Environmental Community at Procter and Gamble was one of the first companies in the world to study the environmental impact of high-volume ingredients in consumer products. P&g's commitment to safety and sustainability is not new. Environmental initiatives are supported by more than 500 professional scientists worldwide.
Environmental Community at Procter and Gamble was one of the first companies in the world to study the environmental impact of high-volume ingredients in consumer products. P&g's commitment to safety and sustainability is not new. Environmental initiatives are supported by more than 500 professional scientists worldwide.
Environmental Community at Procter and Gamble was one of the first companies in the world to study the environmental impact of high-volume ingredients in consumer products. P&g's commitment to safety and sustainability is not new. Environmental initiatives are supported by more than 500 professional scientists worldwide.
Protecting Earths Water, Air and Soil for More than Half a Century Believes that designing safety into our products is essential at every stage of product development Partners with the entire Company to provide products and services that dont require the consumer to make choices between sustain- ability and their needs for performance and value Achieves excellence through inter-disciplinary collaboration that provides environmental solutions which enable product, package, manufacturing and go-to-market innovation
the Environmental Community of 2 Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success The Environmental Science Community at Procter & Gamble P&G was one of the first companies in the world to actively study the environmental impact of high-volume ingredients in consumer products. Environmental safety is an integral part of product quality that consumers expect. What happens to ingredients in products like Tide
, Pantene
, or Crest
after being used by a consumer? How much of these
ingredients pass into the environment? What impact, if any, do these ingredients have on plants, animals, and bacteria? These are just a few of the many questions that Procter & Gambles Environmental Community asks before any of our products go to market. Everything we produce must pass through an Environmental Assessment process to ensure that consumers never need to choose between safety, sustainability and their needs for performance and value. A Legacy of Environmental Safety and Sustainability P&Gs commitment to safety and sustainability is not new. P&G has been working to protect the environment since the 1950s and has long been responsive to the consumer desire for greener products. We have a long history of sustainable innovation, spanning the development of products, packaging, and raw materials. The Environmen- tal Community is a long-standing contributor to these efforts thanks to innovations in green chemistry, product Life Cycle Analysis, and investigation of emerging and future needs in environmental risk assessment. Today, P&Gs environmental initiatives are supported by more than 500 professional scientists worldwide. Each one of us is dedicated to the same goal: making sure every product we produce is safe for both our consumers and the environment. Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success 3 Procter & Gamble has a long tradition of under- standing how ingredients and products may enter and impact the environment. In the early 1960s, the Environmental Water Quality Labora- tory was established to research the effects of phosphates and cleaning agents from detergents in lakes and rivers. The EWQL developed new methods to support the emerging science of environmental safety assessment. Toxicity testing of algae, small aquatic animals and fish and new methods to identify the biodegradability of chemicals had their earliest roots in this depart- ment. A track record of developing new test methods and safety assessment approaches by cooperating with leading academic, government and other industry scientists are all part of this tradition. The result? Sustainable development of chemicals with improved environmental profiles, safe use, and new tools for environmen- tal scientists globally. Early Beginnings 4 Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success Environmental Science Today The heart of the P&G Environmental Community is the Central Product Safety Department with many other members present throughout the Business Units and other functions. Our environmental scientists work closely with product developers, technologists, and colleagues from every Business Unit to make sure that safety is an integral part of every stage of product design and development. In addition, CPS is active outside of P&G, collaborating with scientists at universities, world governments, and industry associations to improve environmental science and safety world- wide. P&G scientists routinely share their findings in scientific meetings and in peer-reviewed scientific publications, and are recognized internationally for their expertise. Key Elements of our Safety Commitment Company-wide policies ensure product safety and sustainability Pre-market, science-based assessments made of all ingredients. Compounds that fail to meet environmental standards are not used Rigorous control of production cycle, including raw material specifications, formulation management, process and quality control Safe operations that protect the life, health, and environment of employees and the surrounding community Full compliance with all applicable product safety, labeling, and regulatory requirements (including transportation, waste management, and product disposal) Transparency of communication. Safety and sustainability information is made freely available to everyone Collaboration and leadership in industry-wide safety and sustainability efforts Health and environmental data recorded to confirm pre-market research and