The Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) concept was developed by the European Commission as part of the European Green Deal and the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. Its purpose is to guide the design and development of new substances, materials, and products so that they are safe for human health, environmentally responsible, and economically viable throughout their entire life cycle.
It provides a voluntary methodological framework that enables companies and research organisations to integrate a multi-dimensional assessment of risks and impacts from the earliest design stage, and to implement optimisation measures that ensure long-term sustainability, taking into account five key dimensions:
- Hazard Assessment
Identifying the hazardous properties of substances used (toxicity, fire and explosion risks, potential impacts on health and the environment) using reliable data sources such as Safety Data Sheets, toxicological studies, and specialised databases.
- Human Health and Safety Aspects in Production and Processing Phase
Evaluating and reducing risks at each stage of the process to ensure a safe working environment for operators and to minimise hazards (exposure banding/classification based on exposure, modelling, on site monitoring, analyses and monitoring validation). - Human Health and Environmental Aspects in the Final Application Phase
Assessing the potential effects of products on human health and the environment during their use phase and at end-of-life, including disposal and recycling - Environmental Sustainability – Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Measuring the overall environmental footprint from resource extraction to end-of-life, identifying points of improvement, and favoring more sustainable solutions - Socio-Economic Sustainability Assessment
Analysing the broader economic and social impacts (job creation, social acceptance, benefits to local communities, market implications) to ensure both long-term viability and public acceptance.
Thanks to the expertise acquired in the field of environment and safety, Certech applies the SSbD framework to R&D projects for new materials, innovative processes, or industrial solutions.
