So I’ve been trying to figure out for months which product is better for the environment in terms of washing powders. I really think its one of the things that should be easier for us mere mortals to figure out. I figured BIO is better, but what is the real difference and what makes one better than the other? According to the information I have found:

Bio powders contain enzymes which are designed to break down food, dirt and other stains at low temperatures. The enzymes are used to lesson the impact of something called ‘surfactants’ . Surfactants are the active ingredient in a washing and cleaning products, and change the characteristics of water by altering the surface tension so that the active ingredient can access a stain more easily. By using enzymes, this reduces the amount of surfactants needed, but doesn’t necessarily remove it completely. In addition when using bio powder, some companies use genetically modified enzymes, others don’t.

Non Bio doesn’t contain the enzymes and typically requires higher temperatures to break down the powder. This in turn means you use more electricity and water.

To make it more confusing, the more I read, I found out about other “nasties” that are part of some companies washing products. These are called Optical Brighteners. Basically they make your clothes and other wash appear lighter and brighter than they are. These aren’t listed as being bad for the environment per say, but they do make a permanent chemical bond with your skin.

So after reading all of this, I’m still not sure what to do so I think I will stick with my Bio tablets from a company called Ecover. My clothes smell nice; I do them at the lowest setting on my washer, they have a recyclable box, and they don’t product test on animals. My only wish is they would make it a bit clearer which is better for the environment as a whole by factoring temperature usage/enzyme impact and that they would get rid of the silly plastic wrappers around the tablets.