Ecover
Encyclopedia
Ecover is a Belgium
based company manufacturing and internationally trading domestic ecological
cleaning products, of which it is the world's most well-known brand.
Ecover cleaning products are made from plant-based and mineral ingredients. The company was founded in 1980 by Frans Bogaerts. The company ran into financial difficulties in the early 1990s after rapid expansion. The business was sold to Bogaerts' son, and rescued by Gunter Pauli, who was since 1990 a member of the Board. Paul enlisted the Danish investor Jørgen Phillip-Sørensen to relaunch the company starting with the construction of Europe's first ecological factory. Ever since Ecover has been investing in research into appropriate plant-based and renewable raw materials for cleaning products.
A number of Ecover products (Washing Up Liquid (both varieties), Fabric Conditioner, Laundry Liquid, and Multi-Surface Cleaner) are available from a container refill service, or in 5 litre containers which can be used for refills at home. By re-using the bottles customers are enabled to reduce the overall environmental impact of distributing the product. Ecover refill facilities are still fairly rare in the UK and currently limited to independent health food stores and small local cooperative schemes.
(Belgium) which has a green roof extending over more than 6000 sq.m. The factory opened in 1992 and was quickly featured on CNN Prime Time News and ABC Evening News with Peter Jennings. The factory is made for the most part from recycled and recyclable materials. Ecover opened a second ecological factory in 2007, in Boulogne-sur-Mer
, in Northern France.
Ecover took over a factory in Steffisburg (Switzerland) with the acquisition of the Held AG in 2003
withdrew its endorsement of Ecover products as Ecover uses Daphnia
(water fleas) to test the effects of its products on aquatic life. Daphnia are not vertebrate
s, so they are not regarded as animals in EU animal-testing rules. However, the Vegan Society requires no testing on any part of the animal kingdom for its endorsement. Ecover uses the Daphtox acute toxicity test to calculate the EC50
values of products.
Ecover does not subscribe to the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
Humane Household Products Standard, which requires a fixed cut-off date on ingredients that have been animal tested. Ecover stated "a fixed cut-off date [means] that we wouldn’t be able to improve our products on what we have today. We do not believe that it is necessary to carry the Humane Household Products Standard to uphold our core values of transparency, honesty and integrity."
Ecover's washing up liquid contains trace amounts of a suspected human carcinogen, 1,4 Dioxane. Ecover has stated in response to these findings that the 2.4 parts per million detected in their product is well below the threshold of 100 parts per million of surfactant set by the European detergent industry. Ecover’s own criterion is set at half, namely 50 parts per million. This leads to values as low as the 2.4 parts as detected in the Ecover washing up liquid.
The actual level of dioxane found in lauryl ether sulfate (and by consequence in the products) is even lower as it dilutes; about four times lower. As washing up liquid dissolves during the washing process, Ecover ascertains that its product factor is once again reduced by 1000, thus further reducing the presence of dioxane to 0.00000000384, a value that is extremely hard to trace. Nonetheless, Ecover looks forward to the day when its suppliers can deliver dioxane-free surfactants that work effectively.
In 2010, Which?
found that Ecover was amongst a number of companies that made some green claims not supported by convincing evidence.
.
Golding skippered the Ecover Sailing Team
in the 2009 iShares cup, a selection of races all over Europe, sailing catamarans in fast, competitive races against world-leaders in this sport. The races took place in Venice, Hyères, Cowes, Kiel, Amsterdam and Almeria.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
based company manufacturing and internationally trading domestic ecological
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
cleaning products, of which it is the world's most well-known brand.
Ecover cleaning products are made from plant-based and mineral ingredients. The company was founded in 1980 by Frans Bogaerts. The company ran into financial difficulties in the early 1990s after rapid expansion. The business was sold to Bogaerts' son, and rescued by Gunter Pauli, who was since 1990 a member of the Board. Paul enlisted the Danish investor Jørgen Phillip-Sørensen to relaunch the company starting with the construction of Europe's first ecological factory. Ever since Ecover has been investing in research into appropriate plant-based and renewable raw materials for cleaning products.
Products
Ecover sells the following product ranges under the following brands:- Ecover: domestic detergents, cleansing agents, and personal care products.
- Held: domestic detergents and cleansing agents.
- Techno Green: professional detergents and cleansing agents.
- Ecover Professional: professional cleansing agents.
- Wellments: personal care products
A number of Ecover products (Washing Up Liquid (both varieties), Fabric Conditioner, Laundry Liquid, and Multi-Surface Cleaner) are available from a container refill service, or in 5 litre containers which can be used for refills at home. By re-using the bottles customers are enabled to reduce the overall environmental impact of distributing the product. Ecover refill facilities are still fairly rare in the UK and currently limited to independent health food stores and small local cooperative schemes.
