Paul Anastas

About

Paul T. Anastas is the Teresa and H. John Heinz III Professor in the Practice of Chemistry for the Environment at Yale University, with appointments in the Yale School of the Environment, Department of Chemistry, and Department of Chemical Engineering. He is the Director of the Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering at Yale. Trained as a synthetic organic chemist, Dr. Anastas received his Ph.D. from Brandeis University and has worked as an industrial consultant. He is credited with establishing the field of green chemistry during his tenure at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where he served as the Chief of the Industrial Chemistry Branch and as the Director of the U.S. Green Chemistry Program. His career includes roles such as Assistant Administrator for the US EPA, Agency Science Advisor, Director of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute, and Assistant Director for the Environment in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Dr. Anastas has published extensively on science and sustainability topics, including eleven books and numerous articles, and has contributed significantly to advancing green chemistry and sustainable engineering.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Business
• Computer Science
• Ecology
• Environmental health
• Biochemical engineering
• Materials science
• Management science
• Geography
• Risk analysis (engineering)

Selected publications

• Designing for a green chemistry future

  Science · 2020 · 1176 citations

  The material basis of a sustainable society will depend on chemical products and processes that are designed following principles that make them conducive to life. Important inherent properties of molecules need to be considered from the earliest stage-the design stage-to address whether compounds and processes are depleting versus renewable, toxic versus benign, and persistent versus readily degradable. Products, feedstocks, and manufacturing processes will need to integrate the principles of g…

  DOI

• Air pollution reduction and mortality benefit during the COVID-19 outbreak in China

  The Lancet Planetary Health · 2020 · 437 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding

  To control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, China adopted stringent traffic restrictions and self-quarantine measures, first in Wuhan and neighboring cities beginning Jan 23, 2020, and then 2 days later in all provinces in China (figure). The countrywide ban on traffic mobility greatly reduced transportation emissions, whereas emissions from residential heating and industry remained steady or slightly declined.1China Ministry of Ecology and EnvironmentHeavy air pollution in Beij…

  DOI

• The Green Print: Advancement of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare

  Resources Conservation and Recycling · 2020 · 305 citations

  DOI

• Using Machine Learning for Green Substitution of Industrial Chemicals: Integrating Functionality, Hazard, and Life Cycle Impact

  Chemical Reviews · 2026-01-02 · 4 citations

  article

  Industrial chemicals are characterized by their substantial production volumes, widespread applications, fugitive release into the environment, and the general lack of full awareness regarding their risks, carrying global unintended adverse effects on human and ecological health. In the ongoing pursuit of more sustainable and less hazardous industrial chemicals, a tremendous body of research has been developed. However, reliance on empirical molecular design based solely on human knowledge and e…

  PublisherDOI

• Integrating the exposome framework in CBRNe risk assessment: a holistic approach to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive threats

  The European Physical Journal Plus · 2025-11-15 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract This paper introduces the exposome framework as a transformative approach to improving Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNe) risk assessments. Historically, CBRNe evaluations have concentrated on acute exposures and immediate health effects, often overlooking long-term and cumulative risks. By incorporating the exposome—defined as the totality of exposures experienced throughout an individual’s life—this paper advocates for a more holistic understanding of h…

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• NSMDS: Improving Material Safety through the Minimization of Oxidative Stress Potential: A mechanistic understanding of ROS generation in in vitro and in vivo systems

  NSF · $5.0M · 2013–2019

Frequent coauthors

• Julie B. Zimmerman

  Yale University

  105 shared

• John C. Warner

  38 shared

• Evan S. Beach

  Yale University

  31 shared

• Hanno C. Erythropel

  Yale University

  30 shared

• L. Petitjean

  Yale University

  28 shared

• Predrag V. Petrović

  23 shared

• Rebecca L. Lankey

  Carnegie Mellon University

  22 shared

• Chun Ho Lam

  City University of Hong Kong

  22 shared

Awards & honors

• 2021 Volvo Environment Prize

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