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News | 2020-08-18
Laboratory personnel pour liquid into a test tube.

The thrust towards green, safe and sustainable practices in the chemical industry gains momentum

The Mistra SafeChem research programme has its sights on a sustainable chemical industry and aims to reduce exposure to hazardous substances across the board. Now we are just leaving the starting blocks and the race will be on for four years – at the very least.

Mistra SafeChem was given the go-ahead from Mistra, the Foundation for Environmental Strategic Research, summer of 2019. But the start has been delayed due to changes in the consortium and the effects of the corona pandemic. Now all the partners are raring to go, and research and industry partners have assembled for a digital kick off.

"We are overjoyed that the programme is finally up and running, we have been working towards this since 2013," says Chris Folkeson Welch, programme manager at Mistra.

Broad participation across the industry

Mistra SafeChem is coordinated by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and financed with SEK 70 million from Mistra. Industry and research partners contribute an additional 30 million. The industry participates with actors along the entire value chain, from the manufacturers of chemicals to users in processes and products. Our research partners are Stockholm University, Rise, KTH, Chemsec and Danish DTU.

The vision of the Mistra SafeChem programme is to promote the expansion of a safe, sustainable and green chemical industry in Sweden.

Our efforts focus on the development of new processes for the industry and the elaboration of models and methods for a chemicals risk assessment toolbox. Mistra SafeChem will also set up a vision and an agenda for green chemistry that will form the basis of a permanent research platform.

Cooperation important for a holistic view of chemicals

Now that work has finally started, we place considerable emphasis on the importance of collaboration between chemists with different specializations and between research and industry partners.

"At Mistra SafeChem, we advocate a holistic view when to comes to chemicals, which means that collaboration is crucial. This involves a large and significant investment and is a first step towards the creation of a research and innovation platform for green and sustainable chemistry, both in Sweden and internationally," says John Munthe, research manager at IVL and programme director for Mistra SafeChem.

Read more at mistrasafechem.se

If you have questions, please contact:
John Munthe, john.munthe@ivl.se, +46 (0)10-788 68 06

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