Plastic-free and the road to a sustainable future.

03/29/24

Recycling, Safety & Sustainability

Plastic-free and the road to a sustainable future.

Plastic pollution is evident everywhere, from the deepest ocean trench to the remote corners of the Arctic and even reaching our vast atmosphere.

We wrote this article to shed light on the staggering amount of plastic waste generated by traditional dish detergents, and provide simple solutions that will lead us to a more sustainable future. Why? Because at Dirty Labs, we are committed to our mission of creating the future of cleaning—and to us that future is clean.

One cargo ship's worth daily.

Predictions suggest that plastic entering waterways could reach 53 million metric tons per year by 2030, equivalent to one cargo ship's worth daily.

Plastics in dish detergents.

Traditional dish detergent brands generate an enormous volume of plastic containers and pods. Approximately 20 billion plastic laundry and dishwasher pods are produced annually.

“The concern is that the film is very similar to conventional plastics that we see on a regular basis with one major difference - PVA just happens to be water soluble.”

Charles Rolsky, a senior research scientist at the Shaw Institute in Maine compared PVA’s ability to dissolve to pouring salt into water. “The salt will disappear, but you can still very much taste the salt itself, even though you can’t see it.”

Reach the moon in just over two years.

Approximately 75% of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) derived from these pods goes untreated, resulting in over eight thousand tons of PVA entering the environment each year - equivalent to 600 million plastic soda bottles worth of plastic waste. If stacked one on top of another, the waste accumulated from these bottles would reach the moon in just over two years.

But the problem is deeper than an ever-growing pile of plastic in our environment…

The pervading plastic problem.

It's clear, plastics adversely effect our environment. They pollute our water, endanger marine life, and pose health risks to animals and possibly humans. Plus, plastic exacerbates climate change and incurs a massive economic cost of around $2.5 trillion per year globally.

Plastics adversely impact ecosystems, leading to pollution in rivers, lakes, and oceans. Marine life, including birds, fish, and other organisms, suffer from entanglement and ingestion of plastic waste. Plastic has even entered the food chain, with research revealing that 60% of fish globally contain microplastics. Ingestion of microplastics by animals has been associated with negative health outcomes including reduced food consumption, impaired growth and behavior, and decreased reproduction.

Microplastics, tiny particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic waste (like the containers that detergent pods are sold in), have even infiltrated our own bodies. A recent study estimated children take in roughly 550 microplastics per day and adults take in 880 per day through breathing as well as consumption of certain foods and beverages. While humans are likely able to clear the vast majority (>90%) of ingested microplastics from their systems, questions still remain about chemicals entering the body from, and the fate of microplastics that we do not excrete.

From production to disposal, plastics generate substantial greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), further exacerbating the issue of climate change. Plastic production is boosting fossil fuel’s bottom line as it becomes a more profitable venture for fossil fuel companies. As the demand for fossil fuels decreases in the long term, these companies are increasingly investing in petrochemicals because they recognize the rising demand for plastics as a lucrative market opportunity. Petrochemicals, driven by plastic production, are projected to be the largest source (60 percent) of oil demand growth through 2030, and plastics are estimated to make up 20 percent of oil demand by 2050.

Ocean plastic pollution alone costs the global economy an estimated $2.5 trillion annually. There are broad social and economic costs to consider, such as impacts on tourism, transport, fisheries sectors, and human health. These sectors may experience direct and indirect consequences of marine plastic pollution, leading to economic losses and increased expenses for mitigation and cleanup efforts.

Embracing alternatives.

New cleaning innovations make a difference. Plastic waste from traditional dish detergents pose a significant environmental challenge, but at Dirty Labs it's our mission to build sustainable solutions to these types of problems.

One of the newest ways we’ve tackled plastic waste is by bringing to market our 2-in-1 Dishwasher Detergent + Booster.

Our formula utilizes Phytolase®, a proprietary enzyme-driven technology, combining advanced bioenzymes and biobased ingredients - all while being 100% plastic-free.

This powerful powder formula is environmentally benign and ensures on par (or better) cleaning efficacy compared to conventional dishwasher detergents, without the use of harmful chemicals or plastic pods.

So where does this leave us?

In an era where our planet grapples with a seemingly insurmountable plastic waste crisis, Dirty Labs is determined to forge a path towards a more sustainable future. Driven by our mission to create the future of cleaning, we've designed Phytolase® to revolutionize the way we clean and is our first step towards the fight against single-use plastic pods and the catastrophic plastic waste output. By embracing a new, innovative cleaning philosophy, we believe that together, we can protect our planet for future generations and foster a cleaner tomorrow. 🌱🌏

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Plastic-free and the road to a sustainable future.

Plastic pollution is evident everywhere, from the deepest ocean trench to the remote corners of the Arctic and even reaching our vast atmosphere.

One cargo ship's worth daily.

Predictions suggest that plastic entering waterways could reach 53 million metric tons per year by 2030, equivalent to one cargo ship's worth daily.

Plastics in dish detergents.

Traditional dish detergent brands generate an enormous volume of plastic containers and pods. Approximately 20 billion plastic laundry and dishwasher pods are produced annually.

“The concern is that the film is very similar to conventional plastics that we see on a regular basis with one major difference - PVA just happens to be water soluble.”

Charles Rolsky, a senior research scientist at the Shaw Institute in Maine compared PVA’s ability to dissolve to pouring salt into water. “The salt will disappear, but you can still very much taste the salt itself, even though you can’t see it.”

Reach the moon in just over two years.

But the problem is deeper than an ever-growing pile of plastic in our environment…

The pervading plastic problem.

It's clear, plastics adversely effect our environment. They pollute our water, endanger marine life, and pose health risks to animals and possibly humans. Plus, plastic exacerbates climate change and incurs a massive economic cost of around $2.5 trillion per year globally.

Embracing alternatives.

New cleaning innovations make a difference. Plastic waste from traditional dish detergents pose a significant environmental challenge, but at Dirty Labs it's our mission to build sustainable solutions to these types of problems.

One of the newest ways we’ve tackled plastic waste is by bringing to market our 2-in-1 Dishwasher Detergent + Booster.

Our formula utilizes Phytolase®, a proprietary enzyme-driven technology, combining advanced bioenzymes and biobased ingredients - all while being 100% plastic-free.

This powerful powder formula is environmentally benign and ensures on par (or better) cleaning efficacy compared to conventional dishwasher detergents, without the use of harmful chemicals or plastic pods.

So where does this leave us?

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