With cries for manufacturers to stop using NPEs (nonylphenol ethoxylates) in their products becoming louder – and legislation to prevent their use becoming more global – the search is on for environmentally benign alternatives that offer similar performance.
NPEs are already banned completely in Europe, while in the US, the Environmental Protection Agency has announced that it will be banning NPEs in industrial laundry and cleaning products. The good news for customers seeking an eco-premium alternative is that our Surface Chemistry business has already developed one.
Berol 609 is AkzoNobel’s next generation nonylphenol ethoxylate replacement which exceeds the degreasing power of leading NPE replacements. Completely water soluble and biodegradable, there’s also no need for customers to reformulate. It can simply be used as a direct drop-in for NP9 or NP10.
Produced in large volumes and widely used in detergents and cleaning products, NPEs are thought to be toxic to aquatic organisms. Initiatives to encourage companies to voluntarily phase out their use (which we did some time ago) have been gathering momentum in recent months, with the world’s high growth markets expected to follow suit sooner rather than later. Berol 609 is therefore well placed to position itself as the most attractive alternative.