Ecover Clarifications :)

The best part of this space is the dialog and change that can happen when people and organizations communicate. I love hearing about all you eco-yogi/ni's and your green and/or yoga experiences! I also love hearing directly from the companies that we talk about here for clarification or further information.

Such an opportunity as occured today and I thought I'd share it with you!

I had mentioned a few posts ago about how frustrated I was getting with all the greenwashing occuring with these traditionally "non-green" companies jumping on the eco-bandwagon (cough-Clorox). I also mentioned that Ecover had some pretty sketchy ingredients on their website, which was very disappointing. If Ecover has unclear ingredients, then how the heck are we supposed to know what's truly "green" or just the wash?

In an attempt to figure it out, I looked up to the best of my internet, non-chemistry degree self, the ingredients listed for Ecover's dishwasher tablets... and didn't really feel like it was all that clean to begin with.

However, Ecover has responded to that post with a nice informative comment of their own. Feel free to go over and give the post and comment section a read, but I'll post their explanations of ingredients here (slightly abridged, as they left my comments and responded, so it's a little long):

Kipling here, from Ecover. I saw your post and thought I might correct a few misinterpretations of our ingredients for you and your readers:

• Sodium citrate (salt), Not entirely correct; “salt” is commonly used to indicate sodium chloride (i.e. table salt) and although sodium citrate is a kind of salt, writing “a salt” instead of “salt” would be more technically correct
• Sodium Carbonate Peroxide - also commonly known as Sodium Percarbonate
• Sodium Carbonate- Sodium ash
• Disodium Disilicate: yes, it can cause serious harm to the eyes (just the same as the sodium silicate in the Attitude brand listed further down in the post) because it is quite alkaline and it is this alkalinity which helps dissolve residual fats
• Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda)
• Sodium Poly Asparaginate (wha?? can't find what that is) It’s actually a fully biodegradable alternative to commonly used ingredients which prevent the formation of scale crystals and which are not at all biodegradable
• Tetra Acetyl Ethylene Diamine- like vinegar, but with an extra atom of oxygen which is responsible for the bleaching action - due to the reaction between the hydrogen peroxide contained within the sodium percarbonate and this ingredient; Tetra Acetyl Ethylene Diamine is a bleach activator and does not have any oxidizing properties of itself
• Iso-Octyl Glucoside (ummm..) This is actually a sugar-based wetting agent which prevents water settling on the dishes as droplets which, after they’ve dried, would leave stains.
• D-glucitol (Sorbitan Tristearate...) not exactly - it’s a sort of sugar which helps in pressing the tablet and makes it dissolve quickly when being used
• Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil-It’s actually used as a kind of natural solvent which helps dissolve fatty residues; it also functions to keep the tablet’s structural integrity during transport (solid at room temperature, but liquid when used in a dishwasher)
• Parfum-All the molecules used in our perfumes are the same as found in nature (min. 90% from natural sources, max. 10% from synthetic sources
• Glycerin - A by-product of turning vegetable oils into natural soap and is used both as natural solvent and to keep the tablet whole during transport
• Amylase- It’s an enzyme which brakes down starch. It is classified as such because people can develop sensitivities or allergies to the product when it’s inhaled - which is highly unlikely in the case of the tablets
• Subtilisin- Same as above, but this enzyme breaks down proteins
• Limonene- It is also the main component of the zest of citrus fruits, so no risk of long term exposure there… Limonene is a known allergen, which is why it’s explicitly mentioned on the box
• Sodium Gluconate - This is the sodium salt of a common amino acid and it is used to bind calcium which otherwise would turn into scale

I would also like to mention that, the ingredients disclosed by Ecover are the actual ingredients rather than the generic terms often given for cleaning products. While this is not required by law, it is an extra step we take to maintain transparency.

I hope this clears things up for everyone!

Thank you so much, Kipling, for clarifying for us non-chemistry people :) I do think it's fantastic that all ingredients (rather than the generic terms) are included as transparency and appreciate the time and effort it must have taken to give us this detailed and informative reply. I do think that in today's age of increasing consumer awareness, critical thinking and wariness, having this type of information directly on the website would be helpful.
As eco-people we spend so much time trying to wade through the greenwashing poop to figure out what is truly Earth friendly and what is just some wool and bull.
I am super pleased to see a quick and informative response! The critical thinker in me (oh university, you have forever warped my trust) keeps piping up this tiny voice- "third party, third party!"... lol, but I think that would be stepping up the paranoia un petit peu.
There you have it Eco-yogi/ni's! Rant, and you shall have clarifications :) Again, many thanks Kipling!

Article authored by Ecoyogini.blogspot.com... where all the green yoga happens!