Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

1.17 - Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD): Integrating Green Toxicology into Industrial Innovation and Early-Phase R&D

Track:  1. Environmental and Human Toxicology: From Molecules to Organisms, From Omics to in Vivo

Description

As we move into Industry 5.0, innovative functional materials, biopolymers, nanocomposites, and biotechnology-based products will be essential for addressing global sustainability challenges. To support the European Green Deal and the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, safety and sustainability should be considered from the beginning of research and development, rather than assessed only after a product reaches the market. Bringing (eco)toxicology into the early stages of development turns it from a late, reactive checkpoint into a proactive tool for Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) and industrial innovation. This session connects (eco)toxicology with materials science, engineering, and industrial research and development. We will explore how early hazard testing, Green Toxicology, and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) can support better design decisions, guide the selection of safer alternatives, and prevent technological lock-in. These approaches include in vitro testing, high-throughput screening, mechanistic methods, and computational and AI models. We welcome contributions showing how reliable, resource-efficient, and non-animal predictive methods, aligned with the 3Rs principles, can provide timely and practical (eco)toxicological evidence for technology developers and industrial researchers. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: • Case studies showing how (eco)toxicological knowledge can be included in early industrial research, product design, and ongoing technology development. • Methods for selecting low-hazard material compositions, including advanced multicomponent materials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and biopolymers, from the beginning of development. • The use of NAMs, high-throughput in vitro bioassays, advanced tissue models, and AI or in silico tools for early hazard screening. • Early assessment methods that aim to reduce potential exposure and environmental impacts throughout a product’s life cycle. • Practical, scientific, and regulatory approaches for connecting academic research, industrial engineering, and decision-making. By bringing together toxicologists, environmental scientists, engineers, materials scientists, and industry developers, this session aims to identify practical ways in which (eco)toxicology can help shape the next generation of safe and sustainable technologies.