Factories
Ecover built the world’s first "ecological factory" in MalleMalle
Malle is a municipality located in the Campine region of the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Oostmalle and Westmalle. On 1 January 2006 Malle had a total population of 14,083...
(Belgium) which has a green roof extending over more than 6000 sq.m. The factory opened in 1992 and was quickly featured on CNN Prime Time News and ABC Evening News with Peter Jennings. The factory is made for the most part from recycled and recyclable materials. Ecover opened a second ecological factory in 2007, in Boulogne-sur-Mer
Boulogne-sur-Mer
-Road:* Metropolitan bus services are operated by the TCRB* Coach services to Calais and Dunkerque* A16 motorway-Rail:* The main railway station is Gare de Boulogne-Ville and located in the south of the city....
, in Northern France.
Ecover took over a factory in Steffisburg (Switzerland) with the acquisition of the Held AG in 2003
Awards
In 1993, UNEP awarded the “Global 500 Roll of Honour” to Ecover for "outstanding achievements in the protection and improvement of the environment". In 2008, TIME Magazine honored Ecover CEO, Mick Bremans, with the title Hero of the Environment together with 29 other eco-pioneers working for a green future. In 2010, Ecover earned a finalist nomination from the European Business Awards for the Environment for a pioneering project in green innovation in the process category.Controversy
In 2007, the Vegan SocietyVegan Society
The Vegan Society is a registered charity and the oldest vegan society in the world, founded on November 1, 1944, in England by Donald Watson, Elsie "Sally" Shrigley, and 23 others....
withdrew its endorsement of Ecover products as Ecover uses Daphnia
Daphnia
Daphnia are small, planktonic crustaceans, between 0.2 and 5 mm in length. Daphnia are members of the order Cladocera, and are one of the several small aquatic crustaceans commonly called water fleas because of their saltatory swimming style...
(water fleas) to test the effects of its products on aquatic life. Daphnia are not vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
s, so they are not regarded as animals in EU animal-testing rules. However, the Vegan Society requires no testing on any part of the animal kingdom for its endorsement. Ecover uses the Daphtox acute toxicity test to calculate the EC50
EC50
The term half maximal effective concentration refers to the concentration of a drug, antibody or toxicant which induces a response halfway between the baseline and maximum after some specified exposure time...
values of products.
Ecover does not subscribe to the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection is a British animal protection and advocacy group that campaigns for the abolition of all animal experiments...
Humane Household Products Standard, which requires a fixed cut-off date on ingredients that have been animal tested. Ecover stated "a fixed cut-off date [means] that we wouldn’t be able to improve our products on what we have today. We do not believe that it is necessary to carry the Humane Household Products Standard to uphold our core values of transparency, honesty and integrity."
Ecover's washing up liquid contains trace amounts of a suspected human carcinogen, 1,4 Dioxane. Ecover has stated in response to these findings that the 2.4 parts per million detected in their product is well below the threshold of 100 parts per million of surfactant set by the European detergent industry. Ecover’s own criterion is set at half, namely 50 parts per million. This leads to values as low as the 2.4 parts as detected in the Ecover washing up liquid.
The actual level of dioxane found in lauryl ether sulfate (and by consequence in the products) is even lower as it dilutes; about four times lower. As washing up liquid dissolves during the washing process, Ecover ascertains that its product factor is once again reduced by 1000, thus further reducing the presence of dioxane to 0.00000000384, a value that is extremely hard to trace. Nonetheless, Ecover looks forward to the day when its suppliers can deliver dioxane-free surfactants that work effectively.
In 2010, Which?
Which?
Which? is a product-testing and consumer campaigning charity with a magazine, website and various other services run by Which? Ltd ....
found that Ecover was amongst a number of companies that made some green claims not supported by convincing evidence.
Sponsorship
Ecover sponsored yachtsman Mike GoldingMike Golding
Mike Golding is an English yachtsman. He is one of the few yachtsmen to have raced round the world non stop in both directions...
.
Golding skippered the Ecover Sailing Team
Ecover Sailing Team
The Ecover Sailing team is competing in the iShares Cup 2009, showcasing world class racing around Europe. The races take place in Venice, Hyères, Cowes, Kiel, Amsterdam and Almeria.-Sponsors:...
in the 2009 iShares cup, a selection of races all over Europe, sailing catamarans in fast, competitive races against world-leaders in this sport. The races took place in Venice, Hyères, Cowes, Kiel, Amsterdam and Almeria.