Design for the Environment Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative
On this page:
- What is the Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative?
- Who was eligible for recognition?
- How businesses were recognized
- SDSI Champions
- SDSI Partners
What was the Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative?
While no longer an active project within EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) program, the Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative (SDSI) recognized environmental leaders who voluntarily committed to the use of safer surfactants. Safer surfactants are surfactants that break down quickly to non-polluting compounds and help protect aquatic life in both fresh and salt water. Nonylphenol ethoxylates, commonly referred to as NPEs, are an example of a surfactant class that does not meet the definition of a safer surfactant.
The DfE program identified safer alternative surfactants through partnerships with industry and environmental advocates. CleanGredients® is a source of safer surfactants and can be found at www.CleanGredients.org.Exit
Who was eligible for recognition?
EPA's DfE program recognized businesses engaged in the production or use of surfactants, as well as those involved in the purchase or distribution of products containing surfactants. Others, including not-for-profit organizations, qualified through actively encouraging the use of safer surfactants.
How businesses were recognized
Champion was the highest level of recognition offered under SDSI. At this level, the participant was listed on the EPA SDSI website as a Champion and was granted use of a special logo in their literature to help explain their participation in the program. The Partner category provided recognition of significant accomplishment towards the use of safer surfactants. Partners were listed on the EPA SDSI website and may have qualified for recognition as Champions in the future.
SDSI Champions
Champions: Chemical Manufacturers
Chemical Manufacturer SDSI Champions demonstrated the manufacture of only safer surfactants and documented a strategy for ensuring the manufacture of only safer surfactants.
- BASF Corporation
- Bio-Neat Inc.
Champions: Product Formulators
Product Formulator SDSI Champions demonstrated the use of only safer surfactants in product and documented a strategy for ensuring that only safer surfactants were used in products.
- Ankem, Inc.
- Auto-Chlor System
- Barricade Fire Gel
- Big D Industries, Inc.
- Bissell Homecare Inc.
- Canberra Corporation
- Chemco Corporation
- ChemLink Laboratories LLC
- Clean Control Corporation
- Colgate-Palmolive Company
- Corporate Express, a Staples Company
- Earth Friendly Products
- Eco Concepts, Inc.
- EcoDiscoveries Tennant Company
- Environmental Manufacturing Solutions (EMS)
- GEMTEK Products LLC
- Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
- Jaws International Ltd
- JohnsonDiversey, Inc.
- Klipper Group
- Method VASKA
- Momar, Inc.
- Multi-Clean Inc.
- Natural Soap Formulas
- Naturell
- PDQ Manufacturing
- Pure & Gentle Soap Inc.
- Racine Industries, Host and Von Schrader Divisions
- Reckitt Benckiser, Inc.
- RTX Scientifc, Inc.: DBA Refrigeration Technologies
- SafeWash Technologies
- S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
- Seventh Generation, Inc.
- Spurrier Chemical Companies Inc.
- State Chemical Solutions
- SYSCO Corporation
- The Dial Corporation, A Henkel Company
- The Procter & Gamble Company
- Transchem, Inc.
- US Formula Technology
- U.S. Polychemical Corporation
- Virox Technologies Inc.
Champions: Retailers/Distributors
Retailer/Distributor SDSI Champions demonstrated that only safer surfactants were included in products intended for sale and documented a strategy for ensuring that only safer surfactants were included in products intended for sale.
- EPIC CleaningProducts
- Solutex, Inc.
Champions: Institutional Purchasers
Institutional Purchaser SDSI Champions demonstrated the purchase of products containing only safer surfactants and documented a strategy for ensuring that purchased products contained only safer surfactants.
- Coverall Health-Based Cleaning System
- SRI / Surgical Express, Inc.
Champions: Others
Other SDSI Champions demonstrated outstanding efforts to encourage the use of safer surfactants.
- GreenBlue
- ISSA -- The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association
- Sierra Club
- Textile Rental Services Association of America and the Uniform and Textile Service Association
- Toxics Use Reduction Institute Laboratory
SDSI Partners
Partners were recognized for significant accomplishments towards the use of safer surfactants.
Partners: Product Formulators
Product Formulator SDSI Partners committed to manufacturing only safer surfactants by a date that was reasonable for the organization’s circumstances and documented a strategy for ensuring the manufacture of only safer surfactants.
- 3M (Building and Commercial Services Division)
- Athea Laboratories
- Bullen Airx
- The Clorox Company
- Daley International
- Flexocleaners.com
- Gent-l-kleen Products, Inc.
- The Hain-Celestial Group (Martha Stewart Clean)
- HAZfree Inc.
- Hillyard Inc.
- Jelmar
- Mt. Hood Solutions
- National Chemical Laboratories, Inc.
- NILODOR, INC.
- Orange TKO Industries Inc.
- Racine Industries, Host and Von Schrader Divisions
- Rochester Midland Corporation
- Sanolite Corporation
Partners: Retailers/Distributors
Retailer/Distributor SDSI Partners committed to using only safer surfactants in products by a date that was reasonable for the organization’s circumstances and documented a strategy for ensuring that only safer surfactants would be used in products.
- The Hain-Celestial Group (Martha Stewart Clean)
Partners: Institutional Purchasers
Institutional Purchaser SDSI Partners committed to using products containing only safer surfactants by a date that was reasonable for the organization’s circumstance and documented the active encouragement of the use of safer surfactants.
- County of Riverside, Custodial Services Division
- Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Partners: Others
Other SDSI Partners documented the active encouragement of the use of safer surfactants.
- Clean Production Action