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Chemistry International Vol. 21, No. 1 January 1999 Reports from IUPAC Sponsored Symposia The OECD Workshop on Sustainable Chemistry Workshop Outcomes I. Conclusions/Workshop Statement Workshop participants agreed that sustainable chemistry provides a cost-effective means of reducing chemical threats to health and the environment; accelerating the pace of chemical innovation; and thereby contributing to economic competitiveness and sustainable development. Workshop participants also agreed that efforts should be made to promote the establishment of such programs by governments, industry, and academia. II. Recommendations In order to achieve this aim, the workshop made a number of recommendations either of a general nature that apply to all aspects of sustainable chemistry, or of a more specific nature that apply to one of the objectives listed above. The recommendations follow. General Recommendations The following two overarching recommendations would facilitate the promotion of sustainable chemistry in general and also the implementation of the more specific workshop recommendations. Recommendation 1: The existing OECD Steering Group that was formed to organize the workshop should remain intact and take on the new responsibility of overseeing the implementation of these recommendations. As part of these duties, the Steering Group will form work groups or study groups as necessary. Recommendation 2: OECD should publish the proceedings for this workshop (including the results from the OECD-wide survey), provided funds are available. Specific Recommendations The following recommendations are organized according to the themes that were the focus of the five breakout sessions. Awards and recognition for work on sustainable chemistry. Exchange of technical information related to sustainable chemistry Research and development Guidance on activities and tools to support sustainable chemistry programs Sustainable chemistry education Awards and Recognition for Work on Sustainable Chemistry Recommendation 3: OECD should begin an activity which (1) establishes an international program for rewarding and recognising work in the area of sustainable chemistry; and (2) provides guidance to countries interested in establishing national programs. This activity will promote the incorporation of sustainable chemistry concepts into all aspects of chemistry and environmental sciences and the industrial sectors they affect by recognizing the value of this approach with respect to environmental and economic sustainability. a) OECD should assist in the establishment and implementation of an annual international awards program to recognize excellence in the area of sustainable chemistry. The following elements would be important to the successful implementation of this awards program the OECD Steering Group should create a work group to manage this program that would include representatives from international and regional professional societies, relevant intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and industrial trade associations; the official presenter of the awards should be a multinational governmental body; the exact nature of the nonmonetary award should be defined and established; and eligible recipients of the awards can include representatives from academia, industry, government, and nongovernmental organizations. b) OECD should develop guidance on methods to design national awards and recognition programs in the area of sustainable chemistry. The workshop recognized that the essential elements of an effective international or national awards and recognition program would require the award or recognition be given by a group which is highly respected by the public; the award be highly visible both to the scientific and industrial communities as well as the general public; and the information collected during the award nomination process (including, for example, information on the economic and envir- onmental benefits of a particular innovative technology that incorporates the principles of sustainable chemistry), should be made available to the relevant community. Exchange of Technical Information Related to Sustainable Chemistry Recommendation 4: OECD should establish an information exchange activity on sustainable chemistry. To do so, OECD should a) identify existing communication channels; b) coordinate among these channels within OECD countries; and c) encourage development of new communication channels deemed necessary. The purpose of this activity is to help promote the development and functioning of an international sustainable chemistry community by facilitating the exchange of information through established programs; providing enabling information to developing programs; and communicating program opportunities and results to both technical and nontechnical audiences. Research and Development Recommendation 5: While it is recognized that OECD cannot fund or carryout actual research, OECD should (1) encourage member countries to undertake sustainable chemistry research and (2) facilitate the development of effective research activities in institutions and other organizations. a) OECD should encourage governments to initiate research programs. The approach and specific rationale for doing so can be developed by the Steering Group or other experts as it sees fit. b) OECD should organize member country expert meetings to identify basic (i.e. precompetitive) research agendas to facilitate the exchange of information and experiences and to foster cooperation. c) OECD should monitor the implementation of and results from research programs for the purpose of improving the effectiveness of future programs. d) OECD should encourage national and multinational research funding organizations to increase research funding for sustainable chemistry and foster international collaborations for short- and long-term research. Guidance on Activities and Tools to Support Sustainable Chemistry Programs Recommendation 6: OECD should assist in the development of guidance on sustainable chemistry activities and tools to improve awareness and support of sustainable chemistry activities in member and nonmember countries. a) To improve awareness and adoption of sustainable chemistry, the following actions are recommended: Stakeholders in sustainable chemistry should be identified and informed about the initiative. OECD should facilitate contact with international organisations, national governments, industry and trade associations, labour and trade unions, environmental and other NGO's, academia and other relevant parties. SME activities in sustainable chemistry should be stimulated by engaging innovative companies, trade associations, governments, and professional associations through mentoring, education, and training of SMEs. Academia, industry, governments, and other institutions should develop opportunities that support greater cooperation between the various fields of chemistry and other related disciplines (e.g., analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, engineers) on the design and implementation of sustainable chemistry projects.   b) Tools should be developed to support national sustainable chemistry programs. These tools could include the following: developing new (or adapting existing) mechanisms for monitoring progress, exchanging information, and benchmarking; and exploring, through existing OECD programs, economic incentives, including the internalization of environmental costs. c) National governments or others should, as appropriate, establish qualitative or quantitative targets with realistic time scales. Sustainable Chemistry Education Recommendation 7: OECD should promote the incorporation of sustainable chemistry concepts into chemical education (within and outside of academia) and provide support material to do so. a) It is recommended that approaches and material be developed that can describe and promote the benefits of sustainable chemistry education programs to: the business community, through publications in relevant press, provision of material to relevant conferences/meetings, and by targeting existing programs (such as Responsible Care), etc.; the scientific community; and the public. b) It is recommended that OECD develop guidance on how to implement sustainable chemistry education programs based on materials from existing programs and new materials developed to meet unique needs. This guidance could involve: surveying existing sustainable chemistry education programs (including experiences on what worked and what did not work); identifying educational needs, including identifying barriers and drivers to meeting those needs (i.e., identify gaps); developing materials to meet unique educational needs that cannot be met by existing programs (i.e., fill gaps); compiling materials from existing sustainable education programs and newly developed materials, and developing guidance on how to use these materials; convening educators at a workshop to more thoroughly assess the situation; and disseminating the package of guidance/material (e.g., using the Internet, conferences/ meetings, continuing education programs, networks, professional societies, trade associations, media, etc.).

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