Sustainability in cleaning means taking an overall greener approach to products, practices, and creating partnerships that support your company’s ESG goals. While many business owners may focus on strictly limiting chemical use, everything from packaging to disposal also play an important role in minimizing your carbon footprint.
Microplastics are mostly used in cleaning products as abrasives, thickeners, or opacifiers, often with the promise of improved cleaning performance, a stable consistency, or better-looking results. These microplastics are not degradable and can pollute water sources as waste, affecting the environment and our health, which can cause inflammatory responses, hormonal concerns, and stress on internal organs.
As well as limiting chemical and VOC use to get greener, there are a few steps cleaners and businesses can take to limit their use of microplastics when cleaning:
Research shows that fibres from cleaning products release trillions of toxic microplastic particles globally each month as they wear away with use and break down into smaller pieces. Some of the possible products that contain or shed microplastics include laundry and dishwashing detergent pods and liquid capsules, toilet bowl cleaners, synthetic scrubbers and melamine sponges, scrubbing agents that contain microbeads, surface wipes that contain synthetic polymers, and some furniture polishes and waxes.
Some of these products use microplastic particles to give the product a certain abrasive effect or to add a fragrance, while others (such as melamine sponges and cleaning wipes) shed microplastics as the product degrades. Knowing which ingredients or products contain microplastics (and what they are used for) can help cleaners and their clients make more environmentally focused decisions.
Focusing on IAQ can help mitigate the effects microplastics while helping to provide a healthier indoor space. Using products like HEPA filters for the vacuum can also help eliminate microplastics in the air, mitigating human ingestion and improving indoor air quality.
Reading the product labels on your detergents and cleaning products will help you avoid microplastics in the product or packaging. To determine if cleaning products contain microplastics, check the ingredient list for specific names like polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, acrylates, and polymers. Labels using words like “microplastic-free” or “biodegradable” can also help you choose products that are sustainable.
By choosing eco-friendly cleaning products, businesses can significantly reduce the impact of harmful chemicals on the earth, its inhabitants, and aquatic ecosystems. Taking small steps by opting for products that are biodegradable, phosphate-free, and free from microplastics can help companies get closer to reaching their ESG goals, while lowering their negative impact on the environment.
Microplastics seem to be everywhere, but limiting your use while cleaning helps you achieve your environmental goals, increases sustainability, and makes the environment safer for everyone.
