Enhancing solvents' sustainability

The health, safety and environmental spotlight is now falling squarely on many of the solvents chemists take for granted. A number of widely used ones are now facing restrictions, if not outright bans, because of toxicity and environmental concerns. What is being done to make solvents safer and more sustainable?

‘Industry has been chasing greener solvents for at least 20 years, but Reach [the EU regulations on registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals] is really forcing their hands,’ says James Clark, director of the Green Chemistry Centre at the University of York, UK