The future of chemicals is Safe & Sustainable by Design

In our daily lives, we find ourselves surrounded by a myriad of chemicals and materials. New products come with potential risks for both our health and the environment. TNO is encouraging companies to embrace Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) methods to effectively balance risks and benefits in the initial product development stages.

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A new standard for chemical innovation

Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) signifies a fundamental change in approach, where safety and sustainability considerations are incorporated from the outset of product development, alongside functionality and cost considerations.

This proactive approach enables the early identification of opportunities to improve safety and sustainability during the innovation process, throughout the entire life cycle. Consequently, companies gain the flexibility to adjust their products, reducing negative impacts and development costs.

TNO's 4-step approach

The innovation approach aims to empower companies to take informed decisions based on the integration of health, safety, sustainability, functionality and cost impacts early in the innovation process and throughout the entire life cycle.

Define design criteria for the intended use of the chemical, material or product.
Quick screening on all SSbD aspects (health, safety, sustainability, functionality and cost) within the SSbD decision support tool based on available information, data and modelling.
Visualisation and integration of impact on SSbD aspects and visualisation of trade-offs.
Decision making based on transparent visualisation and scenario testing. If needed, more detailed evaluation of one or more SSbD aspects can be performed.