How to Design Cleaning Products that Reduce Waste

Waste is a growing global concern and an increasing factor in consumer purchasing decisions. For example, nearly a fourth of respondents in Nielsen’s Global Home Care Study said sustainable packaging was very important when buying household cleaners. But packaging is just one area where brands can find opportunities to reduce waste in their products. Manufacturers can effect positive change at every stage of the product lifecycle, from raw materials selection, product design, and production to transportation and end-of-life.

The Global Waste Outlook

Waste is exacting a tremendous toll on the planet and is only expected to increase in the coming years. Globally, waste is expected to grow to 3.4 billion metric tons by 2050, more than double population growth over the same period. And alarmingly, the amount of plastic trash that enters the oceans every year is projected to nearly triple by 2040, to 29 million metric tons, adding to the estimated 600 million metric tons already accumulated in the seas by the same year.

According to the EPA, the recycling rate in the U.S. increased from less than 7 percent in 1960 to 32 percent in 2019, a sign of positive progress. But that still leaves 146 million tons of municipal solid waste heading to landfills each year, or 2.5 pounds per person per day.

5 Opportunities to Prevent Waste

Preventing and reducing waste is crucial for shifting to a low-impact economy, and opportunities abound. Here are some concrete steps companies can take to reduce waste, looking specifically at cleaning, sanitary, and facility care products:

Using post-consumer recycled fiber gives waste a second life and reduces the depletion of virgin resources. In the case of single-use tissue products, for example, opting for high levels of recycled materials offers a market for recycled office paper, prevents deforestation, and reduces carbon emissions. Green Seal-certified sanitary paper products save 3.2 million metric tons of CO2 emissions each year because they are designed with 100 percent recovered content. Unlike printing and writing paper, bath tissue, facial tissue, and foodservice napkins cannot be recycled, making it even more important to design these single-use products with recovered materials.

Designing cleaners as concentrated products eliminates fuel waste and associated carbon emissions from shipping water. Typical cleaners sold in America are more than 90% water, so designing products as concentrated pods or solid bars and sheets can make a significant impact. In addition, concentrated cleaning products are meant to be paired with reusable glass or plastic bottles, reducing the number of disposable plastic spray bottles that eventually become waste. Because they are concentrated, Green Seal-certified professional cleaning products saved the equivalent of 1.2 billion industry standard plastic bottles in 2020.

Concentrated cleaners have long been available on the professional scene, but now they are proliferating on the household market too as consumers grow increasingly alarmed about plastic waste. “There has been a substantial increase in interest in dissolvable, concentrated packs [from national brands],” said Steve Seneca, president and CEO of Aqua Chempacs, which produces Green-Seal certified dissolvable cleaning pods under its own brand and for other major brands. “Today’s consumers not only recycle, but they also think that companies should take the lead. Plastic waste is a top consumer concern — especially when it ends up in landfills, oceans, and waterways.”

Switching to greener packaging materials is another key to reducing waste, and one that producers increasingly are embracing. According to the EPA, in 2018 packaging and containers comprised 28 percent of the solid waste generated in the United States, or 82 million tons. Greener packaging can mean that it is recyclable, contains a significant amount of post-consumer material, uses less material overall, or is refillable. When it comes to waste reduction, greener also means that packaging is produced without toxins like phthalates, BPA, and heavy metals, since materials that contain fewer hazardous chemicals can be recycled more easily.

Performance-testing products is vital to preventing waste. A foundational belief at Green Seal is that a product is not greener if it does not measure up to consumer expectations for performance. The odds are that an under-performing product will be thrown away and replaced with one that works better – which is a terrible waste of resources. For too long, consumers associated green cleaning products with ineffectiveness. Recent research indicates that modern consumers are overcoming this prejudice but validating and promoting the performance of green products remains essential to changing this perception.

Educating customers on proper product use can help them avoid waste. Research shows that while consumers tend to recognize recyclability as a positive product attribute, they are also quicker to use more than needed simply because the item can be recycled. Companies that illustrate both the benefits of recycled and recyclable products and the resource costs of buying or using more than one needs can inspire consumers to minimize waste from purchase through disposal.