Sustainability: Innovation Through Creative Use of
Existing Tools
Ruth Hull
Intrinsik Environmental Sciences Inc, Toronto, Canada
SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry) North America
May 16th, 2012
Sustainability challenges
• Sound chemical management is needed at all stages
of a product’s life-cycle
• Industry is challenged with balancing profit, product
effectiveness, environmental responsibilities
• Industry understands the importance of having
products that are as “green” and “sustainable” as
possible (CSR).
• How can they evaluate whether they are doing the
best “balancing”?
2
3
Tools to Assess Sustainability
• Existing tools can be used to evaluate the
environmental component of sustainability, such
as hazards and risks
– Globally Harmonized System of Classification and
Labelling of Chemicals
– Ecosystem services evaluation
– Life-cycle analysis
– Risk assessment
• These can be linked to the social and economic
components using tools such as decision analysis
4
GHS Classification: Foundation
of the Safe Use of Chemicals
Safe use of
Chemicals
Risk Management
(Risk Communication &
Chemical Control)
Hazard Communication
(Safety Data Sheets & Labelling)
GHS Classification
5
http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_welcome_e.html
Ecosystem Services
6
Stay tuned: SETAC Workshop on Ecosystem Services, 2013; www.setac.org
Life Cycle Assessment
7
SETAC Advisory Groups (LCA); www.setac.org
Risk Assessment
8
SETAC Advisory Groups (ERA, HHRA); www.setac.org
Practical Approaches
• Methods exist to monitor and assess chemicals in the
environment
– Go beyond a comparison of concentrations to guidelines
– Consider exposures to people, fish, wildlife, etc. (e.g., risk
assessment)
– Look to the final goal when planning approaches (be flexible,
creative, use adaptive management)
9
What can you do?
• Industry
– Think about the life of the product
– Use existing tools to evaluate sustainability (e.g., RA, GHS,
LCA, ecosystem services, decision analysis)
– Incorporate concepts of CSR
• Government
– Support innovation
– Ensure legislation supports innovation
10