Green Chemistry Grows From Grass Roots

Green chemistry, or sustainable chemistry as it is sometimes known, is defining the way in which the chemical and allied industries develop new products and processes. In general, it means the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances.

In addition, it includes the 'cradle to cradle' concept whereby the life-cycle of a product can be tracked from the production of the basic materials to the manufacture, use and subsequent disposal, all of which should not have a negative impact on the environment. But as well as the positive environmental impact, green chemistry can also lead to significantly reduced plant operating costs, benefiting business.

Established chemical production processes have seen changes which have led to reduced energy and water consumption, minimised by-products and even noise reduction. A well-documented example is Shell Chemical's styrene production process.
Changes since 1980, when the company first commercially produced styrene monomer, mean that Shell's newest plants use 35% less energy for every tonne of material produced, while emissions to air have been cut by 90%.

The heart of sustainability

Along with the ongoing process changes, chemical producers are committing to putting sustainability at the heart of their future business development. During 2005, Dow Chemical announced its 2015 Sustainability Goals, which included commitments to continue R&D efforts in green chemistry and improve resource management.
An implementation of this is Dow's recent move to piping methane, generated as a by-product from its landfill sites, to its latex production facility in Georgia, US.
Dow Chemical's chief sustainability officer David Kepler says that when sustainability practices are put into place, and scaled up, their outcomes can be wide-reaching. "Sustainable chemistry begins by assuring our own footprint is light but it only reaches its full potential when it delivers solutions to the problems faced by society," he says.
Kepler's opinion is endorsed and taken further by the UK's Institute of Chemical Engineers chief executive Dr David Brown. "Sustainable chemistry will play an important role in addressing some of the key social issues we face in terms of the impact of climate change, the availability of fossil fuels, the security of energy supply, safe water, affordable healthcare and more effective material resources," he says.
The incremental changes that continue to be made by businesses in the chemical sector are just the beginning. As industry responds to consumer concern, and with the possibility of falling supplies of traditional base materials such as ethylene, it becomes not just the chemical industry that must be sustainable but the feedstock too.

Magical chemical reactions set audience ‘on fire’

M&Ms that spontaneously combust, metal that melts itself and elephant toothpaste—these are just some of the magical displays that faculty and students from the Carleton University department of chemistry performed to packed houses on February 23, 2008. Here, Professor Jeffrey Manthorpe demonstrates how surface area can affect the rate of a reaction. Blowing a powder such as lycopodium into a flame, as Manthorpe is doing, causes the substance to burn. However, when a match is held to a handful of the powder, nothing happens.

Undergraduate Frequently Asked Questions

About the Field
What is Chemical Engineering?
Chemical Engineering combines math, physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering to solve a wide range of industrial problems in a safe and economical fashion.

How long does it take to become a Chemical Engineer?
The B.S. program in Chemical Engineering takes five years to complete. During these five years, students receive 36 months (12 terms) of resident instruction and three 6 month periods of practical engineering experience (Co-op) dispersed throughout the sophomore, pre-junior and junior years. By graduation, B.S. students have obtained a degree as well as practical work experience.

What career options do Chemical Engineers have?
Chemical engineers have career opportunities in chemical process industries (CPI), biotechnology, advanced materials, design and construction, electronics, environmental, safety, and health industries, the food and beverages industries, and many other industries.

Chemical Engineering

Students in Chemical Engineering graduate programs experience high-quality, challenging, and exciting interdisciplinary research in a dynamic and cohesive environment.
Graduate students have access to leading facilities within the department and the university, as well as to research groups with strong links to international researchers and industry (e.g. DuPont, Xerox, SAS, BP Chemicals France, Praxair). Finally, the program has a dynamic group of award-winning researchers that are strongly committed to research, graduate supervision and teaching at a nationally and internationally recognized research university.

Armyworms

from the field by hand or net during the day and fed to
chickens and ducks. Mix the caterpillars with other
food or the fowl will refuse to eat armyworms after a
while.
• Chemical control: Insecticides should be the last
resort for armyworm control. The choice of insecticide
depends on factors such as the application
equipment available, the cost of the insecticide, the
presence of fish, or a need to preserve natural
enemies. Like all pesticides, the benefits of using an
insecticide must be weighed against the risks to
health and the environment. Indiscriminate
insecticide use can disrupt existing biological control,
resulting in pest resurgence or outbreaks. Before
using a pesticide contact a crop protection specialist
for suggestions, guidance, and warnings specific to
your situation. Always read pesticide labels carefully.