Green chemistry

What is green chemistry? Watch this 2-minute video.

Green chemistry is a science-based philosophy of designing chemicals and processes with the intention of making them less hazardous and more sustainable. It applies to the life cycle of a chemical, from creation to disposal.

When applying the principles of green chemistry during the design phase, you can:

Prevent pollution at the source by making safer chemicals.
Reduce or eliminate the use of toxic chemicals—which protects workers, consumers, and the environment.
Reduce energy and material use while increasing the use of renewable materials.

We've created resources to help educators, schools, and academic and corporate researchers integrate green chemistry concepts into K-12 and higher education. We also provide resources for businesses to learn how to apply green chemistry practices into their work.

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The 12 principles of green chemistry

The 12 principles of green chemistry outline goals for chemists and manufacturers to consider when creating new chemicals or processes. Each of the principles can be grouped into one of three themes.

Principle 1: Prevent waste

Preventing waste at the source is less costly and more impactful than cleaning up waste after it has been created. Watch this waste prevention video (by Green Chemistry UNIDO) to learn more.

Principle 2: Maximize atom economy

Maximize atom economy When designing synthetic methods, it’s essential to maximize incorporation of all materials used in the process in the final product to reduce waste.

Principle 6: Design for Energy Efficiency

Minimize the energy required to reduce environmental and economic impacts. For example, conduct processes at ambient temperature and pressure.

Principle 8: Avoid chemical derivatives

Identify and minimize or avoid unnecessary derivatization (use of blocking groups, protection/deprotection, temporary modification of physical/chemical processes) whenever possible.

Principle 9: Use catalysts, not stoichiometric reagents

Catalyst reagents should be used over stoichiometric reagents. These compounds can be used at low levels and can be reused rather than used once. Watch this catalysts video (by Green Chemistry UNIDO) to learn more.

Principle 3: Less hazardous chemical synthesis

Synthetic methods should be designed to use and generate substances that possess little or no hazards to human health and the environment.

Principle 4: Design safer chemicals and products

Chemical products should be designed to perform and have minimal toxicity to human health and the environment. When a green chemistry innovation has been identified as a potential alternative to an existing technology, we recommend conduct an alternatives assessment to help confirm that your selected chemical alternatives are indeed safer. This will prevent you from replacing one chemical with another that has similar, worse, or unknown toxic effects.

Principle 5: Use safer solvents and auxliaries

The use of solvents and other auxiliary substances (e.g., separation agents, etc.) should be made unnecessary wherever possible and, when used, should be safer. Watch this safer solvents video (by Green Chemistry UNIDO) to learn more.

Principle 10: Design for Degradation

Chemical products should be designed so that at the end of their function they break down into non-hazardous degradation products and do not persist in the environment.

Principle 11: Analyze in real time to prevent pollution

Analytical methodologies need to be further developed to allow for real-time, in-process monitoring and control prior to the formation of hazardous substances.

Principle 12: Minimize the potential for accidents

Substances and the form of a substance used in a chemical process should be chosen to minimize the potential for chemical accidents, including releases, explosions, and fires.

Green chemistry and sustainable design

Using green chemistry is part of sustainable design — a way for scientists and engineers to provide innovative and creative ways to reduce waste, conserve energy, and replace hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives. These tools can help you learn to incorporate sustainability practices:

Design Principles of Green & Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, developed by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute®.
6 R's of sustainable design poster: Rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle.

Examples of green chemistry

Icon of white gas image with green leaf on it. — Photosynthesis-inspired sustainable fuel

Green chemistry has been used in a wide variety of products and processes, from the medical field to computer technology to household paint and more. Here are a few examples:

Packing peanuts made from renewable plant starch that can be composted and are much less hazardous than styrene.
Non-bisphenol thermal receipts that use imaging technology rather than toxic bisphenol-A (BPA) and bisphenol-S (BPS) inks to print thermal receipts, tickets, and labels.
Lithium-ion battery alternatives developed by a local startup that reduces the chemicals used, broadens operating temperatures, and decreases size.

Find more examples of green chemistry or browse the EPA's Green Chemistry Challenge award winners for the latest innovations.

Biomimicry

If scientists need inspiration, they can copy natural processes to create new innovations, an approach called biomimicry. Some examples of ways scientists have used biomimicry include studying how:

Mussels attach to wet rocks to develop safer adhesives.
Coral absorbs carbon to decrease the carbon footprint.
Leaves repel water to design safer water repellents.

Download or request a free copy of our Sustainable Design with Biomimicry Poster to learn more.

Funding opportunities for businesses

For businesses that want to invest in green chemistry or more sustainable practices, the following grants and partnerships can offer funding opportunities:

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and participating agencies, such as the EPA's SBIR Program and others, offer federal grants to fund green chemistry technology.
Washington State Department of Commerce offers local businesses grants and partnerships, such as the Industrial Symbiosis program and Clean Energy Fund.

Frequently asked questions

EPA Green Chemistry Challenge awards is an annual award that recognize chemical technologies that incorporate the principles of green chemistry.
ChemSec marketplace allows businesses to find, add, or request alternatives as a way to garner interest and awareness of their innovations.
Submit a safer alternative or technology to the Green Chemistry for Sustainability directory.

Cleantech Alliance facilitates the generation and growth of cleantech companies and jobs through education, research and partnerships.
American Chemical Society (ACS) Green Chemistry Institute provides a number of resources for businesses and academia. The American Chemical Society’s Industrial Roundtables are forums that bring together companies to focus on the implementation of sustainable and green chemistry. For example, they develop tools, identify research areas and award funding.
Green Chemistry and Engineering Learning Platform (GChELP) provides educational materials, tools and metrics for the pharmaceutical industry that can also be used by other sectors.
Change Chemistry to collaborate on projects that reduce the barriers to accelerate innovation and the adoption of safer chemistries. They also have a Startup Network.
Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference hosted by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute.

University of Washington Green Chemistry & Chemical Stewardship Online Certificate Program: An 8-month online program teaches the principles of green chemistry and how to incorporate them into product design, materials, and supply chain decisions.
UNIDO Green Chemistry Toolkit.
Green Chemistry and Sustainable Energy Summer School: A week-long residential program for graduate and postdoctoral scholars. Travel, housing, and meals included for participants!
Online Summer Green Chemistry Courses for High School teachers: Introductory and advanced online summer courses that provide educators with tools to integrate green chemistry principles and practices into their classroom. These courses are structured in an interactive go-at-your-own-pace format.

If you need a resource, input on your ideas, or guidance for where to go next, contact our team at safer.chem@ecy.wa.gov.

Contact information

Safer Chemicals Team
safer.chem@ecy.wa.gov