Loading…

Identification of emerging safety and sustainability issues of advanced materials: Proposal for a systematic approach

The EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability is a first step to achieve the Green Deal ambition for a toxic-free environment, and ensure that chemicals are produced and used in a way that maximises their contribution to society while avoiding harm to our planet and to future generations. Advanced ma...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:NanoImpact 2021-07, Vol.23, p.100342-100342, Article 100342
Main Authors: Peijnenburg, Willie, Oomen, A.G., Soeteman-Hernández, L.G., Groenewold, M., Sips, A.J.A.M., Noorlander, C.W., Kettelarij, J.A.B., Bleeker, E.A.J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability is a first step to achieve the Green Deal ambition for a toxic-free environment, and ensure that chemicals are produced and used in a way that maximises their contribution to society while avoiding harm to our planet and to future generations. Advanced materials are predicted to play a pivotal role in achieving this ambition and the underlying sustainability goals, and considerable efforts are invested in designing new classes of materials. Examples of such materials are metamaterials, artificially architectured materials designed to have material properties beyond those of the individual ingredient materials, or active materials at the boundary between materials and devices (e.g., new biomedical soft materials). Such innovative advanced materials raise concern about possible future safety and sustainability issues and would benefit from appropriate risk governance that promotes innovation, while pushing for safety and sustainability. To balance these aspects, a methodology is proposed for the early-stage identification of emerging safety and sustainability issues of advanced materials. As exemplified by two case studies, the methodology aims to be of use for innovators, risk assessors, and regulators. Extension of the methodology is highlighted, as well as implementation in broader initiatives like the EU's industrial policy approach. [Display omitted] •Proposal for a systematic approach to assessing safety and sustainability of advanced materials.•Case studies identify the key issues to be solved in the early stages of development of these materials.•The key strength of the framework is the identification of emerging safety and sustainability issues at low technological readiness levels.•The framework can be used by various stakeholders, including innovators and regulators.
ISSN:2452-0748
2452-0748
DOI:10.1016/j.impact.2021.100342