Biodegradable, Eco Friendly, Green... What Gives?
So you are ready to jump on the green bandwagon... but you are confused with all the terminology being used in the green industry: biodegradable, certified green, eco friendly, environmentally safe? I know there are several terms out there that are nothing more than a great marketing ploy to get your dollars into someone’s pocket. Here is some clarification.
When looking at the ecological claims, look for specifics. For example, "biodegradable in 3 to 5 days" is much better than "biodegradable. Most substances will eventually break down if given enough time and the right conditions. Claims like "no solvents," "no phosphates," or "plant-based" are better than vague terms like "ecologically-friendly" or "natural."'
Read the label! Most cleaners don't list ingredients but you can learn something about a product's hazards by reading its label. Most labels have a signal word, such as Danger, Warning or Caution, that provides some indication of a product's toxicity. Products labeled Danger or Poison are typically most hazardous; those bearing a Warning label are moderately hazardous, and formulas with a Caution label are considered slightly toxic. If you find them, choose products that are nontoxic enough that they require none of the signal words above on their label. Beside the signal word is usually a phrase that describes the nature of the hazard, such as "may cause skin irritation," "flammable," "vapors harmful," or "may cause burns on contact." Look for instructions on how to use the product, which may help you avoid injury. Some labels do list active ingredients, which may assist you in detecting caustic or irritating ingredients you may wish to avoid, such as butyl ethanol chloride or sodium hypochlorite.
Terms such as "natural" and "eco-friendly" shouldn't be equated with safety unless they're backed up with specific ingredient information, such as "solvent-free," "no petroleum-based ingredients," "no phosphates," etc. "Non-toxic" has no official definition, so unless a third party has verified this claim, it is not considered meaningful. And don't believe "organic" ingredients in cleaning and other chemical products are any safer than other substances. Although "organic" in the grocery store refers to foods grown without synthetic pesticides, in chemistry it refers to chemicals that are carbon-based, including some VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that release harmful fumes and may cause brain damage or cancer. Also, watch out for products labeled organic. Household cleaning products aren’t regulated by the Organic Foods Production Act, but some of their ingredients, such as plant oils, can be labeled “certified organic.
What is Biodegradable?
Biodegradation is nature’s way of returning materials to soil, sand, and other natural earth elements. The classic, generic definition of biodegradability is “a substance that when introduced into the environment breaks down into elements or compounds that harmlessly disintegrates.” However, the term has been grossly misused; there is no legal definition of biodegradable. As a result, anyone who wants to call something “biodegradable” or “degradable” can do so and not be breaking any law. In addition, nearly everything can be considered biodegradable - including plutonium and uranium, which break down over tens of thousands of years.
The claim biodegradable is often associated with environmentally friendly products. What exactly does this mean? I would define it as being able to be broken down by natural processes, into more basic components. Products are usually broken down by bacteria, fungi or other simple organisms. By this definition, most chemicals are biodegradable; the only thing differing would be the amount of time it takes to break down. A piece of bread will break down rather quickly, whereas a piece of plastic will take decades and beyond.
Rate of breakdown may not be as important as what the product breaks down into. The ideal final products of any complex product of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen would be Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Water (H2O). A majority of products are made mostly of these three elements. The previously mentioned piece of bread is made mostly of these, and after breaking down from complex sugars to simpler sugars, will eventually degrade to CO2 and H2O. This process would be accelerated if we ate the bread and our body would break it down and use it as energy, until only CO2 and H2O are left.
Biodegradability could be applied to virtually anything. What is a "green" consumer to do or look for? Try to be educated about the products you purchase. Once again, “Read the label”. Also products based on natural ingredients are more, but not always, likely to be safer and degrade easier. Even though a product may say it is biodegradable, it may not be environmentally friendly. It is important to choose items which cause as little ecological harm as possible. The best way to go about using cleaning products whilst remaining as environmentally friendly as possible is to be aware of harmful chemical compositions.
Be wary of statements such as ‘biodegradable’ or ‘non-toxic’ on cleaning products, as these terms don’t have a fixed definition, and in most cases are actually false. Try to avoid cleaners which contain chlorine (ie; bleaches), phosphates and other dangerous chemical substances. These toxins enter the atmosphere and waterways, causing both environmental and wildlife destruction.
Keep in mind that many products at the grocery store, especially cleaning products, are labeled biodegradable or environmentally safe. Consumers need to be aware that claims of biodegradability often are not backed up by independent research. Even then, biodegradability is difficult to prove because there are no official standards for biodegradability.
