Green Engineering Resources
Green chemistry, also known as sustainable chemistry, emerged in the 1990s as a natural continuation of pollution prevention efforts. It is a type of chemistry that reduces – or eliminates completely – the use and creation of hazardous substances and waste6. The goal is to reduce pollution and waste at their respective sources by looking at the whole chain of design, production and use of chemical products. Green chemistry strives to develop chemical processes and products with reduced energy needs. It tries to tackle all possible aspects of the environmental impact linked to chemistry by considering all aspects of the life cycle including energy use, pollution and waste generation.
State of Texas' Pollution Prevention Planning
Environmental Technology Council
EPA's Green Chemistry Challenge
Some thoughts on linear economy vs circular economy.
Centre for Industry Education Collaboration,
ACS Principles of Green Chemistry
- Prevent waste
- Consider Atom Economy
- Favor less hazardou synthesis
- Design safer chemicals
- Prefer safer solvents
- Design for energy efficiency
- Prefer reusanle feedstocks
- Reduce derivatives
- Prefer catalysis and catalytic reagents to stoichiometric reagents
- Make products that will degrade at the end of their lives
- Monitor processes to forestall production of pollutants
- Try to have in-process materials be safe to reduce risk of employee exposure, release of pollutants, and fires.
The Code of Ethics of the National Society of Professional Engineers has as its first cannon: "Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public."