Chemical alternatives assessment: enabling substitution to safer chemicals.

As potentially or actually harmful ingredients are identified in commercial products, the goal is to replace them with safer alternatives. Yet a chemical ingredient is hardly a modular component that can be easily switched out. Further, replacement could remove one hazard and introduce others. To avoid this stymieing problem and ease an innovator’s choice of ingredients, Lavoie et al. report on a decision-making approach developed by the EPA’s Design for Environment program. A few case experiences illustrate its utility and recommend further use.