Implementation of green chemistry principles in circular economy system towards sustainable development goals: Challenges and perspectives
Journal
Science of the Total Environment
Journal Volume
716
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
Abstract
Green chemistry principles (GCP) are comprehensively deployed in industrial management, governmental policy, educational practice, and technology development around the world. Circular economy always aims to balance the economic growth, resource sustainability, and environmental protection. This article offers a highlight on issues of significance within GCP and circular economy, and proposes the integrated strategies for GCP implementation from the aspects of governance, industry and education. At first, we developed a new categorizing system for GCP dividing to (i) pollution and accident prevention, (ii) safety and resource sustainability, and (iii) energy and resource sustainability. To assess the GCP practice towards the circular economy, the implementation of international movement of GCP in worldwide policy, especially those of Canada, China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, United States and United Kingdom were reviewed. The policy implementation of GCP practices among governance, industries and education was analyzed. To integrate GCP into the circular economy concept, we also proposed five strategies of priority governance direction as follows: (i) establishment of cross-departmental collaboration, (ii) development of cleaner production and green product, (iii) provision of integrated chemical management system, (iv) implementation of green chemistry education program, and (v) construction of a business model. Finally, we discussed the prospects of disciplinary elements including the establishment of redesign-reduction-recovery-recycle-reuse (5R) practices for wastes reclamation, deployment of water-energy-food nexus with GCP to improve the food security and resource sustainability, and implementation of GCP in the green smart industrial park. © 2020
Other Subjects
Environmental protection; Food supply; Planning; Pollution control; Public policy; Reclamation; Sustainable development; Water conservation; Chemical management systems; Circular economy; Governmental policies; Green chemistry; Integrated strategy; Policy implementations; Resource sustainability; Technology development; Industrial economics; economic growth; economic system; environmental protection; policy implementation; sustainability; Sustainable Development Goal; accident prevention; article; Canada; China; education program; food security; Germany; green chemistry; human; human experiment; hydropower; Japan; South Korea; sustainable development; Sweden; Taiwan; United Kingdom; United States; Canada; China; Germany; Japan; South Korea; Sweden; Taiwan; United Kingdom; United States
Type
journal article