USA: first Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit tackles impacts

For the first time in North America, an executive summit will focus on the health and environmental impacts of cleaning products. Organized by Organic Monitor, the Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit will be hosted in New York City on May 2-3rd. Discussions over the two-day summit will cover sustainable development, green labels, environmental impacts, and green surfactants.

As green labels make headway on detergents and cleaning products, an update will be given on sustainability standards and certification schemes. Green Seal and Natural Products Association, two of the leading certification schemes, will give details on their formulation requirements. A major natural foods retailer will give insights on its eco-rating system for cleaning products. Martin Wolf and Chantal Bergeron from Seventh Generation will give the brands perspective when formulating natural cleaning products. What are the performance and efficacy issues when replacing synthetic chemicals in ‘plant-based’ products?

Mark S. Rossi, Executive Director of Clean Production Network, will state the health and environmental impacts of cleaning product chemicals. He will show how brands and ingredient firms can measure the chemical footprints of their products, and reduce the associated risks. In another paper, a lawyer will give an update on regulations, especially the major provisions and implications of the Cleaning Products Right to Know Act.

Alan Lewis from Natural Grocers will give his perspectives on sustainability, highlighting how the natural food retailer selects and markets green consumer products. Steve French from NMI will give present the latest consumer research on such products. What do consumers look for in natural home care products? What are the triggers, motives and attitudes towards such products? Marketing guidelines will be given to brands.

The Sustainable ingredients session discusses raw materials. As concerns grow about the sustainability of palm oil, Fair Trade USA will make the case for sustainable coconut oil as detergent feedstock. Stepan will discuss the use of novel green chemicals in cleaning products. Other papers will cover bio-based surfactants, sustainability of raw materials, and green chemistry.

Two workshops will tackle two of the major sustainability issues in the cleaning products industry: environmental impacts and green surfactants. The latest life-cycle analysis of home care products will be presented, with key environmental parameters. Practical guidance will be given to brands and ingredient firms on how to lower their footprints. The second workshop will give an update on green surfactants and their use in cleaning products, emphasizing the sustainability and performance issues.

The third edition of the Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit will be hosted alongside the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, taking place in New York City on 3-5th May 2017.

About the Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit

Organized by Organic Monitor, the aim of the Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit is to advance sustainability in the detergents industry by debating key issues in a high-level forum. The third edition will take place at the Park Central New York on 2-3rd May 2017.

About Organic Monitor

Organic Monitor is a specialist research, consulting & training company that focuses on the global organic & related product industries. Since 2001, we have been providing a range of business services to operators in high-growth ethical & sustainable industries. Our services include market research publications, business & technical consulting, seminars & workshops, and sustainability summits.