Green Chemistry
Green Chemistry is the process of designing and implementing chemical processes and products that can reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous substances. It also deals with minimising or eliminating the generation of hazardous waste products.
Embracing the principles of Green Chemistry can allow you to carry out sustainable research and:
- Help prevent pollution at a molecular level
- Explore innovative solutions to minimise the adverse effects of chemical processes and products on the environment and human health
- Design chemical processes and products that are less risky and hazardous
How to utilise green chemistry techniques and manage chemicals in a more responsible manner:
Plan your experiments: Lab users are encouraged to plan their work in a comprehensive manner such that they use the minimum amount of chemicals and reduce waste as much as possible.
Consider substitutes: One way to opt for Green Chemistry practices is to consider substitutes. When dealing with hazardous chemicals, lab users can look for less harmful alternatives and utilise them in their experiments instead to achieve the same results. The 'Greener Solvent Guide' below, lists some less harmful alternatives.
Managing inventory: Lab users and lab managers should monitor existing inventory in a responsible manner. If you plan to place an order for more chemicals, please check what is already available and determine if the order is necessary. Lab users should also avoid ordering items in bulk to take advantage of discounted prices. This can lead to chemical waste and compromise our goal of carrying out sustainable research. It is preferable if you only order what you need.
Sharing chemicals: If your research lab has unwanted or excess chemicals, then you can also consider sharing these chemicals with other labs to ensure more efficient utilisation and waste minimisation. Use the University's lab management software (LabCup) to search other labs’ inventories if you need to borrow small amounts or trial new chemicals. You can also use LabCup to offer your unwanted chemicals to other research groups (follow this crib sheet for guidance).
Click here to visit LabCup
Find guidance on LabCup via the 'Files' tab on its Teams Page
Disposing of chemicals: An essential part of Green Chemistry is disposing of chemicals correctly at the end of an experiment. If you have any questions, please ask your lab manager to clear up any doubts.
Download:
- LEAF A3 Poster: Green Chemistry
- MyGreenLab Guide to Green Chemistry Principles & Practices
- Trends of Analytical Chemistry 175: The twelve goals of circular analytical chemistry
Get in touch
If you have any comments or recommendations on how to make our labs more sustainable, please contact us and provide your feedback!
Sustainable Labs Team
Email: sustainablelabs@exeter.ac.uk
If you have any queries or need more support with LabCup, please email the following inbox: labcup@exeter.ac.uk
