HAPPI - January 2015

DETERGENT MARKET UPDATE

Clearly, many wrinkles must be ironed out before smart garments replace that favorite Van Halen T-shirt as workout garb. The industry, too, faces plenty of issues that must be addressed, noted Ernie Rosenberg, president of the American Cleaning Institute.

Issues to Iron Out

According to Rosenberg, there’s a great chance that the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) will be modernized in 2015. That’s the good news; the bad news is that states and local communities continue to develop their own versions of chemical regulations in place of a new TSCA.

“We expect real movement on TSCA early in
the session,” predicted Rosenberg. “But it has to
have bipartisan support. To be characterized as
an improved TSCA, it has to have the right people on board.”
With the right lawmakers behind it on both sides of the aisle,
Rosenberg said TSCA will have the credibility to help dampen
activity by NGOs and retailers alike.

“We have a narrow window to make a move before the Presidential silly season gets underway,” explained Rosenberg, referring to the 2016 Presidential Election process, which seems to capture the attention of lawmakers earlier and earlier.

Away from Capitol Hill, ACI is moving forward with its clean-
ing product ingredient initiative. In 2015, the Association will add
exposure information on top of hard data sets; ensuring that the
ACI and its members are going further than
other industry, Rosenberg insisted.

ACI also issued an analysis on enzyme management and sensitization at member companies’ facilities around the world.

“Those facilities that followed our
guidance saw diminishing low levels
of allergy symptoms. That convinced
us that we are on the right track,”
explained Rosenberg. “Facilities that
follow the guidance had minimal if
any allergy problems.”
Rosenberg was quick to point out
that in use, enzymes are not a concern.

ACI also conducted a surfactant review spanning five decades and concluded that, as used today, surfactants don’t present any health problems. Rosenberg estimates that the industry has spent $30 million ensuring surfactant safety.

“This is an industry that takes the safety of its products very seriously,” he told Happi.

In 2014, ACI expanded its iSTREEM web-based computer model to include the Great Lakes and Canadian watersheds. iSTREEM predicts the concentration of a chemical used in “down-the-drain” products at the discharge of more than 10,000 wastewater treatment plants, at the intake of 1,700 downstream municipal drinking water treatment facilities, and in approximately 30,000 river reaches covering over 200,000 river miles across the continental US.

“We are not just a lobby shop; we are a science shop,”observed

• The global detergent industry will head to Orlando later this month for the American Cleaning Institute’s Annual Meeting & Industry Convention, which will be held Jan. 26-31, 2015 at the Grande Lakes Orlando.

The theme of the event is “The World of Cleaning in One Convenient Place,” which is an apt theme considering ACI’s Annual Meeting & Industry Convention attracts hundreds of executives up and down the supply chain. In 2014, the event attracted nearly 900 attendees and at press time, registration was ahead of last year, according to ACI.

“Our members tell us that they can save a lot of business trips by
being able to plan plenty of meetings on sales, product planning and
strategic alignment,” explained ACI President Ernie Rosenberg. “It gives
suppliers a chance to discuss new technology with key customers.”
•;A;global;industry;update;with;international;association;executives;

•;A;presentation;by;Fisk;Johnson,;chairman,;SC;Johnson;

•;A;panel;presentation,;“From;Innovation;to;Collection,;Public;Policy
and;Consumer;Packaging;”
•;A;Women’s;Networking;Forum;entitled,;“Lessons;from;the;White
House—Women;in;Leadership;”;and
•;A;breakfast;session;featuring;Jack;Uldrich,;a;futurist;and;expert;on
global trends.

Plus, the event will include a presentation by former Presidential candidate and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. In his talk, “Keeping America;Strong,”;Romney;will;share;insights;on;the;current;political;envi-ronment and business today, as well as his ideas on the future of the nation, focusing on solutions to the debt, private sector growth, education and immigration, according to ACI.

The ACI Annual Meeting & Industry Convention will also include an array;of;social;programs,;such;as;a;Fun;Run,;President’s;reception;and closing reception. There will also be opportunities to support Cleaning for a Reason through the Quack for a Reason Charity Duck Race and participate in building Clean the World ONE Project Hygiene Kits.