Why are alkylphenol ethoxylates still in many detergents?

Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), common ingredients in industrial chemicals and many household cleaners such as liquid laundry detergent are endocrine disruptors and probable carcinogens.

Basically, strong evidence suggests this artificial compound mimics the hormone estrogen. The compound does not break down easily in water and even the small traces that are found all over the industrialized world create odd estrogen levels in fish and birds. In humans, the use of APEs, most commonly in cleaning chemicals, results in lowered sperm count in men (APEs are actually used as a spermicidal lubricant in Europe) and breast cancer in women.

Humans may be exposed to APEs through:

• absorption through skin from shampoos, cosmetics, spermicidal lubricants and domestic and industrial detergents.
• contaminated drinking water, extracted from polluted rivers.
• inhalation and ingestion from pesticide sprays.
• contamination of food from fields spread with sewage sludge containing alkylphenols.

See “An Environmental Assessment of Alkylphenol Ethoxylates and Alkylphenols,” a paper published in 1995 by A. Michael Warhurst, PhD for the scientific research behind this environmental problem.

Since scientists like Professor Warhurst recommended a complete ban of APEs in 1995, why is this surfactant still in use a decade later? In fact, evidence that these chemicals are dangerous has been percolating since the 1930s! Although European and UK manufacturers have been voluntarily replacing the compound (UK companies voluntarily banned APEs in laundry detergent back in 1978), in the United States, Big Chem has been aggressively lobbying to prevent any action against this dangerous and totally unnecessary surfactant.

EcoLogic Solutions offers plenty of effective alternatives to APE-contaminated products. All of our citrus, soy, coconut or bio-remediation technologies clean without using any carcinogenic and endocrine disrupting compounds.

Our N-2 laundry soap and softener uses a citrus-based surfactant rather than any APE. Unlike the common detergents manufactured by Big Chem, our N-2 Laundry Detergent is non-toxic, readily biodegradable without forming micro-toxins or requiring water treatment, gray water and septic tank safe, contains no petroleum distillates, butyl ether, ammonia, chlorine, phosphates, benzene, pine oil or strong acids and is free of all known or suspected carcinogens.

Do not wait for Big Chem to change their profitable formulations. You have the option to clean you clothes without poisoning the planet today with our N-2 Laundry Detergent.