ABSTRACT
Environment is under constant threat by unprecedented anthropogenic pressures, linear economy models for manufacturing leading to unabated challenges of pollution, waste management, climate change, carbon footprint, and sustainability at large. Though socioeconomic trends have witnessed an escalating trend attributed to industrialization in first place, an upward trend of multifaceted “waste” accumulation and hazardous materials has instigated environmentalists, academics, policymakers, scientists, and industrialists to think of circular/atomic economy models. This approach would necessarily delineate best waste management practices with multidimensional approach utilizing principles of green chemistry as a makeover shift culminating not only into environmental sustainability but also viable waste to wealth paradigm shift. Green chemistry is aptly referred to as environmentally benign chemistry with an arduous task to identify, investigate, monitor, mitigate and remediate the diversified nature of “contaminants” and contaminated sites; dispersed and accumulated in different ecosystems posing adverse eco-toxicological implications. Technically, green chemistry encompasses a set of principles aimed to address challenges to reduce and minimize generation of waste products and hazardous substances in design, manufacturing, and application of chemical products. This comprehensive account discusses green chemistry practices for effective waste management as an integrated approach from industrial (commercial), health care settings (biomedical waste), and municipal (domestic) waste view point.
