There are many types of industrial grade "Green" cleaners which claim a range of properties regarding ecological effects, but how can you tell what you're getting is the real deal? This little guide will help you discern the good, the bad, and the eco-ugly.
A good place to check for such components are in the Material Safety Data Sheets which should be included with your purchase or available from your chemical suppliers. Of course, they may not list any or all of their components, but any responsible supplier which deals with such products generally includes such information in their MSDS if they are present in levels which are required by law to be stated or if the producer feels they should be mentioned. They may also not list any components if they are non-hazardous, which makes your task a bit more difficult, however the Internet can help you search for more information in those cases.
For many years, a cheap and effective source of surfactants came from a petro-chemical derived class based on Phenol Ethoxylates, generally Nonylphenol or Alkylphenol. These also go by many types of synonyms, such as NPE, APE, Ethoxylated Nonylphenol or Alkylphenol and many in between.
These surfactants have become a major concern due to several characteristics inherent in their design. First, when these surfactants biodegrade, they breakdown into components which are more toxic than the original surfactant. Second, they are suspected endocrine (hormone) disruptors, which ends up in water ways and other sources which may expose animals (including us humans) to their effects.
Most of these class of surfactants have been replaced by Linear Alcohol Ethoxylates and other similar classes of surfactants which are more readily biodegradable, and generally produce less toxic biodegradability products. There are now fast biodegradable surfactants such as Sorbitol derivative surfactants as well as Cocoamides, Polyglucosides and others which are quickly becoming the standard in Green cleaning chemistry. In the future, we may see a full range of non-toxic, super-fast biodegradable products which are based off of Renewable Resources such as the Polyglucosides based on sugars, Cocoamides based on coconut oils, and others which are being developed and readied for production such as grape seed oil.
Another type of builder to watch out for is EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) which has many synonyms. This is a potientially toxic and non-biodegradable chemical which accumlates in water systems and has been shown to be cytotoxic (kills cells) and weakly genotoxic (carcinogenic or mutagenic) which is dangerous to all living creatures.
Instead of those, look for products which list citrates, zeolites, maliec anhydrides, or gluconates as builders. In diluted forms, sodium silicates are believed to be safe as well for powerful degreasing formulations.
In regards to chemical cleaning agents, typical solvents encountered are from the glycol ether class of solvents which saw great popularity in the 80's and 90's due to their great cleaning performance of greases and other industrial contaminants as well as their low cost and availability. Though many of these products are biodegradable, they present high toxicity and are generally easily absorbed through the skin. They became famous for their toxicity not far into the 1990's when used antifreeze carelessly drained into city storm drain systems showed their toxic results after animals sampling the sweet taste would quickly kill them, as the ethylene is quickly metabolised into oxalates in animal bodies.
These solvents are still very widespread and have been known to be included in so-called "Green" products which may be Green in name and/or color only (including a few very popular name brands). Synonyms and similar products such as Ethylene glycol, EB, Butyl Cellosolve, EGME, and a host of other names are to be avoided when looking for a true Green product.
Look instead for solvents based on Propylene Glycols which are non-toxic and can perform just as well as their Ethylene counterparts with much less worry. Other good choices can include methyl soyates or fatty acid methyl esters (also can be soy-based), and diols of various types but double check to be sure.
Waxed floors generally require low-powered cleaners with neutral pH (7-8) which are made to remove dust and light grime from shoes. Industrial maintenance bays generally require high-powered cleaners with higher pH to hit oil hard, and wisk it away without residue. In the latter situations, it is more difficult to have a truely Green cleaner as the higher pH takes it out of that class, and brings it to an Eco-friendly status if designed correctly, and a hazardous material situation with poor ecological characteristics in the worst case scenario.
Sodium Hypochlorite (typical Bleach)
Avoid these latter products, particularly if you intend to use these products around employees. Sometimes, you may not have much choice unfortunately, however if you do use chlorine type products in particular, be sure to implement proper industrial controls for ventilation to prevent toxic gas buildups, or consult an engineering controls specialist.
Whoever you may prefer, be sure that they are viable organization and that they present their criteria for certification clearly for all to see. It is important that they do not merely cater to the highest bidder for their certification process. This concept is particularly important with a company offering a "Green" product that is self-certified, as their major concern would most likely be profit over honesty.