measure improvements to health and environment Ongoing assessments made of all processes to improve future products DID YOU KNOW? The energy savings potential of Tide Coldwater has been officially recognized by the US EPA Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success 5 Protecting Water, Air and Soil From the average consumers perspective, the life cycle of a P&G product ends when it is washed down a drain or tossed in the trash. Knowing what happens after disposal is one of the most important priorities for P&Gs Environmental Science Community. Long before any new product is released, our scientists are working to determine where waste material will go into the environment, how much of it will reach each habitat, and how long it will remain. Environments of interest include: Drain and flush disposal/wastewater treatment Landfill Soil and terrestrial Surface water and sediment Groundwater and drinking water Atmosphere Ingredients must be safe in relevant environmental compartments where they may be disposed or occur Assessment must be made for all relevant pathways Evaluations are confirmed by environmental monitoring studies 6 Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success The Science of Environmental Risk Assessment The objective of the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) is to demonstrate that our ingredients and products are safe for the ecosystem. ERA is one of several tools used by P&G to evaluate ingredients before and after being placed on the market. Leave No Trace The goal of Environmental Risk Assessment is to make sure that chemicals used in our products will not harm the environment. To achieve this goal, it is essential to understand two things: 1. What is the potential hazard posed by a chemical or compound that could affect organisms in the environment? 2. How much of this ingredient is expected to be present in the environment? Simply put, the ERA ensures that the concentration of any ingredient that enters the environment will be significantly lower than the concentration that could cause harm to the environment. The assessment begins with simple laboratory screening tests and progresses to increas- ingly more realistic experiments based on actual use. Assessments are performed for every disposal path, including wastewater, rivers, soil, sediment, ground and surface water, and emissions into the air. The ERA process does not end when a product is placed on the market. Scientists world- wide continue to monitor the environment on an ongoing basis to confirm the outcome of the risk assessment. Our methodologies have evolved over the years, thanks to collaborative work with industry, government, and academic scientists. Many of our methods have become standardized and are now used by the scientific community worldwide. DID YOU KNOW? P&G scientists worked with the International Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development to develop tests for environmental fate Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success 7 Over 50 Years of Environmental Inititatives Procter & Gamble has a long and proud history of developing products that meet the needs of consumers all over the world. One of these needs is the assurance that products, packaging, and mate- rials associated with P&G products are safe for the environment. So while P&G develops new and innovative products, a companion effort to understand their characteristics in relevant environmental conditions is also undertaken. Environmental science advances and technology innovations led by P&G are highlighted here in the context of significant global environmental events and products with which they are associated. 8 Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success E N V IR O N M E N T A L A W A R E N E S S & L E G IS L A T IO N P R O D U C T S & M A R K E T IN G E F F O R T S P & G E N V IR O N M E N T A L IN IT IA T IV E S European Commission publishes the Chemicals White Paper, launching the ambitious REACH legislation EPA launches WaterSense program to encourage water efficiency; Al Gore presents An Inconvenient Truth; Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change released in Great Britain G8 leaders and representatives of 5 emerging economies sign the Washington Declaration, proposing a capandtrade system to encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions First environmental safety publication at P&G measuring surfactants in rivers First environmental toxicology studies to support Dreft, P&Gs first synthetic laundry detergent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Act Mauna Loa Observatory begins monitoring of atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO2) levels World Wildlife Federation (WWF) established in Switzerland Rachel Carsons book Silent Spring is published U.S. National Wildlife Refuge System Act U.S. National Trails System Act and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act First Earth Day, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formed, U.S. Resource Recovery Act Greenpeace founded in Vancouver, Canada; International Institute for Environment and Development founded in London OPEC oil embargo against the U.S., U.S. Endangered Species Preservation Act; chemists at University of California begin studying the effect of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) on the Earths atmosphere U.S. Energy Policy and Conservation Act U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), is passed U.S. Clean Air Act U.S. Wilderness Act Disposable diapers introduced P&G introduces enzymes into laundry detergents for superior stain removal P&G position on non-use of APE in detergents was given Switch to biodegradable anionic surfactant LAS begins Zeolite introduced as a phosphate replacement P&G reaches $10 billion in sales P&G develops the biodegradable chelator, EDDS Development of the first biodegradable fabric softeners for the