Tools, resources and databases for substitution

Support material for download

The Swedish Center for Chemical Substitution has let consulting company Trossa develop a support material that will help you get started on systematic chemical work. In the Substitution Guide, we use this material as we go through the various steps of substituion.

The support material contains:

• General guide - systematic chemical work (Swedish)
• Overall legal requirements for goods (Swedish)
• Word templates for contact with subcontractors (Swedish and English)
• Excel template Risk assessment and mapping of the supply chain (Swedish)

Read more about the support material and download it here

5 good resources for substitution

If you want a quick guide to good resources for substitution, these are the five to start looking at. These are useful resources for the various steps of substitution and which we refer to in the Substitution Guide.

OECD Substitution and Alternative Assessment toolbox

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has useful resources for substitution work. The database consists of four categories; Tools, Frameworks, Legislation, Case Studies & Other Resources. Some resources are presented in the Substitution Guide, but there are additional resources to download and explore.

Chemsec Business Tools

Chemsec works to promote the use of safer chemicals. They have several user-friendly tools for substitution work. SIN-List helps you identify unwanted substances (step 2 in the Substitution Guide), in the Marketplace you can identify better alternatives (step 3). SINimilarity can be used to avoid unhealthy substitution when evaluating alternatives (step 4). Textile Guide is an industry specific guide for textiles and SINproducers is a database of companies that produce and import unwanted chemicals,.

PRIO

The Swedish Chemicals Agency's tools help you identify undesirable substances and prioritize substances for substitution (step 2). In the tool you can identify relevant chemicals for substitution by subject groups, products or specific hazard classifications. Substances categorized as phase-out substances should be phased out completely and priority risk reduction substances require measures such as risk assessment.

Pharos

The tool can be used to Invent options (step 3) and compare options (step 4). The list searches over 50 regulatory and restriction lists. Users can create lists that they can share and there are also positive lists. The tool identifies chemicals with known undesirable properties based on the GreenScreen List Translator risk assessment model and public GreenScreen hazard assessments. Pharos also works with the Compound Group Population Project, which groups molecules with similar structure and possibly similar undesirable properties. The free version is limited but it is easier to make comparisons and access other people's lists.

eChemPortal

OECD's database of information on chemical hazards and risks from government institutions worldwide. The database is free of charge and compiles information on chemicals for physical and chemical properties, ecotoxicity, toxicity, dissemination and distribution in the environment, classifications and use and exposure.

Tip! Contact us if you need help finding the right resource, tool or database for your needs.