What Are Green Industrial Solvents

In order to reduce the adverse impacts of chemicals the National Research Council provided a number of recommendations that would assist in linking science and technology to society s environmental goals (Division, 1996). Let us use these as a measuring stick to begin a discussion of green industrial solvents. 

Better test methods should be developed to evaluate, model, and monitor the potential long-term environmental impacts of single compounds emitted as a result of new products or processes. 

Better test methods should be developed to define and ultimately to model and predict the byproducts and degradation products associated with production and use of materials. Basic studies of biochemical effects and of the impact of various chemicals and other adverse effects on the biochemistry of sensitive plant and animal species should be strongly supported. 

Strong support should be given to innovative ideas for modeling and tests on lower-order surrogate species that help to reduce the cost of tests for potential adverse environmental health effects on humans or shorten the response time needed to obtain that information. 

International standardization of testing and international sharing of testing responsibilities should be promoted to reduce costs and speed the availability of reliable and reproducible assessments. 

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