I'm not an environmental expert or an expert on household cleaning products. I'm writing this diary partly to ask questions, partly to give information, partly to get answers, and to hopefully generate some good discussion. I'm just a consumer who has tried to be more environmentally conscious.
As I've become more environmentally conscious, I have increasingly bought household cleaning products - laundry soap, dishwasher/dish soap, all purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, etc) that are labeled "eco friendly" or "earth friendly." These products can but don't always cost more. That depends on what you buy, where you buy it, and what you would otherwise buy.
But I never understood why these products were better to the environment? Are they or is this mostly marketing? The companies that sell or claim to sell eco friendly products aren't necessarily any better capitalists.
What got me thinking about this? I've been buying Ecos Natural Laundry Detergent. I pay $10.99 for a 100 ounce bottle. That's less than Tide, identical to Gain and Cheer, but more than lesser known or generic brands. I am not someone who would ordinarily buy name brand laundry soap. Why? I don't buy Advil- I buy the generic.
So I wondered if this and other household products bearing an "earth friendly" label were really better for the environment? How were they?
Yes, the labels of the "earth friendly" products say "phosphate free." However, when I researched this I found companies quit using phosphates in laundry detergent in the mid-1990's. They quit using phosphates in dishwasher detergent in 2010.
The Grist article explains why the use of phosphates in detergents was an environmental hazard:
Back in the 1970s, the U.S. government recognized the problem of phosphorus pollution — it can cause massive algal blooms in waterways that screw with ecosystems by robbing the water and aquatic life of all-important oxygen — and started trying to come up with alternatives.
Are these products still better for the environment now that phosphates aren't used?? As I said these products are sometimes more expensive and I don't want to pay more for no reason.
I tried comparing ingredients. I found none of the regular laundry soaps or household cleaning products listed the ingredients, but all the earth friendly products proudly list them. Why? The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reports manufacturers are not required by law to disclose what's in their product link here.
Cleaning products, unlike foods, beverages, cosmetics and other personal care products, are not required by federal law to carry a list of ingredients. This means that manufacturers have no reason to avoid risky chemicals that happen to clean well – even if they can trigger asthma attacks or skin rashes or are linked to cancer. Without full disclosure, consumers lack key information they need to select cleaning products made with safer ingredients.
While at the grocery store, I looked. I found no ingredients listed on the back of almost every regular laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent and household cleaning product. The only exception was Dawn dish soap and Soft Scrub. But Tide, Gain, Cascade, Lysol, Clorox, 409, etc. etc. all do not list any ingredients. However, every manufacturer of "earth friendly" household products lists the ingredients.
That made me wonder...Why? I don't know...
The "earth friendly" household cleaning products almost always have the words "plant based" and "biodegradable" on the label. Is that why they are better for the planet? Are there other reasons?
Also, the label on that laundry soap says "earth friendly" "plant based" "biodegradable" "1,4 Dioxane free" "surfactant derived from coconut oil" "petrochemical free" and finally "manufactured in family owned plants using 100% renewable energy."
I had no idea what these chemicals are. What is "1,4 Dioxane?" I googled it and I found this article that describes the chemical as:
One of the major issues being tackled by consumer watchdog groups this year is the presence of 1,4-dioxane, a synthetic petrochemical carcinogen, in consumer products
This is a chemical found in laundry soap and hair care products that is not required to be listed on the label. The article also lists the results of an independent study that tested about 20 different laundry soaps for this chemical. Note almost all the regular laundry detergents contained it. Most of the "earth friendly" brands did not and the two that did had low levels.
I'm not trying to scare people. I have no idea - for all I know the levels found may be perfectly safe. That's why the purpose of this diary is partly for discussion.
Yes, Tide in particular was found to contain higher levels of "1,4 Dioxane" and some eco groups have tried to persuade Procter & Gamble to reformulate the product - link here.
Procter and Gamble's response is the 1,4 Dioxgen levels in Tide are way below levels that would be a safety risk. I am not qualified to say.
I do find it interesting the European Union has banned 1,300 ingredients in personal care products while the United States has banned only 11 ingredients - link here.
What is a a surfactant? The best I can explain it is an ingredient that reduces the surface tension of water, and allows it is remove dirt and grime which is necessary for cleaning. By reading labels, I would assume the "earth friendly" products use plant based surfactants (coconut oil in this example) instead of petroleum based??
In writing this diary, I learned the EWG has tested and rated (A thru F) 2,000 household cleaning products. That can be found here. I don't know the methodology and I can't say how reliable their testing methods are. I found most household products are not well rated for environmental friendliness. If you go to Laundry products, there are 686 products rated as follows:
A - 6.8%
B - 4.7%
C - 14.3%
D - 36.1%
F - 38.1%
In regard to dishwashing liquid, and household and bathroom cleaner I've been buying the Menard's store brand - here because it isn't that expensive and is labeled eco friendly. I don't see that product line rated probably because it is a store generic brand.
I did find a product Bon Ami is one of the few "A" rated products and is also very affordable and it work in the kitchen, bathroom, etc.
I've also read people can and do make their own household cleaners using baking soda, vinegar, lemon, etc. I have never done that, but if anyone does and wants to share feel free!
Finally, I also found an article where a product reviewer claimed she personally doesn't feel earth friendly products are any better for the environment - here
I didn't want to write an elitist diary. In writing this diary, I found out just how expensive some - not all - of these earth friendly household products can be. There are some very marked up products! I personally think if the enviornmental movement is to succeed in this economy, we have to produce an economic and environmental win for people.
The floor is yours!