A hierarchical approach is proposed to estimate the sustainability-potential of a chemical process, based on any of the alternative synthetic routes. This novel notion of sustainability-potential is a generalization of the notion of profit-potential, the estimation of which renders it possible to screen out economically nonviable processes derived from the alternative synthetic routes at the earliest stage. At the outset of assessment, all the individual alternative synthetic routes are identified by the graph-theoretic method based on process graphs (P-graphs). Subsequently, the individual alternative synthetic routes are sequentially assessed in descending order of quantifiability, in terms of available energy (or exergy), dissipation, the possible profit, and the toxicity index, respectively. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated for the manufacture of C2H3Cl. The approach can possibly be adapted for estimating the sustainability-potential to assess the alternative production routes as represented by alternative flowsheets for manufacturing specific products.