OMO's new laundry capsules offer an entirely different approach to detergent, as they are made with recycled carbon emissions. The new laundry detergent capsules from the Unilever brand are being introduced in China and they feature surfactants that came from captured industrial emissions—in this case, carbon emissions from a steel mill.
Unilever is working with biotech company LanzaTech for these capsules, so that waste emissions can be transformed into ethanol through a bioreactor. From there, India Glycols produces ethylene oxide. According to the company, this is the first time that a surfactant made from captured carbon emissions will be introduced to the market in a cleaning product. Since surfactants are also used in other kinds of cleaners, there's the potential for more products to be made this way with captured carbon emissions.
Recycled Emission Laundry Capsules
OMO's Detergent is Made from CO2 from a Chinese Steel Mill
Trend Themes
1. Recycling CO2 in Cleaning Products - The trend towards using CO2 to create cleaning products is on the rise, creating opportunities for companies to innovate in this space.
2. Industrial Emissions as Ingredients - The use of industrial emissions as ingredients in cleaning products is a growing trend, offering a new way to create sustainable products.
3. Carbon Capture for Surfactant Production - Carbon capture is being used to produce surfactants, expanding opportunities for sustainable product development.
Industry Implications
1. Cleaning Products - The cleaning product industry has the potential to integrate sustainable ingredients like captured carbon dioxide into its products.
2. Biotechnology - Biotech companies are playing a role in the capture and transformation of carbon emissions into useful ingredients for products.
3. Steel Manufacturing - Steel manufacturers have the opportunity to partner with cleaning product companies to capture and repurpose emissions from their factories.