Benefits of green chemistry for the environment
Many chemicals end up with deliberate release during use (e.g., pesticides), unintended release (including release during production), or release into the environment. Green chemicals are either turned into harmless products or recycled for further use.
Chemists and chemical engineers who use green chemistry examine the entire life cycle of a product or process, from the roots of the materials used to make it to the final fate of the materials after they have reached the end of their useful life. Using such an approach, scientists have been able to reduce the effects of harmful chemicals on the environment. Research and development in green chemistry takes place in several different fields.