Brindaban C Ranu, scientist from the Indian Association for Cultivation of Science, Calcutta, at the function at Digwadih, Dhanbad. Picture by Gautam Dey

Dhanbad, April 21: The menace of hazardous industrial waste can be addressed only by designing chemical reactions in such a manner that ?atomic efficiency? becomes a buzzword for all industrial chemical processes.

Brindaban C. Ranu, an expert in organic chemistry from the Indian Association for Cultivation of Science, Calcutta, said this while delivering a lecture on ?Green chemical process and green chemistry education for better living? at Dr Adinath Lahiri Hall in Central Fuel Research Institute (CFRI).

CFRI, which was one of the first labs established by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in India, celebrated its 56th Foundation Day today at the Jealgora village premises.

Ranu further added in his speech, ?All chemical processes should avoid use of toxic reagents and hazardous organic solvents as medium of reaction to arrest the increasing disrepute of chemical industries.?

Besides, he said, it was the duty of the laboratories to devise chemical reactions and programme chemical processes in such a manner that the use of water as a medium of reaction became economical and sustainable.

?Green chemistry should replace the conventional chemical processes. By green chemistry, we mean a non-toxic atom efficient chemical reaction which is economical and sustainable,? he added.

Speaking on the occasion, acting director of CFRI, S.K. Srivastava, revealed that the institute has 38 research and development projects in hand and 13 projects were executed in the last financial year.

?We have diversified in different areas like environmental management, processing petroleum heavy residue, rainwater harvesting etc. Moreover, barren lands in and around Ranchi will see bamboo plantation and bio-diesel-producing plants like Karanj, Jatropa, apart from neem,? he added.