Sustainable chemicals manufacture: concepts/tools

CH-480 / 4 credits

Teacher: Wang Zhanyun

Language: English

Summary

This course introduces the foundational concepts and tools of Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD), a forward-looking framework for the development of future chemicals and materials. It also offers insights into relevant regulatory and industry frameworks at the Swiss, EU, and global levels.

Content

 

This course will provide:

 

  • Background knowledge on chemical-related pollution in air, water, and soil, as well as its presence in products and waste (including recycled materials), human exposure, and its impact on ecosystems and health, highlighting the need for safe and sustainable design.

 

  • Key concepts, approaches, and tools for safe and sustainable design, including hazard assessment, occupational exposure assessment, risk assessment, and environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The course will also cover common challenges, pitfalls, and the latest developments in the field.

 

  • An introduction to the regulatory and industry perspective, covering Swiss, EU, and global regulatory frameworks.

 

Keywords

Sustainable Chemistry

Sustainability metrics

Alternative carbon sources

Recycling

Chemical manufacture

Safe and sustainable by design

Learning Prerequisites

Required courses

No special knowledge beyond the undergraduate curriculum in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering. Students wishing to attend the course from other backgrounds should contact the lecturers to discuss the fit.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

  • Integrate the fundamentals of safe and sustainable by design into molecular and process design
  • Assess / Evaluate safety and sustainability of chemicals and materials along their life cycle
  • Analyze approaches to molecular and process design and optimization

Assessment methods

There will be complementary exercises going along with some of the lectures, focusing on hands-on practice of hazard assessment, exposure and risk assessment, and environmental sustainability assessment. The mark of the course will consist of the following two components: the exercises (80%; which will be submitted as a written report at the end of the semester), and the group presentation (20%).

Resources

Bibliography

Klöpffer, W., Grahl, B. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A Guide to Best Practice, Wiley (2014)

Ressources en bibliothèque

Notes/Handbook

Course content based on slides

Moodle Link

In the programs

  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Sustainable chemicals manufacture: concepts/tools
  • Courses: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • TP: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: mandatory
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Sustainable chemicals manufacture: concepts/tools
  • Courses: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • TP: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: mandatory
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Sustainable chemicals manufacture: concepts/tools
  • Courses: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • TP: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Sustainable chemicals manufacture: concepts/tools
  • Courses: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • TP: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional

Reference week

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