LIFE-CYCLE-ASSESSMENT - LIFE-CYCLE INVENT ORY FOR DETERGENT MANUFACTURING

The project group ''Life Cycle Assessment'' of the IKW (German Deterge nt Industry Association) compiled the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) for t he detergent manufacturing in Germany. The LCI follows the principles recommended by SETAC and the ISO Commitee Draft on ''Life Cycle Assess ment''. The study covers regular powder, compact powder and liquid det ergents. The companies participating in this LCI data acquisition repr esent more than 90% of the German detergent market. The LCI includes t he phases of detergent manufacturing: storage, spray tower (for powder s only), mixing and packaging. For these phases the environmental data energy demand airborne/waterborne emissions and solid waste are being evaluated. All data in this study are expressed as required amount of detergents per 1,000 kg dry laundry. The study covers only one segmen t of the detergent's life-cycle: the detergent manufacturing processes . It must be emphasized, however, that the study does not allow any co mparative evaluation on the overall environmental effects of regular p owder, compact powder and liquid detergents. Additionally, regular pow der, compact powder and liquid detergents differ in their formulation characteristics, cleaning properties and performance, although all con sidered detergents are heavy duty detergents. For liquid detergents, t he LCI data show a lower energy demand and consequently also lower air emissions and solid waste in comparison to powder detergents; air emi ssions and solid waste are mostly fuel related. Reason is that the man ufacturing of liquid detergents does not require the spray tower techn ology. It needs to be recognized that the new generation of compact po wders which is already introduced to the German market does not requir e spray tower technology anymore. Therefore, energy demand air emissio ns and solid waste will be reduced significantly. No conclusions on th e waterborne emissions from liquid detergent manufacturing is feasible due to process technology constraints. Packagings for liquid detergen ts require more plastics while powder dergents use more paper/cardboar d for their packagings.