The Mistra SafeChem cosmetics study specially invited to EU workshop on SSbD

The Mistra SafeChem case study on finding alternatives to siloxanes in cosmetics was one of the special invited studies to be presented at an EU workshop on the Safe and Sustainable by Design framework.

In December 2023, the 4th Stakeholder Workshop on Safe and Sustainable by Design was held in Brussels by the EU Joint Research Centre. The focus was on the outcomes of the first reporting period of the SSbD framework. From Mistra SafeChem, Nina Melander from the Swedish Centre for Chemical Substitution took part.

The workshop’s primary goal was to figure out if the framework is user-friendly for industries and other intended users and, if not, pinpoint the tweaks needed to integrate safety and sustainability into operations in real life.

"The good, the bad, and the ugly"

– In 2023, the EU gathered feedback from practical case studies to understand the good, the bad, and the ugly. This was presented during the workshop, as well as approaches and insights from practical case studies or more strategic national initiatives, Nina Melander says.

Industry, academia, consultants, research and technological organisations, and authorities with an interest in either promoting or challenging the SSbD framework took part. There were also representatives from the EU and from IRISS, an EU project specifically aimed at connecting, synergizing, and transforming the SSbD community.

The Mistra SafeChem cosmetics study was invited

Almost 50 case studies were reported to the EU during the feedback period of 2023. A handful of these were invited to present.

– We were one of the selected cases to present partial results from our Mistra SafeChem case study on finding alternatives to siloxanes in cosmetics. I shared our insight on how to tackle step 1 for assessing hazards from an SME perspective, using previous experiences and tools from chemical substitution. I also shared our experiences from educational initiatives by the Swedish Centre for Chemical Substitution to promote the framework.

Hands-on methods for chemical substitution

Nina Melander’s work in the substitution center is focused on making chemical substitution and alternative assessment more practical and hands-on, especially for SMEs, small and medium-sized enterprises.

– While we’re focused on substitution, we see SSbD as a close sibling to support substitution from a life cycle perspective. SSbD isn’t just about the molecular-level design of new chemicals, but the framework can also be used by downstream users of chemicals to guide substitution, improve processes, tweak material composition, and redesign products.

A bridge between academia and industry

It is a big quest to close the gap between academia and industry, Nina Melander says.

– As a representative from the substitution centre, a bridge in this field, it is very beneficial to learn from the Mistra Safechem researchers who are the brains behind the science, methods, and tools supporting the framework. I’ve applied the insights from the case study to an industrial program focused on coaching SMEs in sustainability and testing its usability to substitute hazardous chemicals in production.

– The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive as well as the speech during the workshop. I think this is a testament to our thoughts on how to make SSbD more accessible, she concludes.