Is Cleen Green biodegradable?  (7 reuses of Cleen Green bottles) 

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The article will shed light on the biodegradability of Cleen Green and will cover aspects such as

  • Best disposal options 
  • Toxicity 
  • Packaging 
  • How to be green and sustainable with the packaging of Cleen Green 

Is Cleen Green biodegradable?

It is claimed by the manufacturers that Cleen Green products are biodegradable because they feature the use of natural and/or naturally derived materials. 

These are some of the predominant ingredients and materials that the producers and manufacturers of Cleen Green rely on. However, when the Safety Data Sheet is examined, it is seen that there is no information or reference to any testing done on the Cleen Green products. 

What this means is that although it is claimed that Cleen Green is biodegradable, there are no certifications to back the statement up and therefore, it is recommended that there should be certifications to properly guide and divert consumer behaviour. 

Before advancing, let us also revisit the definition of biodegradable so that there is no room left for equivocality of any sort. As per the definitions, biodegradation is the breakdown that is caused by the action of microbes. 

The microbes can only act on materials that are either derived from nature or are present in nature because the microbes need an organic inside to ingest and therefore, degrade.

What is the best way to dispose of Cleen Green?

Based on these two sources, consider the following disposal possibilities and limitations associated with Cleen Green.

  • It is not advised to pour Cleen Green down the drain because certain chemicals and constituents used in Cleen Green may lead to damage to pipes and treatment systems. 
  • It is also not advised to pour Cleen Green on soil or in water bodies because there are certain ingredients that may be mildly toxic to various species. 
  • Based on the materials used, Cleen Green is termed hazardous and therefore, must be treated as a hazardous waste. This means that it can not be added or infiltrated with regular waste. 
  • It is also mentioned in the Safety Data Sheet that it is really not advisable to discard Cleen Green into the environment as the use of toxic and hazardous ingredients can harm life and the environment. 
  • Look for hazardous waste collection facilities or regular collection programs or campaigns. 
  • You may be required to check with your local waste collection authority and inquire about the local laws regarding the disposal of hazardous waste such as Cleen Green

The disposal of Cleen Green is guided by two sources which include 

  • Scrutiny of the materials and ingredients 
  • Guidelines issued in the safety data sheet. 

Is Cleen Green toxic?

Yes, it is claimed that Cleen Green is mildly toxic because of the use of materials such as 

  • D-limonene 
  • Alcohols 

Let us take the example of d-limonene to further our stance. D-limonene is researched to be mild to acute toxic to various forms of life. It is reported that there are negative effects observed such as skin irritations and exhibition of sensitising potential. 

It is also researched that d-limonene is highly toxic to animals and species such as fish, worms, and other aquatic species and this clearly represents that if cleaners such as Cleen Green make use of d-limonene and similar ingredients, the cleaner must not go down the drain because the aquatic species will be put to risk in that way. 

Therefore, because of the use of these controversial ingredients, it is stated that 

  • Cleen Green should not be poured down the drain because certain chemicals and constituents used in Cleen Green may lead to damage to pipes and treatment systems. 
  • It is also not advised to pour Cleen Green on soil or in water bodies because there are certain ingredients that may be mildly toxic to various species.
  • It is advised to wear PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) while dealing with Cleen Green because it is argued that some of the ingredients and constituents used may lead to degradative health situations.
  • As per the safety data sheet, there can be health implications such as burns, irritation, skin damage, skin reactions, and respiratory problems. 

How green is the packaging of Cleen Green?

The packaging of Cleen Green, like most consumer products, comes in plastic packaging. What this means is that the packaging of Cleen Green is not as eco-friendly as plastic packaging is 

  • Not biodegradable as there is the use of non-renewable resources 
  • Relies on petrochemicals and fossil fuels 

However, the good thing is that the packaging of Cleen Green can be put to use instead of simply discarding away. This includes practices such as 

  • Recycling 
  • Reusing 

Recycling 

One best and most eco-friendly things that you can do is to have the bottles recycled. This action is also way better than simply throwing the bottles in regular trash cans. 

This can be done or achieved through a number of steps. If there are recycling bins around, you can put empty bottles in those bins. 

You can also contact the local curbside recycling programs to schedule either a drop-off or a pick-up of the empty bottles. 

However, one thing is that you need to ensure that the bottles are cleaned and there is no contamination of any sort or else the recycling facility might be compromised. 

Reusing (7 reuses) 

Reusing simply means utilising empty bottles for other purposes. Most people make the mistake of simply throwing away plastic bottles into trash cans. It usually ends up in landfills and as we have seen, it is not a good thing to happen. 

If the waste ends up in landfills, it will remain there for hundreds of years and that will further exacerbate the waste problems that are out there. 

Instead, it can be avoided by reusing plastic bottles either simply or creatively. Some manufacturers offer to take back and refill programs. However, this type of information is not mentioned in the case of Cleen Green products. 

Some options include

  • Reusing the empty bottles to fill in other liquids like oils, and moisturisers 
  • Using plastic bottles as planters
  • Using the empty bottles for storage of materials or jewellery 
  • Using the empty bottles for decoration purposes 
  • Using plastic bottles for arts and crafts or other DIY projects 
  • Using the plastic bottles as a piggy bank
  • Using plastic bottles as pencil cases 

Conclusion

It is concluded that Cleen Green products are claimed to be biodegradable. However, there are no certifications to back this up. 

The article also discussed greener disposal options to make sure that Cleen Green is disposed of in the most sustainable ways. 

Further, a comment on the toxicity of Cleen Green was also made in the light of examples and lastly, the packaging was discussed. Various disposal options for its packaging were also given. 

References

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