Abstract

Green Chemistry uses all chemical principles and techniques to prevent pollution at its source. Green Chemical Engineering includes the design and operation of processes as well as the design and manufacture of products that minimize pollution and risks to human health and the environment. The practice of green chemistry has been summarized by 12 operating principles: atom economy, less hazardous synthetic pathways, less hazardous products, safer solvents and auxiliaries, energy efficiency, renewable feedstocks, fewer derivatives and intermediate synthetic steps, use of catalysis, design of products for degradation, real-time analysis and control of processes, and inherently safer processes.

Green chemistry and chemical engineering promote the goal of achieving the so-called triple bottom line, namely, economic prosperity and continuity for corporations, social well being for communities and employees, and environmental protection and resource conservation. In order to assess green technologies, new economic, financial, and environmental accounting and risk management tools are being developed. These tools include Life Cycle Analysis, Total Cost Assessment, and Environmental and Toxicology Risk Assessment. The goal of achieving green and sustainable chemical manufacturing has been embraced by a number of government and non-governmental organizations.