As we strive towards a more sustainable future, the cleaning products industry is making significant strides in promoting environmentally friendly practices. The latest sustainability report highlights several inspiring case studies showcasing innovative approaches and progress in making a positive impact on the environment.  

These case studies also offer practical insights into how businesses and consumers can contribute to a cleaner world. This week, we wanted to feature some of those case studies, focused on what the cleaning products industry is doing to value the natural resources of our planet. 

Hand Hygiene Solutions Deliver Sustainable Value for People and the Planet 

GOJO’s purpose, Saving Lives and Making Life Better Through Well‑Being Solutions, drives everything the company does – from thinking holistically about how it delivers sustainable value for people and the planet through a commitment to creating social, environmental and economic value. As a problem-solver, GOJO thrives on understanding important human problems, bringing innovative well-being solutions to customers that meet their needs and providing safe and effective well-being solutions for customers’ patrons, patients and employees.  

It is this passion for learning that drove the development of GOJO’s newest dispensing system. In December 2023, GOJO launched the PURELL® ES10 Hand Sanitizer Dispenser, its most sustainable touch‑free dispensing system to date. The ES10 uses 30 percent less plastic per refill as compared to prior models, offers a 38 percent reduction in GHG emissions due to the reduction of plastic in the design, and uses hand sanitizer and hand soap formulations specifically designed or selected because of their sustainability profiles, all of which are third‑party environmentally certified.  

GOJO also factored in end‑of‑life to the design of the ES10. The new model reduces the number of steps to recycle the dispenser refills by including widely accepted plastics at recycling centers — and an AA battery in each refill that can also be easily recycled or responsibly disposed of according to local guidance. GOJO educates its customers on the end-of-life process, engaging with them through communications materials and group meetings, as well as throughout the installation process.  

The complimentary PURELL DISPENSER ADVISOR™ app comes with every ES10 device and offers a data-driven approach to help customers manage the dispenser fleet. The app allows customers to gain usage information and optimize the product by analyzing the information to determine when a refill is needed — therefore preventing the recycling of refills with product remaining. GOJO’s approach to lifecycle thinking, with special attention to end-of-life, demonstrates ACI’s goal of Value Nature in practice, helping the cleaning products industry to move toward a more circular global economy. 

Innovation and Collaboration to Deliver on Zero Waste to Landfill 

A key part of advancing the cleaning products industry toward a cleaner, safer world is optimizing the use of natural resources and eliminating waste. By applying science and creativity, IFF is advancing sustainability in the industry to achieve the company’s goal of zero waste to landfill for all its major manufacturing facilities. The initiative has sparked innovative solutions and greater collaboration across manufacturing sites, as well as strengthened relationships with local communities. For example, facilities are reusing waste from other facilities in their manufacturing processes, and local communities have used manufacturing byproducts in farming.  

IFF’s zero waste to landfill initiative has been a journey that started with mapping waste streams for a single facility. Recognizing that there is no one size fits all approach, IFF has embraced customized and specific solutions across its major manufacturing sites, including upcycling of solid waste and sugar waste, anaerobic digestion of biomass, scrap oil reformulation and plastic package recycling. IFF’s targeted approach has supported facilities to achieve zero waste to landfill where possible, while others are achieving maximum diversion of waste as a stepping stone to being better environmental stewards on their path to achieving zero waste. As of the end of 2023, 51 percent of IFF’s major manufacturing sites had received certification as zero waste to landfill sites through a five-year process.  

IFF’s manufacturing sites demonstrate that reaching its goal is achievable with ingenuity and context-specific approaches. By valuing nature and considering local contexts and ecosystems, the cleaning products industry can continue the journey toward a more sustainable future. ACI provides a platform for members to share these efforts, supporting knowledge sharing and advocacy across the cleaning products industry. 

Cleaning Product Concentration Without Compromising Clean 

Church & Dwight has a longstanding commitment to the environment and people. Since introducing Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to customers in 1846, the company has continued to deliver a powerful brand at an accessible price point. Since its founding, Church & Dwight has incorporated innovations to make a positive social and environmental impact, offering a better experience for consumers that does not compromise on cleaning. 

The company’s multi-year, two-wave, and cross-functional approach to laundry product concentration and compaction efforts are a prime example of Church & Dwight’s sustainable innovation strategy. In 2022 and again in 2023, Church & Dwight reduced water and package usage for its Arm & Hammer and XTRA liquid laundry detergent brands covering more than 100 SKUs. The concentrated detergent provides three times the stain fighting power when compared to the leading bargain detergent while reducing the amount of water and plastic used per load. In 2023, these efforts culminated in a reduction of plastic usage by approximately 3.6 million pounds, corrugate usage by approximately 5 million pounds, and water usage by approximately 79,000 tons. The smaller, lighter product also resulted in an estimated reduction of 5,700 metric tons of CO2e emissions in transportation. 

Church & Dwight continues to identify opportunities for new products and packaging formulated to minimize water and energy requirements. For example, the company is building on its compaction experience to extend concentration efforts to Odor Blasters. In 2023, Church & Dwight was the first major laundry detergent brand to launch a detergent sheet, which uses an ultra‑concentrated format that comes in recyclable paper packaging — eliminating the need for plastic packaging for laundry detergent. Church & Dwight calls upon ACI’s expertise and that of member companies to help manage through the challenges of innovation to achieve more sustainable outcomes. 

Learn more in the 2024 ACI Sustainability Report.