U.S. and European markets Company-wide Environmental Quality Policy articulated P&G moves to elemental chlorine free pulp for all P&G paper products Formation of the P&G Environmental Water Quality Laboratory Initiation of on-going instream biological monitoring program at the Mehoopany Pulp and Paper manufacturing plant, one of the longest running efforts in the U.S. First manufacturing plant environmental audit Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, Sweden; United Nations Environment Programme founded; Club of Rome publishes Limits to Growth; U.S. Clean Water Act; Use of DDT (Dichloro-Diphenyl- Trichloroethane) banned in U.S. Corporate Environmental Safety Department is formed Publication of the Sturm Test, the forerunner of the Ready Biodegradability Test Algal toxicity test incorporated into P&G safety assessments P&G environmental scientists enlist academia, government and industry to affirm tiered approach in environmental safety in the context of TSCA P&G Environmental safety organization formed in Europe (Brussels) Procedures to estimate environmental concentrations of consumer product ingredients published by Holman of P&G P&G is co-founding Charter member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry P&G publishes 10th environmental safety paper to support new biodegradability test methods P&Gs 100th peer reviewed environmental publication Formation of the P&G Safety and Regulatory function separate from product development P&G Initiates the SETAC Pre-Doctoral Fellowship which has continuously supported young scientists with over $500,000 in scholarships P&G Experimental Stream Facility begins operation P&G commits $20 Million to assist the development of U.S. compost infrastructure Along with other scientists, defined the new technical field of Life Cycle Analysis Development of the first branched anionic surfactant with a favorable environmental profile Science-in-the-Box web site is launched to relay P&Gs detergent safety and science information publicly 2X compaction of liquid and granular detergents in U.S. Pampers continues to reduce product weight, now 30% less than in 1990 First P&G Annual Global Environmental Report Kobe Technical Center, housing the Asian region safety organization, opens in Japan P&G commits to Sustainable Forestry for sourcing pulp Downy Single Rinse introduced, saving water in regions of the world where this is a priceless commodity Tide Coldwater and Ariel Coolclean are introduced, saving energy with the same performance as the original formulas Conclusion to Dutch Surfactant Program establishing the safe profile of the major surfactants in the market P&G named the United Nations World Environment Center Gold Medal recipient P&G introduces its first compact detergent in Europe and Asia P&G scientists lead development of the Geo-referenced Regional Exposure Assessment tool for European Rivers P&G articulates principles for Integrated Solid Waste Management P&G scientists receives the Willem Rudolf Award from the Water Environment Federation on environmental safety studies investigating Olestra P&G develops Japans first environmental exposure model for consumer products P&G scientists collaborate with Ohio EPA to deliver a new tool for ecoepidemiology demonstrating the full suite of forces affecting stream health P&Gs 500th peer reviewed environmental publication P&Gs product safety assessment functions are centralized into the Central Product Safety Department P&G scientist receives SETAC Roy F. Weston Award for novel atmospheric chemistry research P&G led the development of guidelines to assess flushable products which were published by the Water Environment Research Foundation P&G scientists contribute to the adoption of the first animal alternative reduction method, the threshold approach, adopted at ECVAMand OECD OECD adopts P&Gs laboratory biodegradation test series as a new international standard U.S. National Environmental Education Act; European Environmental Agency established Kyoto Protocol signed in Kyoto, Japan Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution established U.S. Emergency Wetlands Resources Act EPA launches Energy Star program to encourage energy efficiency United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), more commonly known as the Superfund, established in U.S. First diagrammatic representation of tiered environmental risk assessment Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer first signed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) formed P&G scientist receives George Olmstead Award from the American paper Institute for contributions towards understanding fish populations exposed to manufacturing discharges 2-in-1 Pert Shampoo, reducing packaging, water savings, increasing convenience Over 50 Years of Environmental Initiatives World Around The Zeolite Safety and Regulatory 0 2 4 6 8 10 billion in sales $ 10 billion in sales $ 10
H H H H H H H N N H O O O O O O O O 1956 1958 1961 1962 1963 1964 1966 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1983 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success 9 Biodegradability Assessment Over time, organic waste materials break down and are safely renewed by naturea process known as biodegradation. Biodegradability is an important property of ingredients that enter the environment. Scientists study each environment a product might enter in order to understand why and how materials decompose. These environments include sewers, wastewater treatment plants, landfills, rivers, soil and more. Understanding why and how materials may decompose minimizes their entry into the environment in the first place. Biodegradability of ingredients is evaluated with simple laboratory tests and more sophisticated simulations if needed. Many of these tests, which are now widely used by other companies and government scientists worldwide, were originally developed by experts working within P&G. This