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Groups Develop Standard to Add Greener Chemicals and Processes to Marketplace

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

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NSF International and the American Chemical Society’s Green Chemistry Institute have developed an American National Standard that provides a standardized way to define and report the environmental and human health hazards associated with a chemical product and its manufacturing process.

The new standard, NSF/GCI/ANSI (American National Standards Institute) 355 Greener Chemicals and Processes Information Standard, is hailed as a major step forward for green chemistry.

355 establishes standardized criteria for comparing chemicals and processes that help chemical manufacturers and their customers make “greener choices,” the organizations announced.

It outlines a framework that chemical manufacturers can use to develop a “comprehensive” report to provide information to customers throughout the supply chain.

The report can be used to evaluate several key categories, including:

• Chemical Characteristics—Physical chemical properties, human health effects and ecological effects;

• Chemical Processes (gate-to-gate)—Chemical efficiency and waste prevention, water, energy, bio-based carbon content, innovative manufacturing processes and technology, and process safety; and

• Social Responsibility—Child labor, forced and compulsory labor, and compliance with laws and regulations.

As a third-party certifier, NSF International will certify reports to this standard, meaning that users of a chemical who receive a certified NSF/GCI/ANSI 355 report from their suppliers can be assured the report data is accurate, complete and current, the organizations said.

“This standard is an important tool for helping chemical manufacturers and their customers evaluate chemicals and associated manufacturing processes and make greener choices,” said Richard Engler, Ph.D., with the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pollution Prevention & Toxics.

Collaborative Effort

NSF International and ACS Green Chemistry Institute developed the standard with input from public health/regulatory officials, industry representatives, user/consumer representatives and other interest groups. The group worked together to develop a uniform method by which to assess and report attributes for the chemicals’ characteristics and manufacturing processes, the organizations said.

More information: www.acs.org.