What Is green chemistry?
Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry applies across the life cycle of a chemical product, including its design, manufacture, use, and ultimate disposal. Green chemistry is also known as sustainable chemistry. Learn more about the twelve principles of green chemistry on the EPA web site.
This page includes links to:
Solvent substitution
- Chemical Substitution Tools Tools and guidance to support substitution are provided either by authorities, industry associations, by scientific bodies or NGO's. Guidance is general and does not go beyond basic principles of substitution. Tools supporting substitution are mostly focussed on taking one step after the other (e.g. decision criteria, assessment of alternatives, implementation planning).
A Framework to Guide Selection of Chemical Alternatives by ISBN: 9780309310130Publication Date: 2014-11-12
EPA Safer Choice Program
EPA's Safer Choice program (formerly Design for Environment (DfE)) works in partnership with industry, environmental groups, and academia to reduce risk to people and the environment by finding ways to prevent pollution.
Overview and training
Green Chemistry GuidePublication Date: 2015- Next Generation Environmental Technologies (NGET): Benefits and BarriersPublication Date: 2003
Alternatives assessment tools
- The Guide to Safer Chemicals: Implementing the BizNGO Principles for Safer Chemicals by Publication Date: 2012
Risk assessment tools
EPA uses risk assessment to characterize the nature and magnitude of health risks to humans (e.g., residents, workers, recreational visitors) and ecological receptors (e.g., birds, fish, wildlife) from chemical contaminants and other stressors, that may be present in the environment.
The tools below are designed to help users evaluate the risks of specific chemicals.
- OSHA Occupational Chemical Database This chemical inventory is OSHA's premier one-stop shop for occupational chemical information. It compiles information from several government agencies and organizations. Information available on the pages includes chemical identification and physical properties; exposure limits; sampling information, and additional resources.