includes the Ready Biodegradability Test and the newest (2008) OECD Wastewater Simulation Test series. Toxicology Assessment Understanding the environmental effects of every substance we use is funda- mental to the development of risk assessment and the management of chemi- cals. This is especially critical during the development of new chemicals that have not yet been used by the consumer. When necessary, measurable environmental benefits can be achieved by conducting toxicology studies with algae, invertebrates, and fish. The toxicol- ogy lab can accommodate organisms from freshwater, marine and sediment environments. IIn addition, ongoing research is underway to minimize and even eliminate the need for fish in toxicity testing without compromising consumer or environmental safety. The Fish Embryo Toxicity Test and new cellular and subcellular-based assays for bioaccumulation are among these. Computer Modeling P&G and its partners collect vast amounts of data on the physical and chemical effects of ingredients used in consumer products. Computer models allow us to predict the properties of similar chemicals for which data are not available. These models also help prioritize and thus minimize testing. The same data are also used to predict the concentrations of chemicals that may occur in various ecosystems such as rivers, estuaries, soil and the air. This in turn allows the safety of a proposed product to be assessed in detailat the local, regional, national, and worldwide scaleprior to its release. Flushability Assessment P&Gs Flushability Lab is a unique facility created in 1993. Thousands of products and prototypes have been tested here to evaluate compatibility with waste disposal systems in Europe, North America, and Asia. The Lab conducts extensive field and home-usage tests to determine each products effect on toilets, drain lines, sewage pumps, septic tanks, and aerated on-site systems, as well as municipal collection and treatment systems. Products designed to be flushable are fully evaluated before they are placed on the market. 10 Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success Life-Cycle Assessment Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool used by P&G scientists to broadly understand potential environmental burdens of products and services. This comprehensive process monitors the use of resources, and energy (inputs) as well as production of greenhouse gases, solid waste, eutrophication and summer smog (outputs) to determine a products potential impact on the environment. A typical product life cycle includes the following stages: 1. Production of raw materials and components 2. Manufacturing of a functional product 3. Use of the product 4. Treatment and disposal of residual waste, including packaging 5. Transportation between each of the above stages All input and output factors throughout the entire life cycle are combined to evaluate how a given product might affect the ecosystem. LCA in Action: Cold-Water Washing After many years of conducting LCAs on our products, we realized that we could reduce the energy associated environmental impact of the laundering process by 60-80 percent. Our analysis showed that the vast majority of energy consumed was used to heat the wash water (see figure below) in the consumers home. This conclusion led to the development of Tide Coldwater and Ariel Actif froid, both launched in 2005. These products provide the same performance consumers expect from P&G detergents at a much lower temperature. The consumer sees an immediate benefitsaving energy and its associated costswhile actively contributing to the protection of the environment. Cold-water laundry detergent products are now available throughout North America and across Europe. Importantly, these and other products are designed to provide the same value as their less environmentally-friendly counterparts. There is no tradeoff for the consumer. This LCA of hot-water laundering revealed that the majority of the environmental burden comes from heating the water. These findings led to the development of products that reduce this burden by up to 80%. DID YOU KNOW? P&G plants eco-efficiency has reached 95.6% in 2007 0 20 40 60 80 100 Supplier Manufacturer Packaging Transport Use Disposal Energy (MJ) CO2 (kg) Solid Waste (kg) Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success 11 CAPABILITIES 12 Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success Wide-Ranging Expertise, All-Inclusive Protection Procter & Gambles environmental commitment is one of the most comprehensive of any company worldwide. Our staff of more than 500 Ph.D. scientists and professional researchers must ensure that every product is safe for the environment and complies with all applicable regulations worldwide. To meet this commitment, the Central Product Safety team has experts in fields that are critical to protecting the ecosystem, including: Over the years, P&Gs interdisciplinary approach to environmental science has been instru- mental in advancing consumer safety and the science of environmental risk assessment. Key focus areas and achievements include: The creation of internationally-accepted methods to understand the ultimate fate of chemi- cals in consumer products in all ecosystems; and what effects, if any, they may cause Reducingand in some cases eliminatingthe need for animal testing by developing cellular and sub-cellular models to measure the buildup of potentially harmful substances in living organisms (bioaccumulation) The development of new test strategies and methods to replace, refine, or reduce the use of fish in other forms of toxicity testing, without compromising the effectiveness of risk assessments A state-of-the-art flushability laboratory to help designers understand and assess the transport of flushable products. Flushability methods pioneered by P&G are now used as worldwide standards Life-cycle assessment tools to guarantee the