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American Cleaning Institute Releases 2013 Sustainability Report

Second cleaning product industry sustainability report shows decreases in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use and solid waste generation

American Cleaning Institute Releases 2013 Sustainability Report

Second cleaning product industry sustainability report shows decreases in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use and solid waste generation

Published 08-07-13

Submitted by American Cleaning Institute (ACI)

The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) 2013 Sustainability Report showcases continual adoption of sustainability practices within the cleaning products supply chain.

The American Cleaning Institute's (ACI) just-released 2013 Sustainability Report shows overall decreases by member companies in four environmental metric data points: energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use and solid waste generation.

In 2012, 24 ACI member companies, including cleaning product makers and suppliers, contributed environmental metrics data reflecting U.S. cleaning product-related production. To ensure year-to-year comparability in all data categories, only companies whose data spanned all three reporting years (2009, 2010 and 2011) are presented in the Report.

The U.S. cleaning product industry’s second biennial sustainability report showcases continual adoption of sustainability practices within the cleaning products supply chain. It also highlights how ACI and its members are improving product safety and transparency and giving back to those in need.

“As an organization representing the cleaning product supply chain, we are proud of our industry’s progress in sustainability and transparency,” said Ernie Rosenberg, ACI President and CEO. “We continue to build the pathway for all ACI member companies to showcase sustainability successes and challenges that are integral to doing business in today’s marketplace.”

Among the findings of the 2012 ACI Sustainability Metrics Program:

  • Overall, 2011 showed a reduction in the industry’s footprint for all four environmental metrics compared to 2009. During this period, energy use decreased 9 percent, greenhouse gas emissions decreased 7 percent, water use decreased 5 percent and solid waste generation decreased 17 percent.
  • There was continuous improvement in the energy use profile per cleaning product produced. From 2009 to 2010 energy use saw a 6 percent decrease and from 2010 to 2011 this metric decreased 4 percent.
  • There was a 12 percent decrease in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 2010 to 2011.

The following companies – representing 83 percent of ACI’s member dues base – submitted metrics data for the Sustainability Metrics Program:

AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry
Amway
Arylessence, Inc.
BASF Corporation
Church & Dwight Company, Inc.
The Clorox Company
Colgate-Palmolive Company
Croda Inc.
The Dow Chemical Company
DuPont Industrial Biosciences
Ecolab Inc.
Evonik Goldschmidt Corporation
FMC Corporation
Givaudan Fragrances Corporation
Henkel Consumer Goods, Inc.
Huntsman Corporation
Novozymes
The Procter & Gamble Company
PQ Corporation
Sasol
SC Johnson
Seventh Generation
Shell Chemical LP
Stepan Company

The online version of the 2013 Sustainability Report features a gateway to more than 30 profiles of how ACI members demonstrate sustainability throughout their companies. Their sustainability stories are available at www.cleaninginstitute.org/sustainability2013.

The report also features an updated summary of ACI’s social and environmental sustainability programs, as well as details on ACI scientific and research programs, including the accomplishments listed below.

Building upon decades of successful partnerships with organizations that share ACI’s goal of contributing to better living, ACI collaborates with organizations that use cleaning and hygiene products for positive social change:

  • Clean the World collects and recycles discarded soaps, shampoos, conditioners and other hygiene products from more than 1,200 participating hotels and hospitality partners and distributes them to those in need.
  • Cleaning For A Reason provides free household cleanings for women undergoing treatment for cancer.

ACI’s scientific and research programs contribute tools, data and insight that ACI member companies use to assess the safety and effectiveness of cleaning products and their ingredients:

  • The ACI Cleaning Product Ingredient Inventory is a detailed online inventory of ingredients used in consumer cleaning products which promotes the responsible management of ACI members’ products and the safety of the ingredients in them.
  • iSTREEM™ is a Web-based computer model which forecasts chemical concentrations in U.S. waterways resulting from the use of those chemicals in consumer products that are disposed down the drain.
  • ACI continues to contribute to the science of cleaning products through highly-regarded research and reports, which can be viewed at ACIscience.org.

About the American Cleaning Institute
The American Cleaning Institute® (ACI) represents formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and oleochemical producers. ACI (www.cleaninginstitute.org) and its members are dedicated to improving the health and quality of life of consumers through sustainable cleaning products and practices.

American Cleaning Institute (ACI) logo

American Cleaning Institute (ACI)

American Cleaning Institute (ACI)

The American Cleaning Institute® (ACI) represents formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and oleochemical producers. ACI (www.cleaninginstitute.org) and its members are dedicated to improving the health and quality of life of consumers through sustainable cleaning products and practices.

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