Principles for a Healthy Oregon

If we desire a more sustainable society, one in which our goods and services are designed to regenerate life rather than jeopardize it, we must design products to be safer from the start by eliminating toxic chemicals through the use of green chemistry.

Green chemistry is the application of 12 principles in the design, manufacture and use of chemicals and chemical products, as defined by Paul Anastas and John Warner. The principles are focused on reducing hazards, increasing efficiency and transitioning to renewable feedstocks.

Through the application of these principles, products become safer for employees and customers alike, helping companies strengthen their competitiveness and make them more innovative.

Oregon Environmental Council is working to make Oregon a national leader in the development and application of green chemistry by nurturing research, education and entrepreneurship in the fields of green chemistry and engineering. At the same time we are promoting innovation and a cleaner, more resilient economy.

A multi-year effort by Oregon Environmental Council to promote green chemistry in Oregon culminated on April 27, 2012 with the signing of the executive order: Fostering Environmentally-Friendly Purchasing and Product Design.

But Oregon needs to prioritize additional resources to expand our R&D capacity in green chemistry and build public-private partnerships so we can continue to innovate in ways that improve the environmental and economic performance of Oregon businesses.

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2 Replies to "Principles for a Healthy Oregon"

  • Pete Auseklis
    October 15, 2014 (6:36 pm)

    I learned a lot about green chemistry by reading this page. Very informative!

  • Roger Bates
    November 21, 2014 (2:40 am)

    Would it be possible to set a goal of requiring ALL single use plastic to be biodegradable? If we don’t already have appropriate/green biodegradable plastic for food packaging is anybody working on this goal?