Amongst ather thinas a chemical pracess whichis
sustainaole’
Mill not use up the Earth's non-ranswrabla
resources
“nil net put large amourts of damaging
‘chemicals into the environment
‘The plastics incustry is acommon example given.
The raw material is crude oll, end this is a resource
thatis cleerly net going to last foreverno matter how
inventive oll companies get in their explorations
Plastics are generally non-biodegradable and some
Lise Renewable Rew Materials
Lots of chemicals aremade from nan-renes
sources like crud oll fractions or metal ore
Increasingly. itis possible for chemists to u
alternative compounds which may be rene
“Biofuels
+Piastios mada from plant products
would be examples ofthese.
However, as we will discuss later, there are
consequences withthe use of some of thee
‘can be difficulttaracycla
procucts and they might prove nct to be ai
renewable.
‘There are things thet the chemical incustry ean do to nN
trv andimprovethinas
CFCs ere an exemple of a chemical whichis harmful Chlorinated hydrocarbans are used as dry cleering
tothe environment
Chemicals eanelso be harinful to humens or the
ecosystem
Pain usedio be leattbased Lead may cause
irreversible neurological damage as well 25 renal
dissace, cardiavasculareffects, and reproductive
toxic
Lead would getinta the environment from flaking
paint
Patrol used to be leaded, Lead would got intothe
almosphere from car exhausts
effective aswell
Jindustry uses microvrave
agents its process ratherthan the
{ heating reaction vessels
Thesere widely known to be carcinogenic.
ereactionmixture directly.
Many chemical processes have been redesigned tethan heating the mixture b:
chemicals which ere safer for nina things and! the
environmentin general
Products end Waste chemicals
‘Where possible the chemical industry is trying to déxample Is the widespread
products that are recyclable — in that way iess new Ng phased out (they were
matetia has to he made and this greserves nor- for expanded foams)
renewable raw matarials k
tobe harmless, as they are
quite unreactive, but they are the chemicalTheamount of waste needs to be kept to a minirr
(see atom economy later) and where possible
Should be biodegradable, or even better useful in