We co-organized the first MRS technical symposium dealing with the environment at the 1991 Spring Meeting in Anaheim, California. Entitled “Environmentally Conscious Materials Processing,” the symposium dealt with waste minimization, pollution prevention, alternative materials and processes, recovery and recycling, and chemical sensors for process stream monitoring. This symposium captured much interest among the press and the materials community. Because of the growing interest in the environment, the MRS Bulletin asked us to guest edit this special issue that deals with the interrelated areas of materials science and the environment.

In recent years, environmental concern has heightened in the United States and around the world. Public concern was greatly raised by increased environmental awareness incidents such as the accident in Bhopal, India, and the oil spill in Alaska by the Exxon Valdez. As a result, U.S. companies are more concerned with public acceptance of their operations. In addition, manufacturers have been subject to increasingly stringent environmental legislation. Federal, state, and local legislation currently regulate air emissions, water discharges, occupational exposure, and treatment and disposal of various hazardous chemicals. In addition, the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement signed by the United States, regulates the production and use of halogenated organic compounds now known to deplete the Earth's ozone layer. Associated with these stringent environmental regulations are increasing waste-associated costs. Waste disposal costs are increasing at an annual rate of about 10%.