16 / 26
allied
academies
Journal of Biotechnology and Phytochemistry
Volume 1 Issue 3
Chemistry World 2017
Page 68
November 13-15, 2017 Athens, Greece
7
th
World Congress on
Chemistry
The concept of sustainable chemistry: key
drivers for the transition towards sustainable
development
Christopher Blum
1
, Dirk Bunke
2
, Maximilian Hungsberg
3
, Elsbeth
Roelofs
4
, Anke Joas
5
, Reinhard Joas
5
, Markus Blepp
2
and
Hans Christian
Stolzenberg
1
1
German Environment Agency, Germany
2
Öko-Institut e.V., Germany
3
Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany
4
CSR Netherlands, Netherlands
5
BIPRO GmbH / Ramboll Environ, Germany
Producing, using, re-using, disposing, and eliminating
chemicals with the least possible adverse effects on human
health and the environment is the so-called 2020 goal which
has been initially formulated 2002 by the Johannesburg
World Summit for Sustainable Development. While
rapidly approaching the initial target date, we face globally
ongoing progression of production volumes, count, and
uses of chemicals. Thus, the need for broad transformation
to a sustainable chemistry becomes exigent. Moreover,
as humankind has to rely on the chemicals sector for
contributions to nearly all Sustainable Development Goals
(SDG) of the Agenda 2030, it is even more essential to get
the urgently needed sustainable solutions from a thoroughly
sustainable chemistry. Sustainable development is a process to
ensure the future as well as present potential to meet essential
human needs and desires within the ecological and resource
limits of our planet. This paradigm is relevant for all areas
including those where chemicals are produced, traded, used,
processed, incorporated into products, reused and recycled,
disposed of and released into the environment. Sustainable
chemistry is a holistic approach for sustainable development
considering the entire lifecycle of chemical products and
the related system of actors, institutions and culture. This
holistic approach distinguishes sustainable chemistry from
green chemistry and from operational safe use of chemicals.
Sustainable chemistry is building on and goes beyond these
two concepts. Therefore, besides health and environment,
social conditions, science, research, technical and economic
aspects must be considered and balanced within the capacity-
limits of our planet. The herewith-presented Concept of
Sustainable Chemistry describes the understanding of what
sustainable chemistry is about in view of the authors. Based
on this assumption, to guard against green washing, to reduce
current burdens, andwith a view to the SDG, we propose seven
Objectives and Guiding Principles of Sustainable Chemistry
to be applied in all chemical relevant areas: design and use
of benign chemicals; development and use of alternative
solutions for problematic applications; reduction of impacts;
conservation of natural resources; promotion of reuse and
recycling; increase of market opportunities; application of
corporate social responsibility. In conclusion we point out
action topics promoting the holistic approach that sustainable
chemistry entails.
christopher.blum@uba.deJ Biotech and Phyto 2017