Environmentally Friendly Dishwasher detergents (DE-UZ 201)

Dishwashers and washing machines are used on almost a daily basis to wash dishes and clothes in a normal household. Dishwasher detergents and laundry detergents are now considered everyday products and around 312,000 tonnes of dishwashing detergent are sold each year, of which about 173,000 tonnes is accounted for by dishwasher detergent. Their ingredients can find their way into the wastewater system via the washing or rinsing water and pollute bodies of water later on if these ingredients cannot be completely retained or degraded in sewage treatment plants. In addition, detergents and cleaning agents can contain substances relevant to health e.g. certain preservatives or allergenic fragrances. The Blue Angel either prohibits the use of these substances in the first place or, if there is no other alternative, reduces their use to a minimum.  

An important component of detergents are surfactants. These can be manufactured based on petrochemicals and/or renewable raw materials. The use of sustainably produced raw materials makes a significant contribution here to sustainable development. Detergents certified with the Blue Angel ecolabel should thus make a contribution to the protection of the environment by using renewable raw materials in their production that have been cultivated as far as possible under sustainable conditions or which support sustainable cultivation.