What is 'green chemistry' or 'sustainable chemistry'?

Green chemistry is based on 12 principles, all of which have the same objective: to preserve the planet and save natural resources. Photo: AFP

One of the principles of "green chemistry", a concept developed in the 1990s by American chemists Paul Anastas and John C. Warner of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, involves recovering waste from biomass – such as organic matter from plants, animals or water – to give it a second life.

Increasingly important in the context of the climate crisis, green chemistry, also known as "sustainable chemistry", responds to 12 principles, all of which have the same objective: to preserve the planet and save natural resources, which implies, for example, reducing atmospheric pollution, cutting down on food waste, conserving energy, etc.