A good place to check for such components are in the Material Safety Data Sheets which should be included with your purchase or available from your chemical suppliers. Of course, they may not list any or all of their components, but any responsible supplier which deals with such products generally includes such information in their MSDS if they are present in levels which are required by law to be stated or if the producer feels they should be mentioned. They may also not list any components if they are non-hazardous, which makes your task a bit more difficult, however the Internet can help you search for more information in those cases.
Surfactants
When you use a cleaner, the majority of the work done in dirt/contaminant removal comes from a class of chemicals known as Surfactants (Surface Active Agents). The means by which this is done is through various techniques which modify the charge of the surfactant to bond to specific types of contaminants (which is beyond the scope of this guide).For many years, a cheap and effective source of surfactants came from a petro-chemical derived class based on Phenol Ethoxylates, generally Nonylphenol or Alkylphenol. These also go by many types of synonyms, such as NPE, APE, Ethoxylated Nonylphenol or Alkylphenol and many in between.
These surfactants have become a major concern due to several characteristics inherent in their design. First, when these surfactants biodegrade, they breakdown into components which are more toxic than the original surfactant. Second, they are suspected endocrine (hormone) disruptors, which ends up in water ways and other sources which may expose animals (including us humans) to their effects.
Most of these class of surfactants have been replaced by Linear Alcohol Ethoxylates and other similar classes of surfactants which are more readily biodegradable, and generally produce less toxic biodegradability products. There are now fast biodegradable surfactants such as Sorbitol derivative surfactants as well as Cocoamides, Polyglucosides and others which are quickly becoming the standard in Green cleaning chemistry. In the future, we may see a full range of non-toxic, super-fast biodegradable products which are based off of Renewable Resources such as the Polyglucosides based on sugars, Cocoamides based on coconut oils, and others which are being developed and readied for production such as grape seed oil.
Builders
Builders are typically used in a cleaning compound to help assist in increasing the cleaners efficiency in hard water, or super-filthy surfaces for instance. They come in a wide range of cleaners from laundry to hard surface to even cosmetic and personal care formulations.Builders to be on the look-out for include the following:
Phosphate class of builder which helps aid in detergency as well as sequestering hard water which can inhibit the performance of certain types of surfactants (anionic) which are typically found in soaps. They are products of concern due to the fact that they contribute to algae overgrowth in water systems, robbing that water system of dissolved oxygen ultimately causing the death of other living creatures in that system.Another type of builder to watch out for is EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) which has many synonyms. This is a potientially toxic and non-biodegradable chemical which accumlates in water systems and has been shown to be cytotoxic (kills cells) and weakly genotoxic (carcinogenic or mutagenic) which is dangerous to all living creatures.
Instead of those, look for products which list citrates, zeolites, maliec anhydrides, or gluconates as builders. In diluted forms, sodium silicates are believed to be safe as well for powerful degreasing formulations.
Solvents
A solvent is a generic term for a liquid or gas that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gas into resulting in a 'solution'. When encountering this term in general practice, it more often than not refers to organic solvents which are used for more specific purposes such as dissolving specific types of contaminants or materials such as paint or coating strippers. There is a wide array of organic solvents, with a broad spectrum of applications dependant on the primary purpose of the composition.In regards to chemical cleaning agents, typical solvents encountered are from the glycol ether class of solvents which saw great popularity in the 80's and 90's due to their great cleaning performance of greases and other industrial contaminants as well as their low cost and availability. Though many of these products are biodegradable, they present high toxicity and are generally easily absorbed through the skin. They became famous for their toxicity not far into the 1990's when used antifreeze carelessly drained into city storm drain systems showed their toxic results after animals sampling the sweet taste would quickly kill them, as the ethylene is quickly metabolised into oxalates in animal bodies.
These solvents are still very widespread and have been known to be included in so-called "Green" products which may be Green in name and/or color only (including a few very popular name brands). Synonyms and similar products such as Ethylene glycol, EB, Butyl Cellosolve, EGME, and a host of other names are to be avoided when looking for a true Green product.
