From Framework to Practice: advancing the operationalization of the SSbD framework for industrial use cases within the DESIDERATA project
Authors: Van Dijk, Joanke, Suarez-Merino, Blanca
Type: Poster
Published: 2025-11-10
Keywords: SSbD, SoCs

<p>This poster presents how the DESIDERATA project moves the EU Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework from principle to industrial practice. It sets the work within the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, which calls for identifying and minimising Substances of Concern and for developing safer, sustainable alternatives that support environmental protection and supply chain resilience. The European Commission introduced the SSbD framework to steer the development of innovative chemicals and materials, and DESIDERATA addresses the gap between that framework and its application in industry.</p>
<p>The project develops advanced materials as safer and more sustainable alternatives to chemicals with flame retardant, plasticiser, or surfactant properties. It advances the operationalization of the SSbD framework through iterative development, implementation, and refinement of a methodology tailored to five industrial use cases: graphene as a flame retardant lubricant additive (UC1, GXT); high performance halogen free flame retardant thermoplastic compounds for injection moulding (UC2, LATI); graphene and graphene related materials as an alternative to PTFE in flame retardant thermoplastic compounds for additive manufacturing (UC3, LATI); a plasticiser graphene polymer (UC4, GXT); and inorganic polymers as insulation and flame protection materials in construction (UC5, MONO).</p>
<p>The SSbD assessment plan proceeds in three steps. Guiding principles set system boundaries, SSbD goals, and degrees of design freedom, establish case specific contexts and actors across the value chain, and identify regulatory and compliance challenges such as REACH, CLP, and EcoLabel, aligning SSbD with innovation and business models. The framework is then applied by integrating hazard and sustainability assessments across the full life cycle with benchmarking against conventional processes, emphasising safety, sustainability, and performance, validating through trade off assessments, and addressing data gaps, data quality, and uncertainty through multi criteria decision analysis. The project then evaluates the barriers and enablers met during implementation. Lessons learned inform refinements such as better defined hazard cut offs, tool development, improved prospective LCA, recycling foresight, and SME accessibility, with outcomes communicated to the EU JRC framework developers and other stakeholders through established European Commission feedback channels.</p>
<p>The consortium map and work package structure show the delivery model, from project management and coordination (WP1, LIST), SSbD framework assessment, demonstration and refinement (WP5, TEMAS Solutions), innovation management (WP6), sustainability assessment (WP3, LIST), environmental safety covering human and ecotoxicology (WP4, GAIKER), use cases (WP2, IVL), interoperability and data management (WP7, Entelos), stakeholder and policy engagement (WP8, NIA), to communication and dissemination (WP9, Neovili). The poster concludes that the integrated DESIDERATA approach aims to ensure regulatory alignment, improve practical applicability, and support systemic transitions towards safer and more sustainable chemicals and materials.</p>