Is Dawn Dish Soap Biodegradable?
Is dawn dish soap biodegradable? Dawn emerged as a brand in the 1950s, marketing a bar of soap that could be used to clean oil and grease off of faces.
In the 70s, it brought out a liquid detergent, and from there, the Dawn empire grew and grew! Today, it is one of the biggest brands of dish soap in America and the world. However, consumers want to know how sustainable Dawn Dish Soap is and if they should have any eco or health concerns.
Is it biodegradable? Is it environmentally friendly? What can it be used for?
Are there any more earth-friendly alternatives? The answers might surprise you.
What’s Dawn Dish Soap made of?
The ingredients in Dawn Dish Soap (classic) are water, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, lauramine oxide, sodium chloride, phenoxyethanol, PEI-14 PEG-10/PPG-7 copolymer, methylisothiazolinone, fragrance, yellow 5. Ingredients may vary slightly with different versions.
So is Dawn Dish Soap biodegradable? Technically speaking, it’s 90% biodegradable.
It does not contain phosphates and uses ‘biodegradable surfactants.’ Surfactants are employed in the vast majority of soaps and reduce the tension between liquids with other liquids or between liquids with gasses or solids.
However, containing biodegradable surfactants and achieving a 90% biodegradable status does not make the product in itself biodegradable. Dawn Dish Soap also comes in plastic packaging, which is very much nonbiodegradable.
Is Dawn Dish Soap environmentally friendly?
When reviewed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), Dawn Dish Soap was given a ‘D’ grade, so, strictly speaking, not really. This score means that the EWG deemed Dawn Dish Soap likely to pose hazards to health and/or the environment.
Whilst it may disregard some contaminants, Dawn Dish Soap still contains methylisothiazolinone – and this is environmentalists’ greatest concern. Methylisothiazolinone, a preservative, is rated highly for ‘acute aquatic toxicity.’ Fragrance, which is in Dawn Dish Soap, can also contribute to this.
In addition to the environmental concerns, consumers have also raised a number of health concerns. For instance, Dawn Dish Soap includes PEI-14 PEG-10/PPG-7 copolymer. This cleaning agent has previously been linked to serious disease, eye irritation and skin and organ damage.
Moreover, Dawn Dish Soap colorants – yellow 5 in the case of the original product – have sparked concerns over effects on the nervous system, skin irritation, cancer and organ damage. The soap also includes petroleum-based chemicals, which rely on the destruction of natural land through the extraction of fossils. Furthermore, activists have repeatedly boycotted Dawn’s parent company, Procter & Gamble, which has been linked directly to deforestation.
Uses of Dawn Dish Soap
The uses of Dawn Dish Soap may appear obvious – washing dishes. However, consumers and organizations have adopted the soap for a range of other missions. Among some of its popular uses are stain removal, bathroom cleaner, preventing poison ivy, unclogging toilets, insect repellent, shampoo, window cleaner, pool cleaner and de-icer.
Some animal sanctuaries also use it to clean oil off of animals. Dawn did a big commercial about this, telling consumers about how they sent 7000 bottles of the soap to Mexico to help the birds affected by the BP oil spill in 2010.
Although Dawn Dish Soap does a good job of cleaning oil, it contains petroleum-based chemicals. That means that using it to clean oil off of animals promotes the need for more oil production to manufacture the soap.
Alternatives to Dawn Dish Soap
Dawn Dish Soap scores points for its low price and accessibility; however, if the potential environmental ramifications concern you, here are some more sustainable alternatives.
1. No Tox Life
No Tox Life is a concentrated dishwashing soap in the form of a block. It is free of dyes and fragrances and contains aloe vera to be gentle on your hands. It is made with completely biodegradable ingredients and is vegan-friendly.
2. Etee
Etee dish soap is a concentrated dish soap that comes in organic, biodegradable packaging. It is plant-based and free from SLS, phthalates, sulphites, sulfates, colorants and fragrance.
3. Cleancult
Cleancult dish soap comes in recyclable paper packaging. It is cruelty-free, naturally derived and family safe. You can also purchase refills.
4. Bestowed Essentials
Bestowed Essentials dish soap comes in the form of a concentrated bar soap. It is vegan, cruelty-free, paraben and sulfate free and is manufactured with energy from renewable solar power. The packaging is also recyclable and compostable.
5. Ecover
Ecover is a sustainable favorite. Their dish soap contains plant-based biodegradable ingredients. It comes in a bottle that is 100% post-consumer recycled plastic and is made in a zero-waste certified factory.
6. DIY
DIY dish soap is 100% zero-waste, cutting out the need for packaging. You can manage which ingredients you choose to use, and although slightly more timely, this method is very inexpensive. An abundance of DIY dish soap recipes can be accessed online.
Final thoughts
Dawn Dish Soap is not biodegradable and is likely to pose a threat to the environment and health with repeated or improper use. It contains methylisothiazolinone and fragrance, which bear a high risk for ‘acute aquatic toxicity. In addition to this, it contains petroleum-based chemicals.
Dawn Dish Soap also contains an array of ingredients that are considered harmful to human health, such as PEI-14 PEG-10/PPG-7 copolymer and colorants. It has many uses and has gained popularity through its availability.
However, it is not hard-pressed to find a dish soap more environmentally-friendly than Dawn Dish Soap – so if this is a concern for the consumer, it may be worth going for another option. That being said, Dawn Dish soap is no worse than your average dish soap, so it should not be spotlighted for extreme environmental hazards.
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