Dow and LanzaTech Global recycle carbon emissions into biodegradable cleaning supplies

02 Oct 2023 --- LanzaTech Global has collaborated with Dow to introduce a new biodegradable surfactant to the home care market made from carbon emissions. Surfactants are added to detergents to create foam and allow dirt to be washed away. 

LanzaTech Global is a carbon recycling company transforming waste carbon into environmentally sustainable raw materials. Dow’s surfactant, EcoSense 2470, is made using LanzaTech’s CarbonSmart technology and is made with recycled carbon materials. 

“The capacity to provide cleaning solutions made from recycled carbon with outstanding effectiveness is a distinguishing factor that significantly influences the purchasing decisions of household consumers,” says Farooq Alam, global strategic marketing director at Dow Home Care.

“EcoSense 2470 underscores our dedication to eco-conscious surfactant manufacturing, serving as the gateway to a sustainable future. It sends a resounding message to home care brand owners and consumers that sustainability and superior performance work hand-in-hand harmoniously.”

Cleaning with carbon
The official launch of EcoSense 2470 will occur during a presentation at the Innovation Forum with Dow experts hosted during the SEPAWA (Soap, Perfume, Cosmetic and Detergent Professionals) Congress, held from October 26 to 28 in Berlin, Germany.

Dow uses CarbonSmart technology to create ecological household cleaning products.LanzaTech’s bio-recycling technology works like a brewery: proprietary bacteria consume carbon-rich pollution from industrial facilities, such as steel-making plants, and convert it into CarbonSmart chemicals, such as ethanol. This ethanol can be converted into ethylene oxide and subsequently used to produce surfactants.

“There is enough carbon above ground to make all the things we need. We have been active in the ethoxylates space for several years, converting ethanol to surfactant ingredients, and with now Dow, our collaboration will enable us to greatly expand our reach in this market, which was valued at US$19 billion in 2022,” explains Jennifer Holmgren, CEO at LanzaTech.

“In this way, we can pave the way for recycled carbon home care products that deliver both sustainability and product quality. There is no need for compromise when doing good for the planet.”

The companies say the solution is suitable for diverse home care applications.

Carbon capture initiatives
In other parallel moves, Unilever recently allied with the University of Oxford to target laundry and home care product carbon emissions. Their report suggests that switching to renewable sources for the ingredients used in detergents for clothes and dishwasher use could eliminate these emissions while maintaining the same performance for consumers.

In April, Coty’s portfolio brand Gucci launched the “world’s first” globally distributed fragrance manufactured using 100% carbon-captured alcohol.

Earlier this year, UK industry giants, universities and NGOs initiated a two-year program worth £5.4 million (US$6.6 million) to convert industrial waste gasses into environmentally sustainable materials for consumer products.

Edited by Sabine Waldeck