Cleaning Products — Industrial

Material Composition Assumptions

The default reference product is 1 kg of concentrated industrial cleaner/degreaser, representative of products used in manufacturing, food processing, and institutional settings:

• Active surfactants: Nonionic surfactants (alcohol ethoxylates) or anionic surfactants (LAS, SLS), approximately 10-25% of formulation weight. Derived from petrochemical (ethylene oxide) or oleochemical (palm kernel, coconut oil) feedstocks.
• Solvents: Glycol ethers, isopropanol, d-limonene, or butyl cellosolve, approximately 10-30% of formulation. Industrial grades are typically more concentrated than household equivalents.
• Builders and chelators: Sodium tripolyphosphate, EDTA, or citric acid, approximately 5-15%.
• Water: 30-60% of liquid formulations. Concentrated products minimize water content for transport efficiency.
• Packaging: HDPE drums (20-200L) or intermediate bulk containers (IBC, 1000L), or smaller HDPE bottles for janitorial use.

Industrial cleaning products are more concentrated than household products and are typically diluted before use. The per-kg emissions are therefore comparable to or slightly higher than household products, but the per-use emissions may be lower due to higher dilution ratios.

Manufacturing Geography

Industrial cleaning products are manufactured regionally:

• USA: Diversey, Ecolab, Zep. Major production near industrial customers.
• EU: Diversey (Netherlands), Werner & Mertz (Germany), Christeyns (Belgium).
• China: Growing domestic production, primarily for Asian markets.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Estimated Score (per kg)	Adjustment
USA (default)	2.0 kgCO2e	Baseline
EU	1.8 kgCO2e	-10%
China	2.3 kgCO2e	+15%

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Product-level EPD or PCF per ISO 14025/14067.
2. EU PEF data: The EU Product Environmental Footprint pilot for detergents and cleaners provides standardized methodology.
3. Bio-based surfactant data: Oleochemical surfactants from certified sustainable palm kernel oil or coconut oil.
4. Concentrated formulation data: Higher concentration reduces per-use and transport emissions.

Methodology Notes

• CCI score of 2 kgCO2e/kg is a conservative estimate for concentrated industrial cleaners. Based on EPA USEEIO sector data and Saouter et al. (2017) PEF methodology.
• Scope breakdown: Scope 3 at 80% (1.6 kgCO2e/kg) from surfactant, solvent, and packaging production. Scope 1 at 10% (0.2 kgCO2e/kg). Scope 2 at 10% (0.2 kgCO2e/kg).
• Confidence: Low — heterogeneous category with limited product-specific LCA data. USEEIO provides sector-level estimates but does not differentiate between industrial and household products.
• Functional unit: 1 kg of concentrated industrial cleaning product, cradle to gate.
• Use-phase: Excluded but significant for industrial cleaners — heated wash cycles, water treatment of effluent, and energy for spray/rinse systems can dominate lifecycle emissions.