Detergents & Biodegradability

Biodegradation refers to the ability of a material to be broken down by the action of bacteria and other living organisms such as funghi. Biodegradable products are of less concern than non-biodegradable ones because they do not remain in the environment, for e.g in waterways or water treatment plants. To promote sustainability, manufacturers work hard to reduce the environmental impact of their products. One way to do this is to favour the use of ingredients that are biodegradable. Since many detergent ingredients are made up mostly of carbon atoms (i.e. they are organic materials), bacteria may be able to convert that ingredient into CO2, water and nutrients. When this occurs, the ingredient does not pose a risk to the environment because CO2, water and nutrients are safe.

A.I.S.E. played an instrumental role in discussions on the European Detergents Regulation, which entered into force on 8th October 2005. The Regulation introduces specific biodegradability requirements and updates the earlier Directives on detergent biodegradability.

For more information on biodegradability please visit Cleanright