Professional detergents the path toward sustainability

The issue of ecology in professional cleaning has become increasingly important in recent years. By using chemicals, one is immediately led to think of something negatively impacting health and the environment. In this article we aim to make clear what it means to try to reduce the ecological impacts of using chemicals for cleaning, treating, and maintaining surfaces and environments.

The first point that needs to be clarified lies precisely in the word "chemical." Everything is composed of molecules and everything can be defined from a chemical point of view; water, for example, is a chemical. It is necessary to first understand that not all substances or preparations are harmful or not all are harmful in the same way. It is therefore necessary to understand the difference between the various types of hazards to which the use of a given formulation may expose. There are risks to the environment, risks to people, and risks to materials. Professional quality formulations have the common characteristic of minimizing risks to people and risks to the environment. It will always be possible to keep people's health hazards under control if you use products made by serious companies that comply with mandatory standards. It will always be possible to minimize environmental impacts by using high or very high quality formulations and not being too influenced by the lowest price.

As for the ecological aspect, by now, many consumers have become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their consumption choices, and this has led to a growing interest in eco-friendly products. Many companies in the profession- al detergent industry are investing in more sustainable technologies and manufacturing processes in order to further reduce the environmental impact of their products. So let's see what factors significantly influence the ecological impact of chemicals.

The biodegradability of surfactants

Surfactants are chemical compounds commonly used in detergents, cleaning products, cosmetics and other industrial products. The biodegradability of surfactants refers to their ability to be biologically decomposed into substances that are less harmful to the environment. Primary biodegradability of surfactants refers to their ability to be broken down by microorganisms into simpler compounds, such as water, carbon dioxide, and mineral salts. This primary biodegradability step is important because surfactants by producing foam can prevent the oxygenation of water and thus result in the death of underlying life. Their rapid breakdown into harmless compounds reduces environmental damage. Complete secondary biodegradability refers to the ability of primary biodegradation products to be completely broken down into even simpler compounds, such as carbonic acid and acetic acid, through a biological oxidation process. The current standard governing the industry requires companies producing these types of formulations to use surfactants that ensure complete primary and secondary biodegradability.

Phosphorus

This is an essential element for life, but an excess of phosphorus in the environment can cause serious environmental problems. When phosphorus is discharged into the environment, for example through wastewater from factories or sewage systems, it can cause eutrophication of surface and groundwater. Eutrophication is a phenomenon in which waters become too rich in nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, which stimulate the overgrowth of algae and aquatic plants. When these plants die and degrade, they consume oxygen in the water and can create dead zones where aquatic life cannot exist. In addition, the decomposition of plants can produce substances that are toxic to fish and other aquatic organisms. An excessive amount of phosphorus in the environment comes mainly from its use in agriculture. In any case, its use is also restricted in detergent products.

Sequestrants

These ingredients are used in household and industrial cleaning agents products to improve their cleaning performance. These compounds are usually chelating agents, which are molecules that can bind (or sequester) metal ions, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. The use of sequestrants in detergents helps to increase the effectiveness of the product in removing dirt and calcium scale residues, improving cleanliness in general. Some sequestrants used in detergents can be harmful to the environment because of their ability to bind and hold metal ions, including heavy ions, which can be toxic to living organisms and ecosystems. To limit the negative environmental effects of these ingredients, many companies are trying to develop more environmentally friendly and sustainable sequestrants.

VOCs

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are organic chemical compounds that