Plasticizers, fLame-retardants and surfactANts: new alternatives validating the safE and susTainable by deSign approach

The Green Deal sets up ambitious roadmaps for increasing EU sovereignty while promoting safer and more sustainable approaches.

The SSbD framework published by JRC and adopted by the Commission proposes an approach to evaluate the safety, environmental, and socio/economic dimensions of molecules, materials and processes.

The applicability of this framework is currently being tested under different typologies of products and maturity levels.

PLANETS will demonstrate the applicability of the framework while technically developing alternatives for 3 of the most important classes of molecules in chemical industries (plasticizers, flame retardants and surfactants) at TRL 6 and their incorporation into broadly available consumer goods at TRL7.

The new molecules and products will be significantly safer to workers and consumers and will have considerably lower environmental impact, while ensuring economic viability and social awareness throughout the 3 value chains (VC).PLANETS consortium brings together 18 complementary partners from 7 countries, including 7 large companies and 4 SMEs, covering the 3 complete VC, 4 RTO and the 3 non-profit organizations.

These actors will bring the expertise required for all the project development:- Development of safer and more sustainable alternatives through SSbD assessments in a tiered approach.- Demonstration of the integration of the new molecules for the manufacturing of new products for various applications (coating, insulation foams and childcare articles).- Social and humanities sciences.- Business plans and market uptake approaches.- Digital Product Passport.- Identification of new skills and training.- Interactions with appropriate stakeholders and citizens and feedback to JRC and the EC.

PLANETS ambitions are to strongly contribute to pave the road for the adoption of SSbD framework while proposing a roadmap towards industrialisation and market uptake of the alternative solutions.