Look instead for solvents based on Propylene Glycols which are non-toxic and can perform just as well as their Ethylene counterparts with much less worry. Other good choices can include methyl soyates or fatty acid methyl esters (also can be soy-based), and diols of various types but double check to be sure.
pH
The pH of a product is a value indicating essentially if a product is an acid, a base, or is neutral (preferred for Green cleaners). The purpose of these types of values is beyond the scope of this Knol, however there are a few applications that you may encounter which are worth note, particularly in service industries.Bathroom Cleaners
These cleaners are frequently acidic which means they have a pH of less than 7, and depending on the type of cleaner being used will range from a 0 pH to a 5 pH. What you want to see in a Green cleaner is typically around a 5 pH which indicates a light acidic solution, preferrably a solution containing citric acid which is virtually non-toxic and biodegradable. Avoid cleaners with a pH of less than 3, or products containing hydrochloric or sulfuric acids which are extremely hazardous to living tissue, along with hydrochloric's affinity for releasing toxic chlorine gas. Phosphoric acid is falling out of favor due to its potiential for encouraging algae growth in water ways, as well as toxicity concerns .Floor Cleaners
Floor cleaning is a big task required by many companies and organizations across a wide range of industries. These requirements are generally applied to maintenance bays and repair shops, however they can be seen in bottling plants and even on office floors. Due to the numerous variety of flooring types encountered, you can find an equal amount of variation in floor cleaners.Waxed floors generally require low-powered cleaners with neutral pH (7-8) which are made to remove dust and light grime from shoes. Industrial maintenance bays generally require high-powered cleaners with higher pH to hit oil hard, and wisk it away without residue. In the latter situations, it is more difficult to have a truely Green cleaner as the higher pH takes it out of that class, and brings it to an Eco-friendly status if designed correctly, and a hazardous material situation with poor ecological characteristics in the worst case scenario.
Scale Removers
Scale is a difficult contaminant to remove, and is typically encountered in boiler condensers, large volume bathrooms or showers, and many other areas which require de-scaling to keep performance of that system optimum. The pH range found in these products can vary from low pH acids to high pH bases and alkalies, and unfortunately there are not many options in this arena. If possible, look for a pH from 5-12 which will still be irritating to the skin, however probably won't damage skin or mucous membranes as fast as more aggressive cleaners.Bleaching Agents
If you are in any fabric, garment, or textile treatment industry such as Laundry or clothing manufacturing, you may need to bleach those materials from time to time depending on your processes. In these types of products, you will want to look for products based on Hydrogen Peroxide over the following solutions:Sodium Hypochlorite (typical Bleach)
as it releases poisonous chlorine gas.
Sodium Perborate
which accumulates boron in the environment and are hazardous to human health.Dichloro-Isocyanurates
which can create a toxic reaction gas.Avoid these latter products, particularly if you intend to use these products around employees. Sometimes, you may not have much choice unfortunately, however if you do use chlorine type products in particular, be sure to implement proper industrial controls for ventilation to prevent toxic gas buildups, or consult an engineering controls specialist.
Colors, Fragrances, and Preservatives
Colors
There is not a terrible amount of data regarding color dyes, however certain dyes are linked to carcinogenic activity and other metallized dyes are of concern due to their environmental profiles. If possible, avoid using colorants to be sure that you won't have to worry about it.Fragrances
Many types of fragrances are based on essential oils, however many of the lesser cost scents are based on synthetic stocks. Either of these may present problems with irritation and allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, so again, if you can avoid these you can also avoid a potiential problem in the future.Preservatives
One area of concern that does not seem to be addressed often regarding Green products is the required preservatives which keep the product stable until it is ready to be diluted and used. Green chemicals in particular more susceptible to attack by microbes as they are more quickly decomposed by these organisms by design. Avoid products which contain formaldehyde which is a known carcinogen and otherwise bad character in the ecological realm. Again, by design these products require some sort of preservative to inhibit microbial growth which by design is harmful to living organisms, however there are always some choices which are better than others.Containers
There isn't too much to worry about when it comes to containers and packaging for Green products, as most cleaners are found in fully recyclable plastics such as HDPE. Some may even have biodegradable PET packaging, however some stronger cleaners may attack such a friendly package but your choices are wise either way.Efficiency
In this definition, efficiency is explained like so: power divided by concentration. Look for the more concentrated product to maximize container usage. In doing so, you can also maximize your purchasing power increasing overal profit by minimizing purchases as well as shipping costs. Some applications require full-strength undiluted usage, however those can be few and far between (ablating oil slicks).Certifications and Seals
This is a relatively new concept in the Green market, however a few key players have emerged at the top of the list when it comes to certifying a product as "Green". There are several companies, as well as few governmental institutions which certify products that you can choose from, though the current trend in government funded institutions is for government certified products as part of a chain of responsibility.Whoever you may prefer, be sure that they are viable organization and that they present their criteria for certification clearly for all to see. It is important that they do not merely cater to the highest bidder for their certification process. This concept is particularly important with a company offering a "Green" product that is self-certified, as their major concern would most likely be profit over honesty.
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