Dr. Engler. “Green chemistry not only helps the environment but also contributes to the bottom line. Environmental and economic considerations are not in conflict. Frequently a solution can be found that benefits both,” he continues. According to Dr. Engler, green chemistry utilizes the creativity of chemistry to deliver sustainability.
As part of the EPA’s Green Chemistry Program, the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge awards recognize industry for successful green chemistry initiatives. The first awards were given out in 1996 and have encompassed all types of products and processes in the chemical and allied industries. Awards in five categories are distributed each year: alternative synthetic pathways; alternative solvents and reaction conditions; designing safer chemicals; academics; and small business.
In 2004, awards went to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Buckman Laboratories International, Inc.; Engelhard Corporation; Charles Eckert and Charles Liotta of Georgia Institute of Technology; and Jeneil Biosurfactant Company.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company won the Alternative Synthetic Pathways Award for the development of a green synthesis for Taxol® manufacture via plant cell fermentation (PCF) and extraction. The new process replaces an existing route requiring 11 chemical transformations and 7 isolation steps that used 13 solvents and 13 organic reagents and materials. The biotransformation relies of plant cell cultures rather than the twigs and leaves of the European yew, allowing for year-round harvest and elimination of solid biomass waste. During its first five years, the PCF process will eliminate approximately 32 metric tons of hazardous chemicals and other materials.
Buckman Laboratories International, Inc. earned the Alternative Solvents and Reaction Conditions Award for its Optimize® enzyme technology for paper recycling. The Optimize® process relies on a novel esterase enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate, which is a problem compound in adhesives, coatings, plastics and other “stickies” found on approximately half of the paper and paperboard collected for recycle in the U.S. The Optimize® enzyme is produce by fermentation from renewable resources and itself is biodegradable. Since May 2002, more than forty paper mills have converted to Optimize® for manufacturing paper goods from recycled papers. In one mill alone, solvent consumption was reduced by 200 gallons per day and chemical use by nearly 600,000 pounds per year while production increased 6%, which equals about $1 million. The enzyme allows for recycling of more grades of paper and produces high quality paper goods while improving process efficiency.
Engelhard Corporation won the Designing Safer Chemical Award for its RightfitTM azo pigments, which are azo pigments that contain calcium, strontium, or sometimes barium instead of the traditional pigments based on heavy metals used to serve the red, orange, and yellow color market. The RightfitTM pigments are manufactured in aqueous medium and most have been approved both by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Canadian Health Protection Branch (HPB) for indirect food contact applications. Importantly, RightfitTM pigments have good dispersibility, improved dimensional stability, improved heat stability, and improved color strength and cover a wide color range from purple to green-shade yellow. They provide environmentally friendly, value-added color to packaging used in the food, beverage, petroleum product, detergent and other household and durable goods markets.
Professors Charles A. Eckert and Charles L. Liotta of Georgia Institute of Technology earned the Academic Award for developing benign tunable solvents for both reaction and separation processes. Eckert and Liotta used supercritical CO2 in conjunction with phase transfer catalysts (PTCs) to tune reaction equilibria and rates, improve selectivities, and eliminate waste. They have demonstrated that a variety of PTCs can be used for a wide range of reactions. Other solvents investigated include nearcritical water and CO2-expanded liquids. Their methods allow for easier recycling of homogeneous catalysts including PTCs, chiral catalysts and enzymes.
Jeneil Biosurfactant Company won the Small Business Award for its rhamnolipid biosurfactant, a natural, biodegradable, low toxicity alternative to synthetic surfactants that provides good emulsification, wetting, detergency, and foaming properties. Rhamnolipid biosurfactant is a naturally occurring extracellular glycolipid found in soil and on plants. The company produces the product commercially in a controlled, aerobic fermentation process using soil bactgerium that consumes innocuous and renewable feedstocks. Current uses for rhamnolipid biosurfactant include consumer cleaning products, contact lens cleaning solutions, as an active ingredient in an agricultural fungicide, and for precluding harmful environmental impacts and remediating environmental pollution.
The companies and initiatives that have won these awards clearly underscore how commercially successful green chemistry can be. As sustainability becomes more and more critical to corporate success, the adoption of green approaches to the manufacture of chemicals will also be of increasing importance to chemical companies of all size. In addition, designing products and processes that reduce consumption and production of hazardous materials can provide opportunities not available using traditional approaches to chemical manufacturing.
About the Author
Cynthia A. Challener (challener@vtlink.net) is Principal Consultant at C&M Consulting (www.candmconsult.com). C & M Consulting offers technical writing, editing and research services to the chemical and allied industries. Services include the development of marketing brochures, technical bulletins, presentations, and feature articles. In addition to her work for ChemAlliance, Dr. Challener has provided services to a wide variety of chemical industry clients, including Chemical Market Reporter, ACS, and SOCMA.
