One of the many ironies of modern life is that the products we use to keep our homes clean contribute to pollution and environmental damage. But no matter how badly dishwashing detergent impacts the environment, it can’t be avoided like other product categories.
Disposable dishes are less environmentally friendly than dish soap, eating on dirty dishes can make you sick, and replacing your plates with banana leaves probably isn’t as easy. So how can you find the least staining products to keep your dishes clean?
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Should you wash your dishes in the dishwasher or by hand?
It may seem counterintuitive, but using a dishwasher is More efficient than usual Choosing an efficient washing machine rather than washing your dishes by hand will have a bigger impact over their lifespan than any detergent you choose, but we all have dishes that just won’t go in the dishwasher, and sometimes you don’t want to wait until the dishwasher is full to wash some particularly dirty dishes.
If you must hand wash your dishes, Earth911 recommends: The Honest Company Dishwashing Detergent In the past. Aspen Clean produces the only liquid dish detergent that is Environmental Working Group (EWG) Certified. The 9 Elements and attitude Get an A rating.
Climate Change
The University of Colorado conducted a life cycle analysis (LCA) on several cleaners. The three most influential factors Everything about dish detergent is related to climate change: transportation, while likely a cause, is not the biggest driver of climate impact, coming in a distant third with product use and formulation.
Product use was the largest contributor, driven primarily by electricity used to heat water for dishwashers. However, the study did not clearly define the climate impact of product formulations. Labeling laws for cleaning products are lax, but most dish detergents (both hand and dishwasher) are detergents, not true soaps. These products: Petroleum-basedIt’s just like it comes in a plastic container.
True Green Organic They claim to make petroleum-free dishwashing detergents for use in dishwashers and by hand. They don’t appear to be certified, but their ingredients list is short and simple. There are also USDA-certified organic dish detergents available, but they can be hard to find. Green Shield Organic Automatic dishwasher.
toxicity
EPA The Safer Choice The label certifies that the product uses only ingredients that are on the EPA’s list of safe chemicals. Environmental Working Group They have a more rigorous verification system: an LCA in Colorado found that sodium lauryl sulfate had the highest environmental impact, but note that this study only included environmentally friendly detergent brands. method and Eco BarThe study was conducted before SC Johnson acquired both companies in 2015. SC Johnson is a British company. Ethical Consumer We will withdraw our endorsement of the brand.
Antibacterial detergents offer no additional protection against viruses like COVID. Antibiotic overuse is Contribute to the rise Antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that, when used to wash dishes, release antibiotics into the water cycle. Wastewater Treatment It is not possible to completely remove antibiotics. If you do not rinse your dishes thoroughly, you are at increased risk of accidentally ingesting antibiotics. The FDA advises consumers to: Antibacterial soap.
package
Packaging types and the resulting waste often attract consumer attention, yet they make up a relatively small proportion of a product’s footprint.
The LCA above focuses on green dish detergent brands whose product formulations are estimated to have a lower environmental impact. Packaging can make up an even smaller portion of a standard dish detergent’s footprint. However, if you have the option to choose a detergent that is not petroleum-based, choose minimal, recyclable, plastic-free packaging. Although it may be more expensive, Blue Land Our fragrance-free dishwasher tablets are EWG certified and come in a refillable, plastic-free container, with refills wrapped in compostable paper.
handmade
Also, Make it yourself Dishwashing detergent is dishwasher safe and can be used in the dishwasher. With a DIY approach, you know exactly what ingredients you’re using and can avoid unfamiliar chemicals. It may seem like a hassle, but finding affordable, non-toxic, petroleum-free dishwashing detergent can be a struggle, so the effort isn’t worth it.
But don’t forget How to wash How your dishwasher cleans is more important than what you use to wash it. To significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with your dishwasher, avoid pre-rinsing and deselect the “heat dry” setting. Reduce emissions by two-thirds by running water in the sink instead of running it while washing dishes by hand. Even if you don’t have the time or money to buy detergents with the lowest environmental impact, you can still reduce your dishwashing footprint.
