Foreword
Twenty-five years ago, Professor Konrad Hungerbühler started a new professorship
for Safety and Environmental Technology with a focus on chemical products and
processes at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich). Funding to
support the research under this professorship was donated by the Swiss chemical
industry in the wake of a major chemical accident in 1986 at the Schweizerhalle
industrial complex in Basel, Switzerland, which necessitated more careful management of the safety and environmental effects of chemical products and processes.
For this, not only thorough scientific research was needed but also an extensive
education of students in chemistry, environmental science, and process engineering.
This book documents the state-of-the-art concepts in this discipline after 25
years of the research group’s intensive work with numerous students, scientific coworkers, peers, and industry experts. It gives a broad overview of the basics and core
elements of safe and environmentally responsible chemical products and processes,
including:
• Sustainability as a balance between safety and environmental protection and
societal and economic aspects
• The precautionary principle in regard to uncertainty
• Risk assessment and risk management, risk dialogue, balancing risks, and
benefits
• Optimizing products and processes for the lowest overall negative impact
• Thermal process safety
This book is designed not only for safety and environmental specialists but for all
those who want to or do work in the process industry and, in particular, in chemical
product and process development. It especially aims to help educate current students
in the fields of chemistry and environmental science as well as chemical and
environmental engineering. These students should become the next generation of
responsible leaders in their roles within industry, government agencies, politics,
academia, and beyond. With its concrete practical examples and case studies,
readers learn not only the theoretical aspects but also how to practically implement
these concepts. Graduates will enter the industry with a thorough mindset of safety
and environmental protection, which is what is needed to avoid chemical incidents
vii
Twenty-five years ago, Professor Konrad Hungerbühler started a new professorship
for Safety and Environmental Technology with a focus on chemical products and
processes at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich). Funding to
support the research under this professorship was donated by the Swiss chemical
industry in the wake of a major chemical accident in 1986 at the Schweizerhalle
industrial complex in Basel, Switzerland, which necessitated more careful management of the safety and environmental effects of chemical products and processes.
For this, not only thorough scientific research was needed but also an extensive
education of students in chemistry, environmental science, and process engineering.
This book documents the state-of-the-art concepts in this discipline after 25
years of the research group’s intensive work with numerous students, scientific coworkers, peers, and industry experts. It gives a broad overview of the basics and core
elements of safe and environmentally responsible chemical products and processes,
including:
• Sustainability as a balance between safety and environmental protection and
societal and economic aspects
• The precautionary principle in regard to uncertainty
• Risk assessment and risk management, risk dialogue, balancing risks, and
benefits
• Optimizing products and processes for the lowest overall negative impact
• Thermal process safety
This book is designed not only for safety and environmental specialists but for all
those who want to or do work in the process industry and, in particular, in chemical
product and process development. It especially aims to help educate current students
in the fields of chemistry and environmental science as well as chemical and
environmental engineering. These students should become the next generation of
responsible leaders in their roles within industry, government agencies, politics,
academia, and beyond. With its concrete practical examples and case studies,
readers learn not only the theoretical aspects but also how to practically implement
these concepts. Graduates will enter the industry with a thorough mindset of safety
and environmental protection, which is what is needed to avoid chemical incidents
vii