TY - JOUR

T1 - Learning from Safe-by-Design for Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design

T2 - Mapping the Current Landscape of Safe-by-Design Reviews, Case Studies, and Frameworks

AU - Sudheshwar, Akshat

AU - Apel, Christina

AU - Kümmerer, Klaus

AU - Wang, Zhanyun

AU - Soeteman-Hernández, Lya G.

AU - Valsami-Jones, Eugenia

AU - Som, Claudia

AU - Nowack, Bernd

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)

PY - 2024/1/1

Y1 - 2024/1/1

N2 - With the introduction of the European Commission's “Safe and Sustainable-by-Design” (SSbD) framework, the interest in understanding the implications of safety and sustainability assessments of chemicals, materials, and processes at early-innovation stages has skyrocketed. Our study focuses on the “Safe-by-Design” (SbD) approach from the nanomaterials sector, which predates the SSbD framework. In this assessment, SbD studies have been compiled and categorized into reviews, case studies, and frameworks. Reviews of SbD tools have been further classified as quantitative, qualitative, or toolboxes and repositories. We assessed the SbD case studies and classified them into three categories: safe(r)-by-modeling, safe(r)-by-selection, or safe(r)-by-redesign. This classification enabled us to understand past SbD work and subsequently use it to define future SSbD work so as to avoid confusion and possibilities of “SSbD-washing” (similar to greenwashing). Finally, the preexisting SbD frameworks have been studied and contextualized against the SSbD framework. Several key recommendations for SSbD based on our analysis can be made. Knowledge gained from existing approaches such as SbD, green and sustainable chemistry, and benign-by-design approaches needs to be preserved and effectively transferred to SSbD. Better incorporation of chemical and material functionality into the SSbD framework is required. The concept of lifecycle thinking and the stage-gate innovation model need to be reconciled for SSbD. The development of high-throughput screening models is critical for the operationalization of SSbD. We conclude that the rapid pace of both SbD and SSbD development necessitates a regular mapping of the newly published literature that is relevant to this field.

AB - With the introduction of the European Commission's “Safe and Sustainable-by-Design” (SSbD) framework, the interest in understanding the implications of safety and sustainability assessments of chemicals, materials, and processes at early-innovation stages has skyrocketed. Our study focuses on the “Safe-by-Design” (SbD) approach from the nanomaterials sector, which predates the SSbD framework. In this assessment, SbD studies have been compiled and categorized into reviews, case studies, and frameworks. Reviews of SbD tools have been further classified as quantitative, qualitative, or toolboxes and repositories. We assessed the SbD case studies and classified them into three categories: safe(r)-by-modeling, safe(r)-by-selection, or safe(r)-by-redesign. This classification enabled us to understand past SbD work and subsequently use it to define future SSbD work so as to avoid confusion and possibilities of “SSbD-washing” (similar to greenwashing). Finally, the preexisting SbD frameworks have been studied and contextualized against the SSbD framework. Several key recommendations for SSbD based on our analysis can be made. Knowledge gained from existing approaches such as SbD, green and sustainable chemistry, and benign-by-design approaches needs to be preserved and effectively transferred to SSbD. Better incorporation of chemical and material functionality into the SSbD framework is required. The concept of lifecycle thinking and the stage-gate innovation model need to be reconciled for SSbD. The development of high-throughput screening models is critical for the operationalization of SSbD. We conclude that the rapid pace of both SbD and SSbD development necessitates a regular mapping of the newly published literature that is relevant to this field.

KW - Safe-by-Design (SbD)

KW - Safe and Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD)

KW - literature mapping

KW - SSbD implementation

KW - Chemistry

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/ccc6457a-cc4c-32e3-ad06-15a0c8825e6f/

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85179086572&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108305

DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108305

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 38048736

VL - 183

JO - Environment international

JF - Environment international

SN - 0160-4120

M1 - 108305

ER -