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Report Highlights Cleaning Industry’s Progress in Curbing Energy, Emissions, Water and Waste

The American Cleaning Institute’s (ACI) just-released 2013 Sustainability Report shows overall decreases by member companies in four environmental data categories: energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water use and solid waste generation.

By Jennifer Elks | Published 11 years ago | About a 2 minute read

In 2012, 24 ACI member companies, including cleaning product makers and suppliers such as The Clorox Company, Novozymes and SC Johnson, contributed environmental metrics data reflecting the production of cleaning products in the U.S. for the previous three years. To ensure year-to-year comparability in all data categories, only companies whose data spanned all three reporting years (2009-2011) are presented in the report.

The Institute’s second biennial sustainability report showcases continual adoption of sustainability practices within the members’ supply chains. It also highlights how ACI and its members are working to improve product safety and transparency and giving back to those in need through partnerships with organizations such as Clean the World and Cleaning For a Reason.

“As an organization representing the cleaning product supply chain, we are proud of our industry’s progress in sustainability and transparency,” said Ernie Rosenberg, ACI President and CEO. “We continue to build the pathway for all ACI member companies to showcase sustainability successes and challenges that are integral to doing business in today’s marketplace.”

Among the findings of the 2012 ACI Sustainability Metrics Program:

2011 showed an overall reduction in the industry’s footprint for all four environmental metrics compared to 2009; energy use decreased 9 percent, GHG emissions decreased 7 percent, water use decreased 5 percent and solid waste generation decreased 17 percent.
There was continuous improvement in the energy-use profile per cleaning product produced. From 2009 to 2010 energy use saw a 6 percent decrease and from 2010 to 2011 this metric decreased 4 percent.
There was a 12 percent decrease in GHG emissions from 2010 to 2011.

24 companies (83% of ACI’s member base) — including those mentioned above as well as BASF, Colgate-Palmolive, Dow Chemical, DuPont, Ecolab and Seventh Generation — submitted metrics data for the Sustainability Metrics Program.

The online version of the 2013 Sustainability Report features a gateway to more than 30 profiles exploring how ACI members demonstrate sustainability throughout their companies. The report also features an updated summary of ACI’s social and environmental sustainability programs, as well as details on ACI scientific and research programs.

Earlier this week, ACI member Seventh Generation released its 2012 Corporate Consciousness Report and announced a 16 percent reduction in virgin plastic use and a 13 percent decrease in normalized GHG emissions — all despite a 9 percent increase in sales.