Chemical Alternatives and Substitution Resources

Institutional Expectations

Berkeley Lab expects staff to understand the risks of the chemicals they plan to use, and to minimize these risks through elimination, substitution, and reduction where feasible or necessary. This is often easier said than done. Fortunately, there are a number of resources available to help you determine if safer chemical alternatives or substitution are appropriate for your research purpose.

You may contact chemsafety@lbl.gov if you would like support evaluating your specific needs. Please share your success stories and substitution resources so we can promote best practices in action at Berkeley Lab!

General Guides

• OECD Guidance on Key Considerations for the Identification and Selection of Safer Chemical Alternatives

• OECD Frameworks and Guides

• OECD Case Studies and Other Resources

• GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals Hazard Assessment Guidance For Chemicals, Polymers, and Products

• ACS 12 Principles of Green Chemistry

Solvents

• Pfizer Simple Solvent Selection Guide

• GSK Guide

• Sanofi Guide

• AstraZeneca Guide

• Unified Solvent Selection Guide

• Solvent selection guide for chromatography

• Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) Database of Safer Solvents (DOSS)

Reagents

• ACS Reagents Guide.

• Millipore-Sigma DOZNTM Tool.

• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Reagent Guides.

• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Acid and Base Guides.

• Quick Chemical Assessment Tool (QCAT)

Synthesis

• ACS Division of Organic Chemistry: Green Chemistry

• Green chemistry for chemical synthesis

• Green methodologies in organic synthesis: recent developments in our laboratories

• Green Chemistry in Organic Synthesis

Products

• Green Lab Supplies and Equipment Guide

• Cleaner Solutions Database

• ACT Label Database

Tools

• Millipore-Sigma DOZNTM Tool

• OECD Substitution and Alternatives Assessment Tool Selector

• ChemHAT

• Pharos

• KEMI

• Chemsec Business Tools

• Green Chemistry Assistant

• ACS Solvent Selection Tool