Growing Consumer Demand For 'Greener' Cleaning Products Sparks Industry Changes

In the magazine's cover story, C&EN Assistant Managing Editor Michael McCoy notes that "green" cleaning supplies were once the province of fringe industries but are now attracting the attention of big corporations in the United States and beyond.

ncreasingly, suppliers are generating consumer cleaning products that contain natural or naturally-derived ingredients, avoid the use of environmentally-harmful chemicals, and generate less carbon dioxide during manufacturing and use, McCoy states. Consumer products giant Clorox will join the bandwagon this month by rolling out a new line of green cleaning products with the earth-friendly name Green Works, he notes.

Under pressure from groups including consumers, the government and the news media, chemical suppliers are feverishly working to come up with new ingredients that are both environmentally-friendly and perform as well as conventional cleaning products, the writer notes.

But the road to green is not necessarily a smooth one. For one thing, there is no consensus on what is considered natural. Moreover, environmental standards can vary from region to region, the article points out. Still, there are clear signs that greener cleaning supplies will become more commonplace and more competitive with conventional ones, a trend that could make for a cleaner, greener future, the article suggests.

The article "Greener Cleaners" is published in the Jan. 21 issue of Chemical & Engineering News.