Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 2/2019

22-11-2018 | Original Paper

Analyzing chemical substitution decisions among chemical and product manufacturers

Authors: Vikram M. Rao, Royce A. Francis, Jennifer Y. Tanir

Published in: Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy | Issue 2/2019

Log in

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

Chemical and product manufacturers, spurred by recent environmental and sustainability initiatives, are seeking to embrace alternatives assessment to identify suitable alternative chemicals that are safer and more sustainable for use in consumer and/or specialty products. In this process, it is important to understand potential tradeoffs concerning final product design and redesign decisions. The objective of the present study is to characterize such tradeoffs using a set of six factors affecting product design: business strategy, economic considerations, functionality and performance, health/environmental endpoints, public perception, and regulatory factors. These factors were further disaggregated into 33 attributes distributed across the six factors. We assessed (i) tradeoff weights for each factor and (ii) the degree of influence of factors and attributes on a recent product design or redesign using a survey targeted at chemical and product manufacturers. Results from 33 completed surveys show that two factors are statistically different from equal weighting across the six factors: health/environmental endpoints and regulatory factors. Important attributes (and their factors) include: product price (economic considerations), product performance (functionality and performance), meeting desired specifications (functionality and performance), and company reputation (public perception). Principal component analysis yields nine principal components explaining 79% of the variance in the attribute scores dataset. These components load heavily on attributes such as public awareness of human and environmental health concerns, company reputation, product performance, and product price. The broader implications of our study include a realization that the context of the decision may dictate how business and economic concerns may be addressed differently than health and environmental endpoint concerns with the goal of navigating decision tradeoffs among manufacturers.

Graphical abstract

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 102.000 Bücher
  • über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
  • Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe




 

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
go back to reference Fantke P, Weber R, Scheringer M (2015) From incremental to fundamental substitution in chemical alternatives assessment. Sus. Chem. and Pharm. 1:1–8 Fantke P, Weber R, Scheringer M (2015) From incremental to fundamental substitution in chemical alternatives assessment. Sus. Chem. and Pharm. 1:1–8
go back to reference Geiser K, Tickner J, Edwards S, Rossi M (2015) The Architecture of Chemical Alternatives Assessment. Risk Anal 35(12):2152–2161CrossRef Geiser K, Tickner J, Edwards S, Rossi M (2015) The Architecture of Chemical Alternatives Assessment. Risk Anal 35(12):2152–2161CrossRef
go back to reference Gelman A, Carlin JB, Stern HS (2013) Bayesian Data Analysis, 3rd edn. Chapman and Hall, Boca Raton, Fl Gelman A, Carlin JB, Stern HS (2013) Bayesian Data Analysis, 3rd edn. Chapman and Hall, Boca Raton, Fl
go back to reference Gravetter FJ, Wallnau LB (2016) Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, 10th edn. Cengage Learning, Boston MA Gravetter FJ, Wallnau LB (2016) Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, 10th edn. Cengage Learning, Boston MA
go back to reference Jacobs MM, Malloy TF, Tickner JA, Edwards S (2016) Alternatives Assessment Frameworks: research Needs for the Informed Substitution of Hazardous Chemicals. Env Health Persp 124(3):265–280CrossRef Jacobs MM, Malloy TF, Tickner JA, Edwards S (2016) Alternatives Assessment Frameworks: research Needs for the Informed Substitution of Hazardous Chemicals. Env Health Persp 124(3):265–280CrossRef
go back to reference James G, Witten D, Hastie T, Tibshirani R (2013) An Introduction to Statistical Learning with Applications in R. Springer, New York, NYCrossRef James G, Witten D, Hastie T, Tibshirani R (2013) An Introduction to Statistical Learning with Applications in R. Springer, New York, NYCrossRef
go back to reference Jolliffe IT (2002) Principal Component Analysis, 2nd edn. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY Jolliffe IT (2002) Principal Component Analysis, 2nd edn. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY
go back to reference Keeney RL, Raiffa H (1993) Decisions with Multiple Objectives: Preferences and Value Tradeoffs. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UKCrossRef Keeney RL, Raiffa H (1993) Decisions with Multiple Objectives: Preferences and Value Tradeoffs. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge UKCrossRef
go back to reference Malloy TF, Sinsheimer PJ, Blake A, Linkov I (2013) Use of a multi-criteria decision analysis in regulatory alternatives analysis: a case study of lead free solder. Int Env Assessmt and Mgmt 9(4):652–664CrossRef Malloy TF, Sinsheimer PJ, Blake A, Linkov I (2013) Use of a multi-criteria decision analysis in regulatory alternatives analysis: a case study of lead free solder. Int Env Assessmt and Mgmt 9(4):652–664CrossRef
go back to reference Malloy TF, Zaunbrecher VM, Batteate CM, Blake A, Carroll WF Jr, Corbett CJ, Hansen SF, Lempert RJ, Linkov I, McFadden R, Moran KD, Olivetti E, Ostrom NK, Romero M, Schoenung JM, Seager TP, Sinsheimer P, Thayer KA (2017) Advancing alternative analysis: integration of decision science. Environ. Health Persp. 125(6):066001-12. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP483 CrossRef Malloy TF, Zaunbrecher VM, Batteate CM, Blake A, Carroll WF Jr, Corbett CJ, Hansen SF, Lempert RJ, Linkov I, McFadden R, Moran KD, Olivetti E, Ostrom NK, Romero M, Schoenung JM, Seager TP, Sinsheimer P, Thayer KA (2017) Advancing alternative analysis: integration of decision science. Environ. Health Persp. 125(6):066001-12. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1289/​EHP483 CrossRef
go back to reference Monßen M (2005) Environmental innovations in the chemical industry: case studies in a historical perspective. In: Horbach J (ed) Indicator systems for sustainable innovation. Physica Verlag, Heidelberg, pp 125–141CrossRef Monßen M (2005) Environmental innovations in the chemical industry: case studies in a historical perspective. In: Horbach J (ed) Indicator systems for sustainable innovation. Physica Verlag, Heidelberg, pp 125–141CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Analyzing chemical substitution decisions among chemical and product manufacturers
Authors
Vikram M. Rao
Royce A. Francis
Jennifer Y. Tanir
Publication date
22-11-2018
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy / Issue 2/2019
Print ISSN: 1618-954X
Electronic ISSN: 1618-9558
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-018-1643-y

Other articles of this Issue 2/2019

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy 2/2019 Go to the issue