WISE Solutions: Product Datasheets

WISE formulas are based on the relatively new discipline of green chemistry, defined below and here. WISE first introduced a line of biodegradable green chemistry lubricants that outperform and conserve petroleum, then followed with cleaners, solvents, biopesticides and bioremediation products based on a breakthrough, green "colloidal" chemistry.

Definition: Also known as sustainable chemistry or design chemistry, green chemistry is "the design of new products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances,” says Paul Anastas, one of the field's pioneers.

Why It Matters: These environmentally-friendly chemicals and processes result in reduced waste, eliminate costly "end-of-pipe" treatments, and much more, improving the competitiveness of manufacturers, retailers, and their customers.

Overall, the goal is to assure safety before products go to market. In Europe, there are already laws in place, such as REACH, that require advance registration and assurance of safety, but in the US, such safety comes from following the precautionary principle and volunteer efforts for testing and registration.

Another design principle, resource efficiency, calls for products that require less energy to make, use, store and recycle. WISE colloidal products have the added advantage of being highly concentrated and effective. Concentrated formulas weigh less and take up less space (less packaging), thus they use less energy for transportation, further reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

For retailers and users, less storage space and a smaller shelf footprint also makes handling and storage easier.

Further Reading: Review these twelve principles of Green Chemistry, summarized from the work of Paul Anastas and John Warner:

Prevention
It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it has been created.
Atom Economy
Synthetic methods should be designed to maximize the incorporation of all materials used in the process into the final product.
Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses
Wherever practicable, synthetic methods should be designed to use and generate substances that possess little or no toxicity to human health and the environment.
Designing Safer Chemicals
Chemical products should be designed to effect their desired function while minimizing their toxicity.
Safer Solvents and Auxiliaries
The use of auxiliary substances (e.g., solvents, separation agents, etc.) should be made unnecessary wherever possible and innocuous when used.
Design for Energy Efficiency
Energy requirements of chemical processes should be recognized for their environmental and economic impacts and should be minimized. If possible, synthetic methods should be conducted at ambient temperature and pressure.
Use of Renewable Feedstocks
A raw material or feedstock should be renewable rather than depleting whenever technically and economically practicable.
Reduce Derivatives
Unnecessary derivatization (use of blocking groups, protection/ deprotection, temporary modification of physical/chemical processes) should be minimized or avoided if possible, because such steps require additional reagents and can generate waste.
Catalysis
Catalytic reagents (as selective as possible) are superior to stoichiometric reagents.
Design for Degradation
Chemical products should be designed so that at the end of their function they break down into innocuous degradation products and do not persist in the environment.
Real-time analysis for Pollution Prevention
Analytical methodologies need to be further developed to allow for real-time, in-process monitoring and control prior to the formation of hazardous substances.
Inherently Safer Chemistry for Accident Prevention
Substances and the form of a substance used in a chemical process should be chosen to minimize the potential for chemical accidents, including releases, explosions, and fires.