The Clean Technology Pool Catalysis Process Intensification Solventless Reactions Product Design and Life Cycle Assessment Renewable Feedstocks Alternative Solvents Innovative Engineering Some Newer Clean Technologies

Envirocats Commercial Supported Reagents

Mini Spinning Disc Reactor

Synthetic Organic Chemicals THE PRODUCTS Pharmaceuticals Dyes Sunscreen agents Toiletries and fragrances NEED THE CHEMISTRY Coupling Reactions often based on expensive and toxic precious metals Oxidation - often based on stoichiometric toxic metallic reagents and low atom efficiency processes Halogenation using dangerous reagents and often with very low atom efficiencies Friedel-Crafts Chemistry based on hazardous acidic reagents and dangerous waste BUT NOT THE PROBLEMS! GREEN CHEMISTRY

Greening of Academic Research

Solvent Solutions Non-Volatile Solvents Volatile Organics and Hazardous Solvents Solventless Systems Supercritical Systems Water Other Benign Solvents

UK Consumer Plastic Recycling

Plastic Waste Its Bad…….. > 25% of landfill waste is plastic (degrades slowly) Plastic additives are also a problem Responsible for 28% of all cadmium present in MSW Low density adds to collection difficulties 20,000 bottles = 1t of recovered plastic

Its Bad……..

> 25% of landfill waste is plastic (degrades slowly)

Plastic additives are also a problem

Responsible for 28% of all cadmium present in MSW

Low density adds to collection difficulties

20,000 bottles = 1t of recovered plastic

But…… Energy requirement for PE grocery bags is < paper Plastics have many environmental benefits e.g. fuel savings in cars Substitution of plastics  large increase in packaging weight, cost, volume, energy consumed

But……

Energy requirement for PE grocery bags is < paper

Plastics have many environmental benefits

e.g. fuel savings in cars

Substitution of plastics  large increase in packaging weight, cost, volume, energy consumed

Polylactic Acid for Plastics Production Corn Starch Unrefined Dextrose Polymer Production PLA Lactide Monomer Production Lactic Acid Fermentation Fiber Film Thermoforming Bottle Woven Non-woven Etc. Polymer Modification Apparel Films Polymer Grades

Degradable Polyethylene C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 n C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 C H 3 SUNLIGHT

Making Plastics Sweeter for Bugs Polyolefin in solution Sugar in solution Modified polymer + bacteria Intermediates? CO 2 CO 2 Water

Household Detergents All End Up in The Sewerage System! Past & Present Issues… Eutrophication Bio degradation Manufacturing Waste

Past & Present Issues…

Eutrophication

Bio degradation

Manufacturing Waste

Natural & Synthetic Detergents Natural Biodegradable Usually mild Expensive e.g. fatty acid esters alcohol ethoxylates alcohol ether sulfates sucrose esters Synthetic Often not very biodegradable Inexpensive Wide variety/active e.g. alkyl benzene sulfonates alcohol ethoxylates alkyl phenol ethoxylates quaternary ammonium compounds

Natural

Biodegradable

Usually mild

Expensive

e.g.

fatty acid esters

alcohol ethoxylates

alcohol ether sulfates

sucrose esters

Synthetic

Often not very biodegradable

Inexpensive

Wide variety/active

e.g.

alkyl benzene sulfonates

alcohol ethoxylates

alkyl phenol ethoxylates

quaternary ammonium compounds

Drivers for Adopting Greener Technologies Legislation - cost of end of pipe treatment Competition Public pressure Potential for reducing costs Chemical debottlenecking Licensing opportunities Less hassle from HSE/Environment Agency New market opportunities (premium products)

Legislation - cost of end of pipe treatment

Competition

Public pressure

Potential for reducing costs

Chemical debottlenecking

Licensing opportunities

Less hassle from HSE/Environment Agency

New market opportunities (premium products)

Barriers to Adopting Greener Technology Lack of global harmonisation on regulation/environmental policy Notification processes hinder new product & process development Lack of widely accepted measures of product or process “ greenness” Lack of technically acceptable ‘green’ substitute products and processes Short term view by industry and investors Lack of sophisticated accounting practices focussed on individual processes Difficult to obtain R&D funding Difficult to obtain information on best practice Lack of clean, sustainable chemistry examples & topics taught in schools and universities Lack of communication/understanding between chemists and engineers Culture geared to looking at chemistry not the overall process/ life cycle of materials

Lack of global harmonisation on regulation/environmental policy

Notification processes hinder new product & process development

Lack of widely accepted measures of product or process

“ greenness”

Lack of technically acceptable ‘green’ substitute products and

processes

Short term view by industry and investors

Lack of sophisticated accounting practices focussed on individual

processes

Difficult to obtain R&D funding

Difficult to obtain information on best practice

Lack of clean, sustainable chemistry examples & topics taught in

schools and universities

Lack of communication/understanding between chemists and engineers

Culture geared to looking at chemistry not the overall process/

life cycle of materials

GCN Activities Short Course Conferences Post Grad Seminars Teacher Training Schools Resources and Events Industry Awareness Lectures UK Green Chemistry Awards CRYSTAL Faraday Partnership Masters in Clean Chemical Technology Undergraduate courses and practicals EPSRC Green Chemistry Research Network Books Newsletter Web Site Public Exhibitions Technical and general Articles

Educational Developments General Public Schools 11-19 year old resource book (RSC) A - level (16 - 18) website Teacher Training courses Talks at schools Undergraduate Text book Practicals Lectures Tutorials and Workshops Postgraduate MRes course Euromasters course Worldwide University Network Overseas events Crystal Faraday Training and awareness Courses: (with Crystal Faraday) Continuing Professional Development R Soc and RI Exhibitions BAAS Events Local Events Public Lectures

Education and Training Promotion Research Green Chemistry GCSE text book Development of a web-site designed for 11-19 year olds. Educational resources Green Chemistry Group

The Future Chemical Industry ? Past Future Present