Explainer: what is green chemistry and why does it matter?
25 years after the field’s 12 principles were first laid down, green chemistry has moved into the mainstream
Chemistry touches nearly every aspects of our society and economy. It provides us modern luxuries but also modern problems like pollution and toxic waste. In the early 90s a rethink of the kinds of chemical processes and technologies that were possible led to the birth of a new field: green chemistry. This field was built on the belief that society could keep, even enhance, the benefits chemistry has provided while eliminating the downsides.