BIOBASED CHEMICALS the benefits of sustainable detergents and how to use them effectively is crucial for widespread adoption .
Additionally , understanding the benefits in terms of sustainability is key to leverage pricing and , to this end , the standardisation of current methodologies , certifications and labels plays an important role . Finally , it is crucial for different stakeholders ( including raw material suppliers , ingredient manufacturers , detergent producers , retailers and consumers ) to collaborate in driving real sustainable practices .
Figure 2 – Closing the loop to maximise alternative feedstocks
New LAB products
NextLab – R is the first biobased LAB and is produced from renewable raw materials , in Cepsa Química LAB facilities in Spain and Canada . It is based on a mass balance approach . This is a chain of custody method , whereby fossil and sustainable raw materials can be blended , co-processed and tracked throughout the production process while recording them via auditable bookkeeping .
Mass balance allows the current LAB production process to be conducted safely , with renewable and circular raw materials , and is the spark of an industrial transformation towards segregated products . It brings a whole new perspective into the sustainable solutions that are possible right now .
Producing surfactants from sustainable renewable sources leads to a greater greenhouse gas footprint reduction compared to its fossil counterpart . A recent LCA concluded that carbon emissions can be reduced by up to 80 % on a cradle-to-gate basis .
NextLab is a low-carbon , LAB produced with a reduced GHG footprint , thanks to the replacement of conventional energy with alternative sources to decrease plant emissions during the production
1 : https :// www . kantar . com / campaigns / who-cares-who-does-in-the-fmcg-industry 2 : D . Saygin & D . Gielen , Energies 2021 , 14 ( 13 ), 3772 . https :// doi . org / 10.3390 / en14133772 3 : D . Bott , Flue2Chem , 2023 . Available at : https :// ec . europa . eu / commission / presscorner / detail / en / ip _ 21 _ 269
process . Cepsa Química is currently producing this new product in Canada achieving global warming potential reduction of 19 % compared to traditional LAB , on a cradle-to gate-analysis ( Figure 1 ). Still under development is NextLab – C , a LAB that will be produced with circular raw materials .
Future trends
There is no single way to ensure a sustainable homecare industry transformation , but it is essential that this should be based on detergents meeting the cleaning performance that consumers are expecting . The future of detergents relies on innovation . We must create new ingredients to ensure sustainability without compromising performance , which are affordable for final consumers and at scales to cover demand and customer expectations .
Making a sustainable product functional is the first step to change final consumers ’ perceptions and to increase the eco-active conversion . Consumer education - by promoting transparency and accountability - will enhance credibility and help them understand how they are contributing when making sustainable choices . Educating consumers about
Conclusion
The sustainable laundry revolution is a positive reality that is driving the homecare industry to reduce their environmental impact across the whole value chain . Innovation , transparency , consumer education and flexibility are needed to adapt strategies to get the best solution for each case and for each specific time . The revolution requires the whole industry to move forward together and to take advantage of the opportunity to do things in a better way , because washing can be cleaner . ●
Virginia Sánchez
SURFACTANTS MARKETING MANAGER
CEPSA QUÍMICA k + 34 91 277 62 66 J virginia . sanchez @ cepsachemicals . com j chemicals . cespa . com
60 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE