A test on 40 dishwashing detergents identified irritating or polluting components, in particular rewarding ecological products
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousDetergents, as is now known, can contain substances that are problematic for health and the environment. A new French test compared and analyzed the composition of different dish detergents. Here's what he found.
Dishwashing detergent is one of the most commonly used detergents and, since it gets on our hands (if we don't use gloves), we should take care to choose a mild formulation. It must also be considered that this soap is discharged into the waste water, our choice must therefore also be made based on the environmental impact of the detergent we intend to purchase.
We have already pointed out some potentially dangerous substances that can be found in dish detergent formulations.
- Dishwashing detergent: the dangerous ingredients to check on the label (LIST)
To help us in the choice there is now the latest test of 60 Millions de Consommateurs that has compared and evaluated 40 dish detergents of major brands or private labels, concentrated or not, conventional and ecological.
Most of the tested products are mainly sold in France but some are also present in our country.
The assessment that allows us to compare the risks that these products present for our health and the environment is based, as stated in the magazine, on Ménag’Score, a risk calculation that depends on the likelihood of damage occurring (depending on the frequency and duration of exposure to a hazard) and its severity.
It is a system developed by the engineers of 60 millions de consommateurs, already used for other evaluations.
The risks associated with each ingredient, their relative concentration, their cumulative effect and the recurrence of exposure with other household products are considered, among other criteria.
Eventually the final grade of each individual detergent goes from A (to be used without reservation, following the manufacturer's instructions) to E (not recommended).
The results
The results rewarded the ecological products, in fact, 15 of the top 20 dish detergents in the ranking have a mark that certifies the ecological quality, such as "Ecolabel" or "Ecocert".
Even ecological products, in reality, contained various irritants but, on the other hand, they had such an added value at the environmental level (with on average half of the toxic substances for aquatic organisms compared to traditional ones) che 60 Million Consumers concludes:
"References bearing an environmental label must be favored without hesitation"
Even some products for "sensitive skin" contain these irritants, proving that this statement is sometimes not very appropriate.
Among the irritants, the magazine reports in particular the presence of surfactants such as Cocamidopropyl betaine and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate but also limonene, a potentially allergenic perfume.
Among the best dishwashing detergents in the test we find:
- Palmolive sensitive skin
- Eco Planet Carrefour
- L'Arbre Vert Sensitive skin
- The Almond Green Tree
@60 Million Consumers
@60 Million Consumers
In the last places we find instead:
- WS al limone (Lidl)
- One with lemon (Aldi)
@60 Million Consumers
@60 Million Consumers
But, the magazine specifies:
“It should be noted that the worst-scoring dishwashing liquids in our comparison still comply with the regulations. These products are intended to be rinsed and do not pose an acute toxicity risk to users, except sometimes in case of ingestion "
Cast Iron: 60 Million Consumers
Read also:
- 10 truly eco-friendly dishwashing detergents
- Even the dish soap becomes solid
- Dish soap: 5 do-it-yourself recipes
