Green and Sustainable Chemistry

Abstract

The products of the chemical and pharmaceutical industries are indis- pensable for our high standard of living and health. Estimations say that about 100,000 chemicals are available on the market, mostly used in combination with other chemicals. Consumers may be unaware that the products of chemical indus- tries provide the functionality they expect when buying or using a certain product. Often the contribution of chemistry is not clear to the consumer, as chemicals are used to improve or enable certain production processes, to improve the effi cacy or the lifetime of a product or to generate a specifi c colour or taste (e.g. food additives, preservatives). In other words, the benefi t of modern chemistry and pharmacy can- not be overestimated. Contrary to current perception, which is dominated by the legacies of the past, chemistry can and will contribute in many ways to sustainability through its prod- ucts and processes. However, it is important that chemistry itself becomes more sustainable. Sustainable chemistry encompasses green chemistry but is much more than that. An overview of green and sustainable chemistry and its important achieve- ments are presented, and some possible future contributions are outlined.