Review of Green Chemical Technologies for Sustainable Developments in Chemical Process Industries

Abstract

The environmental and climatic issues facing across the globe are widely recognized as daunting problems. Therefore, green technologies and ecological sustainable development is vital as the quality of life is declining. We have had major progress in technology causing depletion of natural life sustaining resources, especially clean air and water. These problems are causing substantial environmental, economic and social impairment on a worldwide scale. Sustainable development implies that renewable resources should be used wherever possible and that nonrenewable resources should be husbanded (e.g., reduced and recycled) to extend their viability for generations to come. The paper reviews the trend towards sustainability and green technologies in the chemical process industry (CPI). A broad review of state-of-the-art green technologies in the understanding and application of sustainability with few case studies highlighting the economic benefits of adopting green processes from a chemical engineering viewpoint is addressed. Green technologies increasingly uses renewable resources; reduce wastes, pollutants, emissions; recover, reuse and recycle; reduce the pressure on natural resources and restore the balance of the ecosystem and biosphere and ultimately help in providing "ecologically sustainable development". These technologies are, therefore, feasible, cost-effective, environmentally advanced and most appropriate to the climatic, economical, geographical, ecological and social conditions of the country. This aim can only be achieved by developing new environmental friendly, safe and non-toxic materials and their based innovative technologies. Therefore CPI must encourage sustainable development by investing in green technologies and ensure increased adherence to safety, health and environmental standards.