European life-cycle inventory for detergent surfactants production

A Life-Cycle Analysis Inventory (LCI) has been compiled by the European LCI Surfactant Study Group (CEFIC) and Franklin Associates Limited for the production of major surfactants presently used in European detergent products, specifically LAS, AS, AES, soap, SAS, AE and APG. These are derived from petrochemical and oleochemical intermediates. The Life-Cycle Inventory is comprehensive and includes energy and material requirements as well as environmental emissions and solid waste associated with all phases of surfactant production. A Peer Review Panel has reviewed the study in accordance with the principles recommended by SETAC. The study shows that each system has an impact on the environment via the consumption of a broad variety of resources such as crude oil, natural gas, agricultural products and minerals for material feedstock, energy generation and transport purposes. Also, environmental releases occur during the production and transport of all surfactant systems. Base on the findings, no unequivocal technical rationale exists for claiming oversall environmental superiority, neither for production of individual surfactants nor for the various options for sourcing from petrochemical and oleochemical/agricultural feedstocks and minerals. The value of the study lies in allowing each manufacturer to assess opportunities for improving the environmental profile of their surfactants and intermediates. The study has demonstrated the need for co-operation with organisations located earlier as well as later in the product Life-Cycle chain. Furthermore, the findings have indicated that there is a benefit in looking beyond the scope of the surfactant producers, for example by assessments of energy generation systems, and by making emission control techniques available on a broader basis. The European LCI Surfactant Study Group hopes that publication of these findings will contribute to environmental improvements via a constructive use of the data and to objective rather than judgmental assessments of the environmental profile of surfactant production