[ 126 ] | GREEN CHEMISTRY
PRIORITIZING FOR A HIGHER GOOD
Indian manufacturers have started investing in R&D and implementing green methods to produce non-toxic chemicals
G
reen chemistry, also known as sustainable chemistry, is an area of chemistry and chemical engineering focused on the design of products and processes that minimize or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry focuses on the environmental impact of chemistry, including reducing the consumption of nonrenewable resources and technological approaches for preventing pollution. The overarching goals of green chemistry—namely, more resource-efficient and inherently safer design of molecules, materials, products, and processes— can be pursued in a wide range of contexts.
Important examples of green chemistry phasing out the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in refrigerants, which have played a role in creating the ozone hole; developing more efficient ways of making pharmaceuticals, including the wellknown painkiller ibuprofen and chemotherapy drug Taxol; and developing cheaper, more efficient solar cells. Industries across several sectors use hazardous chemicals and chemical processes and leave behind pollutants that get discharged in land and water. The chemical reactions during many processes release toxic chemicals, result-
