Safe and sustainable-by-design (SSbD): Calling for efficient metrics, biophysical benchmarks, and broader application

The European Commission is investing in the development and application of the emerging concept of safe and sustainable-by-design (SSbD) through proposing and testing an initial methodological framework as well as through financing a wide range of multi-partner projects via dedicated Horizon Europe funding programme calls. However, SSbD currently faces both methodological and practical challenges that need to be addressed. Evaluating the initial SSbD framework's ambition and the focus areas across EU-funded SSbD projects yields various suggestions to foster the methodological advancement and more feasible application of SSbD as ambitious yet operational innovation tool in Europe and beyond. Specific recommendations are made for a more balanced distribution of funding related to applying SSbD approaches as well as for an increased innovation in developing the underlying methodological aspects of SSbD. This includes covering a broader set of economic sectors, materials/processes and substances in future case studies beyond what is already funded in existing SSbD projects, exploring a wider range of assessment metrics that allow for aggregation and comparison of results across assessment steps, streamline existing methods using more efficient metrics and tools especially for sustainability assessment aspects, and a stronger focus on defining and integrating biophysical benchmarks in the environmental sustainability component of SSbD, especially with respect to chemical pollution. • Safe and sustainable-by-design SSbD is a promising tool for design innovation. • EU funded projects cover a broad range of sectors and case studies. • Addressing broader sets of materials, processes and substances is suggested. • Aligned metrics, more efficient approaches and absolute targets are needed.