On a global scale, there is an increased consumer demand for;

• Utilising sustainable materials
• Cutting water consumption
• Reducing carbon emissions
• Minimising single-use packaging

What is the Home Care industry doing to meet these requirements? At Surfachem, we believe that concentrated products are the most logical step towards a more sustainable planet. From reduced shipping of water, to less plastic pollution, this approach boasts untapped opportunities.

Our presentation, ‘Concentrate!’ aims to not only explore the potential of concentrated products, but to also share the scope of our current technical laboratory and blending facilities, both of which support the development and delivery of this next wave of everyday cleaning products.

Sustainability plays a role in many parts of our lives and more consumers are looking for environmental-friendly cleaning products. Considering Laundry Detergents, the need for sustainability is reflected in the desire to use renewable ingredients with a low impact on the environment. In order to waste less energy, the washing temperatures are steadily decreasing, whilst consumers expect not to compromise on the washing performance.

The novel TexCare® SRN 260 Life is a biodegradable soil release polymer based on non-tropical raw materials, with a renewable carbon index of ~80 %. It builds a shield against stain, shows outstanding performance for soil release, and efficiently prevents synthetic fibers from greying. Glucopure Sense is a sunflower based sugar surfactant from European origin with a renewable Carbon Index of 96% and very low Carbon Footprint. Whilst being truly green, it does not compromise on washing performance and adds sensorial benefits to fabrics. This makes it well suitable for additional claims like built-in softener, conditioning or softening through the wash.

These properties make both of them a perfect ingredient for sustainable laundry products.

Sustainability has become a must-have, also in the Cleaning Industry. The global climate change and the threats our planet is facing is driving demand for more sustainable cleaning formulations. The concept ”Green Solutions” can help to choose the right products for more sustainable cleaning formulations. The concept consists of 4 green dimensions with a defined range of sustainability criteria. It shows at a glance which products fulfill the defined criteria. Our biosurfactants meet these requirements to the highest degree.

In the F&B Industry, which is a wide field of applications, cleaning and disinfection are of great importance. For best cleaning results highly efficient and ideally multifunctional cleaning formulations are required. Powerful but sustainable cleaning solutions like cleaning with minimal rinse and other future concepts are of increasing interest to the industry. Efficient disinfection, typically the final step in F&B cleaning should be gentle to the treated surfaces and safe for users and environment.

Organo-modified silicones enable a variety of effects in car care products such as hydrophobicity, durability and shine. The latest developments in the field of silicones, taking into account current regulations, are ideally suited for the formulation of high-quality products such as drying aids, spray waxes, paint polishes or plastic care products.

Biocidal Product Family (BPF) concept is a powerful tool for the industry, since it allows to group similar products, giving some space to future innovation and allowing to save significative amounts of money. It has been quite welcomed and widely used to accommodate full product portfolios. Since in many cases the number of products belonging to the family was quite big, last July authorities decided to reduce the complexity of BPF producing a guidance document setting clear rules on the similarity concepts. This presentation explains how to build a BPF according to the new criteria.

A panel discussion with experts from the chemical manufacturing industry, public health and chemical regulation will review the GB position on biocidal chemical legislation following the UK’s departure from the EU.  These products are essential in every walk of life from ensuring that food can be produced safely without causing food poisoning, keeping our breath fresh, eliminating pests in our gardens and even keeping barnacles off the bottom of boats!.  It is safe to say that without biocidal products our lives would become significantly more complicated and undoubtedly shorter and untangling the maze of legislation in GB is a complex and developing arena.

In this presentation we are going to take a closer look at trends and developments impacting the home care industry. What is driving growth and how is the industry likely to perform over the next five years? Sustainability and the emergence of new products, as well as services and new business models - enabled through advanced technologies - will continue to cause disruption, forcing companies to constantly re-invent themselves and their products if they are to stay relevant in an ever-changing market environment.

The focus of the BPR is to harmonise the rules on the making the products available on the market, whilst ensuring a high level of protection of both human and animal health and the environment. On the other hand, the BPR improved a lot the workload for companies in order to authorise a BP. In addition, the recent publication of the ED provision and the new guidance on BP families make it even more complicated and costly. How SME can support their products? Task forces may represent a good opportunity to preserve the market.

Removing hard water ions such as calcium and magnesium is a key part of many industrial and domestic processes that involve the use of water, including automatic dish wash and laundry. if these ions are not removed, insoluble deposit build up, resulting in dirty dishes, carbonate deposits on glass, fabrics greyness and industrial equipment that can become fouled up with scale.

The formulators are always looking for the most innovative and sustainable solution that can combine the best cleaning performances in combination with the best economic results.

The green aminicarboxylates (APCs) such as trisodium methylglycine diacetate (MGDA) and tetrasodium glutamate diacetate (GLDA) are highly effective to control the water hardness and boosting the cleaning performances.

They can be used as drop in replacement phophates (STPP,TKPP and other) and standard chelates. Furthermore, the green APCs outperform other alternative such as citrates gluconates.

Nouryon, as market leading chelating producer, is continuosly investing in research, development and innovation to find more sustainable and cost effective solutions. Nouryon is currently the only company that offer the full range of biodegradable chelating agents with superior ecological and toxilogical profile like MGDA and GLDA under the brand "Dissolvine".

The Chemical Business Association has brought together a panel, to give their views on the future for chemicals and the chemical industry within the UK.  Each panellist will give a short presentation on a topic of interest to them within this subject and this will include inclusivity, diversity, opportunities – primarily focusing and highlighting on the positives and wide range of careers in the “chemical sector.” The discussion will then be opened to the audience.

The panel represents a range of roles and experiences and includes the 2020 and 2021 winners of the Chemical Business Association’s Young Person Award, along with the current Chair and members of the Association’s staff.