What is the challenge?
Exposure to chemicals can adversely affect humans, animals and nature. When potentially toxic chemicals are used in materials and products, scope for recovery, recycling and reuse, and circular material flows, are impeded.
Today, there are also shortcomings and inconsistencies in how hazardous chemicals are regulated in various parts of a product’s value chain. Since many stakeholders are involved, challenges regarding information, knowledge and traceability also arise.
The challenges in this area are complex and require measures in several areas, ranging from stakeholder collaboration and increased knowledge of ecotoxicology and human toxicology among design researchers and engineers to better tools for risk assessment and life-cycle assessment (LCA) and development of green chemical processes.
How can the programme contribute to a solution?
Mistra SafeChem’s vision is to reduce exposure to hazardous substances by promoting the expansion of a safe, sustainable and green chemical industry in Sweden.
In the programme’s six work packages, research groups comprising participants from different disciplines and with varying specialisations work closely together. The largest work package is about developing green chemical processes. The goal is, with a life-cycle perspective, to create clean and efficient synthesis processes for chemicals that generate minimal residual products and waste. As well as replacing more toxic chemicals and reducing waste, green chemical processes can also enlarge scope for material recovery.
Another major work package focuses on devising soundly based, proactive screening for toxicological assessments. Here, the goal is to develop a toolbox of models and methods for chemical risk assessment that benefit industry.
LCA is a common feature of all parts of the programme, and is also covered in a separate work package. In the development of improved methods for assessing and comparing the risks of using chemicals, materials and products are evaluated throughout the value chain.
Mistra SafeChem works on case studies based on the specific problems and challenges of the companies involved. This may, for example, be a matter of replacing hazardous substances or imposing requirements at supplier level. A minor part of the programme is about policy issues. For new tools and working methods to be adopted, and to make the transition to green chemistry possible, regulations and legislation need to be reviewed and adapted.
Key elements are defining what sustainable, green chemistry is and developing an agenda going forward. Mistra SafeChem is creating a long-term vision of how a transition to green, sustainable chemistry can be achieved.
Research in the programme is to be carried out in close collaboration with the chemical industry to ensure relevance and beneficial use of the results. Mistra SafeChem also makes use of experience from the companies’ own research and development.
Who will benefit from the programme?
Mistra SafeChem’s long-term goal is to develop a permanent research and innovation platform for green and sustainable chemistry. Academia and participating companies work closely together to take a holistic approach to chemicals. Each research part is strongly linked to application, and methods and tools are developed and tested in close collaboration with the industry partners.
IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute is the main contractor of the programme, and the work is carried out in an interdisciplinary consortium jointly with Stockholm University, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec) and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Industrial stakeholders from the entire value chain are taking part, from manufacturers of chemicals to process and product users. The industry partners are AC²T Research GmbH (the ’Austrian Excellence Center for Tribology’), AstraZeneca, BASF, H&M, Holmen AB, Innovation and Chemical Industries in Sweden (IKEM), Germany’s KRAHNEN GmbH, Perstorp AB Innovation, RenFuel, Stockholm Vatten och Avfall (Sweden’s largest water and waste management company), Volvo Cars and Wargön Innovation.
