Charter for Sustainable Cleaning 2020+ symposium held today

Posted by Charlotte Salter, on February 12, 2020.

First products compliant with renewed detergents industry sustainability standard

The inaugural symposium on the Charter for Sustainable Cleaning 2020+ was held today in Brussels, gathering more than 80 representatives from the detergents industry as well as value chain partners and policy makers. The event, organised by A.I.S.E., the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products, celebrates the appearance of the first products on the market in several countries in Europe, which comply with the renewed detergents industry sustainability standard. These products carry the new Charter marks on pack.

From now on, consumers will be able to progressively see products on the shelves with the new, modernised marks, extensively tested with consumers to ensure that they are highly impactful and visually appealing. Consumers can be assured that products carrying the Charter marks meet high standards for environmental safety, minimise waste and provide clear and transparent information on how to use them safely and in a more sustainable way, without compromising the cleaning performance. Supporting communication on the Charter and practical tips to help consumers use these products more sustainably can be found on the recently launched cleanright.eu website, including a video for consumers, which explains what the scheme is all about.The Charter for Sustainable Cleaning was initiated in 2005, revised in 2010 and has recently been upgraded to more complete and relevant requirements, is aligned with the latest EU Green Deal, EU circular economy and plastics policy, climate change priorities and global policy expectations.

At the symposium, Daniel Calleja-Crespo, Director General of DG Environment in the European Commission, said: “The EU Green Deal is calling upon industry and all actors in society to fundamentally change the way we source, design, produce, and consume. We welcome initiatives such as the A.I.S.E. Charter for Sustainable Cleaning, which contributes to the circular economy objectives covered by the Green Deal. Sector associations can be very influential in the transition needed and enable progress for the whole industry, facilitating also value chain collaboration”.

“A.I.S.E. and companies in the cleaning and hygiene industry have long acted responsibly and proactively to reduce their environmental impact and contribute to the wellbeing of society. With regular updates to our Charter for Sustainable Cleaning, we want to continuously make it fit to help all industry members address the critical challenges faced with climate change and sustainable progress urgently needed”, commented Arndt Scheidgen, A.I.S.E. President.

A comprehensive scheme tackling production, design and consumption

Companies who sign up to the A.I.S.E. Charter 2020+ commit to continuous improvement both in the manufacturing and in the formulation of their products. Consumer advice to promote safe and sustainable use of products is also provided, making it a very comprehensive sustainability scheme including annual reporting and independent verification. Sustainability measures which are tracked include manufacturing energy use, CO2 emitted, water use, the amount of recycled content in packaging and the reduction of the use of poorly biodegradable materials. Compliance of companies with Charter sustainability procedures and data reporting is independently verified. More than 200 companies are signed up to this scheme, representing the vast majority of the detergents and maintenance products market in Europe.

Carbon footprint and packaging reduced

The Charter has a proven track record of delivering tangible improvement. In 15 years, Charter companies have cut CO2 emissions by 40% per tonne of production, well ahead of the target set by the EU after the Paris Agreement in 2015 to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030. Packaging use has been reduced by 32%.

For comprehensive, technical details about the Charter for Sustainable Cleaning, visit www.sustainable-cleaning.com

Contact the UKCPI on ukcpi@ukcpi.org or call 07843 199397.