Tools & resources

SSbD Knowledge Sharing Portal

Case studies & practical application
Introduction

With the introduction of the EC SSbD framework, there has been a surge of interest in understanding the implications of safety and sustainability assessments of chemicals, materials, and processes at early stages of innovation. Case studies and practical application are of paramount importance for the implementation of SSbD. This space introduces currently available information on case studies and practical applications of SSbD and will be continuously updated. If you perform a case study and wish to share information about it via the PARC knowledge sharing portal, we are happy to receive your information. Please use the contact option for this.

SSbD case study mapping

The IRISS project has carried out a comprehensive mapping study ↗ of SSbD case studies. The study also focuses on the Safe-by-Design (SbD) approach in the nanomaterials sector, which predates the SSbD framework.

SbD studies were collated and categorised as reviews, case studies, and frameworks. SbD case studies were classified into three categories: safe(r)-by-modeling, safe(r)-by-selection, or safe(r)-by-redesign. This classification helps to understand past SbD work and subsequently use it to define future SSbD work to avoid confusion and the possibility of “SSbD-washing” (similar to greenwashing). The complete compilation can be found as supplementary information to the publication.

For the effective implementation of SSbD, several key recommendations have been deduced:

  • Building on existing knowledge: Lessons from established approaches such as SbD, green and sustainable chemistry and benign-by-design must be preserved and seamlessly integrated into SSbD.  
  • Strengthen material functionality considerations: The functional properties of chemicals and materials need to be better integrated into the SSbD framework.  
  • Align life cycle thinking with the stage-gate innovation model: SSbD requires a harmonised approach that aligns lifecycle thinking with the stage-gate innovation model.
  • Advance high throughput screening: The development of high-throughput screening models is essential to make SSbD a practical reality.  

In PARC, via an internal survey, a complementary mapping and analysis of the current knowledge on the SSbD concepts and the operationalization of the EC framework in case studies among the scientific community engaged in the partnership was performed ↗. The survey took place in April to June 2023. The final purpose was to achieve valuable inputs from PARC participants on SSbD use cases, and to identify criteria for setting case studies on SSbD in PARC. The obtained results pointed out that, while the framework provided the necessary building blocks and opportunities for SSbD, concerted and iterative research, industry, and academia efforts are necessary to develop and improve assessment methods, models and tools to make SSbD as an approach to chemical risk assessment and management to protect human health and the environment.  

Practical application of the SSbD framework in case studies

In December 2022, the European Commission released its Recommendations on Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD), promoting the application of the EC SSbD framework. The recommendation was followed by extensive training periods in 2023 and 2024, in which stakeholders could provide their feedback based on case studies. These training and feedback periods are intended to support the progress of the EC SSbD Framework and provide the needed experience to continuously refine it, including the methods, tools and data applied.  The outcomes of the executed case studies and experiences gained from the training periods were presented at the 3rd, 4th and 5th stakeholder workshop organised by EC. Recordings of these meetings are available on the EC webpage on SSbD ↗. Selected case studies of the first reporting period (on non-phthalate plasticisers, halogen-free flame retardants, surfactants) are also published as a JRC technical report ↗. In addition, for the first testing period, EEA published an “SSbD signal ↗” on the executed case studies. In 2024, the SSbD framework was then complemented by a methodological guidance ↗ which provides advice on the most encountered issues.

S(S)bD case studies from research projects

The implementation of Safe(r) by Design (SbD) in industrial innovation requires an integrated approach where the human, environmental and economic impacts of the SbD measures are assessed across and throughout the life cycle of nanomaterials (NM). In the NanoReg2 project, SbD was implemented in six industrial companies, where SbD measures were applied to NMs, nano-enabled products (NEPs) and NM/NEP manufacturing processes. These case studies are summarised and published here ↗.

SSbD value chain studies

The IRISS project compared current SSbD descriptions and approaches and drew lessons learned from value chain discussions (packaging, textiles, construction, automotive, energy materials, electronics, and fragrances value chains) to help provide input on how to implement SSbD in practice. Five key building blocks were identified: design, data, risk and sustainability governance, competencies, and social and corporate strategic needs. Other lessons learned include identifying the key safety and sustainability challenges in a life cycle thinking approach to developing purpose-driven innovations and involving transdisciplinary experts in the innovation process from the early phases. A clear understanding of what SSbD is and how to implement the SSbD framework is needed, with clear procedures and incentives to support the industrial sector, especially SMEs. The results of this study are available here ↗.

Practical application of SSbD within PARC

Within PARC, a case study was developed based on a theoretical substitution scenario, where bisphenol-A (BPA) served as the reference substance, and two alternative substances, bisphenol-AP (BPAP) and isosorbide, were considered. The aim of this case study was to explore the different available tools of the PARC SSbD toolbox and their applicability at various stages of the innovation process. By only providing the basic information to the tool testers, such as the CAS number, chemical structure, and proposed application (polycarbonate used in reusable water bottles and epoxy resins in paint), the study aimed to mimic early innovation as this information is expected to be available at the early stages of innovation.  

The description of the case study and parts of the results from the study have been described in D8.4. 1st Report on the testing and uptake of the SSbD toolbox through use cases (PARC, 2024). The full report, which includes a comprehensive description of the execution and results from the case study, is available here.