“We expect a significant contribution to a safer and more sustainable industry”

In this second phase of Mistra SafeChem, we are pleased to have the major international players Merck and Nouryon as industrial partners, contributing valuable expertise. We asked them about their expectations and contributions.

Merck will conduct case studies on life science product types

Michael Siebold is vice president for Hazard Communication and Chemicals Regulations within Merck Life Science KGaA.

Why did Merck decide to become a Mistra SafeChem partner?

– Mistra SafeChem drives innovation in sustainable practices across industries. The programme enables Merck to connect and collaborate with leading research partners in toxicity prediction, life cycle assessment, and process simulation, contributing to the development of effective methodologies and tools. By developing cutting-edge models and approaches, Merck Life Science is confident that this program will shape safety and sustainability assessments for stakeholders across Europe by offering tools and insights gained from experience.

What do you expect from the programme?

– We expect a significant contribution to fostering a safer and more sustainable industry overall, for example, by further developing existing tools (such as ProScale and USEtox) and showcasing the benefits and key features of the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) Framework. We expect an improved ability to assess safety and sustainability aspects of chemical products by enhancing risk assessment and life cycle assessment tools, improving data availability, and ensuring regulatory compliance of in silico models, all while fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge among different stakeholders.

How does Merck intend to contribute to the work?

– We are excited to embark on SSbD case studies across various life science product types to evaluate the SSbD Framework Guidance and to assess innovative tools developed within the consortium. The aim is to improve the Mistra SafeChem toolbox, making it more user-friendly and comprehensive, including features for SSbD and in silico tools. We will also assess the regulatory relevance of the in silico toolbox, ensuring it meets the necessary standards and requirements. Furthermore, under the coordination of IVL, we aim to expand ProScale to include human health risk assessment and we support the development of ProScaleE to assess environmental exposure. We intend to improve USEtox, led by the Technical University of Denmark, and to evaluate databases to expand the life cycle inventory, a task coordinated by the RISE Research Institute. By leveraging IVL's expertise in process simulation to fill data gaps in life cycle assessments, we will significantly enhance the comprehensiveness and accuracy of these evaluations, paving the way for more robust and informed sustainability decisions.

Nouryon wants to engage in biocatalysis and textile circularity

Rolf Edvinsson is chief scientist at New Platforms & Partnerships at Nouryon.

Why did Nouryon decide to become a Mistra SafeChem partner?

– Our participation stems from our interest in several key areas. Primarily, we aim to engage in the development of emerging technologies that have significant potential for our industry. This includes biocatalysis with a clear industrial perspective and technologies for textile circularity.

What do you expect from the programme?

– We anticipate active interaction within the programme, which will enable us to both learn from and contribute to the development of these fields. By participating, we hope to enhance our understanding and foster the creation of innovative new leads. Additionally, we are interested in developing benchmarking tools for new technologies.

How does Nouryon intend to contribute to the work?

– Our contribution will vary by field. In the area of industrial biocatalysis, we will act as a sounding board, bringing our deep understanding of the chemical industry to support and guide the research team. For textile circularity, we can leverage our extensive experience from the pulp industry, drawing on our own capabilities to provide valuable insights and practical solutions.