best environmental compatibility at every stage, including product development, packaging, and transportation Computer modeling tools that can predict environmental exposure to consumer product ingredients and identify factors affecting the biological health of rivers and streams Laboratory approaches to predict potential influences of products in the environment worldwide before they are marketed Analytical Measurement Aquatic and Terrestrial Toxicology Atmospheric Chemistry Biochemistry Biodegradability and Compostability Bioaccumulation Ecology Environmental Engineering Flushability Life Cycle Assessment Predictive Modeling Risk Assessment Wastewater Treatment DID YOU KNOW? P&Gs risk assessment expertise helped in the development of the original Japanese METI GHS risk assessment guidance for all consumer products Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success 13 Giving Back P&G is committed to advancing environmental science around the globe by providing financial support, managing funds and research proposals, sharing the results of its scientific research, conducting studies on behalf of other organizations, and by encouraging eco-friendly govern- ment regulations worldwide. Many practices commonly used today by environmental scien- tists around the globe were first developed at P&G. The P&G environmental community regularly seeks collaboration with international scientists, academia, government, industry partners and even competitors. In addition, P&Gs worldwide reputation for environmental innovation has encouraged others interested in protecting the environment to call upon our expertise for scientific and technical advice. Representative Collaborations with P&Gs Environmental Community Organizations: ACC American Chemistry Council Arlington, Virginia AISE International Association for Soaps, Detergents, and Maintenance Products Brussels, Belgium CEFIC European Chemical Industry Council Brussels, Belgium Colipa European Cosmetics Association Brussels, Belgium Japan CRM Japanese Research Institute of Science for Safety and Sustainability Tsukubu, Japan ECVAM European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods Ispra, Italy DEFRA UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs London, England ECETOC European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals Brussels, Belgium EDANA International association serving the nonwovens and related industries Brussels, Belgium Environment Canada Ottawa, Ontario ERASM European Risk Assessment and Management Brussels, Belgium Heidelberg University Heidelberg, Germany HESI Health and Environmental Science Institute Washington, DC INRA French National Institute for Agricultural Research Paris, France JSDA Japan Soap and Detergent Association Tokyo, Japan Miami University Oxford, Ohio NIWA National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Christchurch, New Zealand OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Paris, France Ohio EPA Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Columbus, Ohio RIVM Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment Bilthoven, Netherlands SETAC Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Brussels, Belgium Gulf Breeze, Florida University of Bern Bern, Switzerland University of North Texas Denton, Texas University of Wales Bangor, UK USEPA Cincinnati, Ohio Gulf Breeze, Florida WERF Water Environment Research Foundation Alexandria, Virginia Wright State University Dayton, Ohio WWF World Wildlife Fund Washington, DC
14 Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success Looking to the Future At Procter & Gamble, its not enough for us to merely comply with existing environmental regulations. Our philosophy is grounded in the belief that we should be a leader in our indus- try, preserving and improving the environment for future generations. Environmental progress is a never-ending journey that requires continuous effort and improve- ment. For this reason, we never stop working to improve the environmental quality of our products, packaging, and operations around the world. P&Gs environmental community is working hard to create new innovations for the future, including: Partnering with P&G resources, customers, and consumers to provide technical solutions to new sustainability questions Understanding the safety of new sustainably-sourced chemicals Reducing, replacing, and if possible eliminating the use of animal testing without com- promising safety to the consumer or the environment Developing approaches to combine all sources of environmental safety information into geographically integrated assessments for all forms of environmental stressors Want to Learn More? P&G believes strongly in transparent communication of its research for the benefit of global science. Our environmental scientists have published nearly 800 peer-reviewed papers and books since the late 1960smore than any other consumer product company. These publica- tions cover a wide range of environmental topics, including the environmental fate of chemi- cals, exposure, effects, chemistry, ecology, and the physiology of organisms. To review a sampling of these landmark papers, or for additional information on P&Gs envi- ronmental initiatives, we invite you to visit the following web sites: www.scienceinthebox.com www.pg.com www.pgperspectives.com www.pgbeautyscience.com http://www.pg.com/company/our_ commitment/product_safety.jhtml www.greenguarantee.com/index.htp DID YOU KNOW? P&G led the environmental assessment of detergent alcohols used by the industry Procter & Gamble, A Heritage of Environmental Science Success 15 DID YOU KNOW? P&G pioneered environmental auditing of its manufacturing sites in the early 1970s Corporate Headquarters Procter & Gamble Company One Procter & Gamble Plaza Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Mailing address: P.O. Box 599 Cincinnati, Ohio 45201 Visit our website at www.pg.com 2008 Procter & Gamble