As mentioned above in the quote from the Aveda chemist, green chemistry is typically described as “the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry applies across the life cycle, including the design, manufacture, and use of a chemical product” (Source: www. epa. gov/ gcc/). It is also known as sustainable chemistry, and the goals of those utilizing this method to manufacture products include reducing waste, saving energy, and eliminating negative environmental impact. It’s a movement that has all the right goals in mind, including working with all types of raw material suppliers to ensure that the ingredients they develop are as “green” as possible. This includes hazardous chemicals (think bleach, ammonia, disinfectants, preservatives). Green chemistry does not discourage these necessary yet hazardous chemicals, but rather looks for ways to make them less dangerous.
Keep in mind that the majority of hazardous chemicals pose minimal risk to us or the environment when they are used as directed and disposed of properly. Green chemistry doesn’t rely solely on natural ingredients, but this type of product formulation is far more realistic and ends up being more helpful for skin, relying on the best of both worlds— nature and science. Green chemistry advocates strive to use as many natural and sustainable ingredient sources as possible, but as any cosmetics chemist will tell you it is impossible to make a 100% natural product that can successfully fight acne, skin discolorations, sun damage, sun protection, or other skin problems. For example, at the very least, synthetic preservatives are needed to control the growth of bacteria and potentially harmful microbes even in products composed of natural ingredients. Natural preservatives just don’t have the efficacy, formulary compatibility, or cost-effectiveness required to make safe, reliably preserved products (Source: David C. Steinberg, Preservatives for Cosmetics, Second Edition, Allured Publishing, 2006).
Work on furthering the concepts and practice of green chemistry has been part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s agenda since the early 1990s. You can expect to see more examples of and claims for green chemistry as it becomes more mainstream—and much of this progress is dictated by consumer demand for safer products.