are ecological detergents so green?

Natural ingredients, respectful of the environment and our health. Such is the promise of green detergents, but are they really better for the planet and what about their effectiveness? In the hygiene departments, these detergents are twice as numerous as five years ago. These detergents are at least 10% more expensive, but alone account for 13% of sales on the shelves. For 30 years now, national brands and distributors have continued to develop their green laundry detergent.

No 100% green detergent on the market

In the factory of the pioneer of this market, in Saint-Benoît (Vienne), six million bottles and refills are produced each year, with the objective of being as ecological as possible. In the laboratory, many formulas are tested and modified. Four families of ingredients go into the composition of laundry detergent: washing agents, water, perfume and enzymes, to remove stains. “Whether the detergent is green or not, these will always be products that will be problematic for the environment because there are large quantities of chemical mixtures that are released into the environment”, testifies Emmanuel Chevallier, environmental health engineer. No 100% green detergent exists on the market.