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Is Dawn ultra dish soap biodegradable? 

By Our Lovely Earth
Page last updated: 12/19/2022 | Next review date: 12/19/2024
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Our Lovely Earth
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The article will discuss the biodegradability of ​​Dawn ultra dish soap. Other covered aspects would include:

  • Is it eco-friendly?
  • Is it safe to pour down the drain?
  • Should you use Dawn ultra dish soap?
  • What are some greener alternatives?

Is Dawn ultra dish soap biodegradable?

Let us start with the basic question which is whether Dawn ultra dish soap is biodegradable or not. It is observed that around 90% of the constituents of Dawn ultra dish soap are biodegradable while some ingredients (amounting to 10%) can not be given the status of being biodegradable. 

To properly build a stance on the biodegradability of any product, it is essential to have a look at the ingredients that make up Dawn ultra dish soap. If we look at the ingredients that make up Dawn ultra dish soap, it is seen that most of the ingredients used are rather safe and inert in terms of environmental friendliness. 

Dawn ultra dish soap also does not make use of any phosphates and this is also something worth appreciating. However, there are some ingredients that are home to some controversies such as methylisothiazolinone, fragrances, and dioxanes. 

Biodegradation can be perceived from two main factors. One is how readily it can be degraded by the action of microbes and the other is how eco-friendly it is. While a stance may be given on biodegradation, a final stance can not be said regarding the sustainability or eco-friendliness of  Dawn ultra dish soap because of the use of controversial ingredients. 

Is Dawn ultra dish soap eco-friendly & non-toxic?

While it has been discussed that the majority of the ingredients used in Dawn ultra dish soap can degrade, let us develop a stance on the eco-friendliness or sustainability of Dawn ultra dish soap. 

Dawn ultra dish soap can be said to be both eco-friendly and non-eco-friendly. It would not be incorrect to say that perhaps the Dawn ultra dish soap is at a junction or midway as some endeavours done by Dawn ultra dish soap advocate in the favour of being eco-friendly while some factors or aspects advocate against it. 

Therefore, let us discuss all the points in due detail to further develop the stance. 

Being eco-friendly 

Dawn ultra dish soap can be said eco-friendly or sustainable because of the following points: 

  • Dawn ultra dish soap does not contain phosphates
  • Dawn ultra dish soap does not contain triclosan 
  • Dawn ultra dish soap does not contain phthalates
  • Dawn ultra dish soap is made from PCR (post-consumer recycled material) 

These are some of the factors that advocate in the favour of Dawn ultra dish soap being eco-friendly. All these ingredients that Dawn ultra dish soap has avoided in its formula are linked with some forms of environmental anomalies and environmental problems. 

For example, chemicals such as phosphates or triclosan are said to be synthetic in nature and can not be broken down by the natural systems and cause infiltrations (biological and chemical) in various ecosystems such as aquatic, marine, and soil. 

Being non-eco-friendly (3 reasons)

While there are certain points that advocate in favour of Dawn ultra dish soap, some aspects of the said product clearly reflect that changes and improvements need to be done to ensure that absolute sustainability is ensured. 

Some of the points that could be mentioned are:

  • It contains dyes
  • It contains dioxanes 
  • It contains methylisothiazolinone

These are materials that are linked with environmental problems and toxicity. For instance, methylisothiazolinone is linked with aquatic toxicity and may cause environmental problems such as:

  • Death of fish eggs
  • Productive complications 
  • Breeding abnormalities 
  • Organ damage
  • Irritation to the skin 
  • Groundwater pollution 
  • Damage to the septic system

Is it safe to pour Dawn ultra dish soap down the drain?

As it has been discussed that Dawn ultra dish soap contains certain chemicals such as dioxanes and methylisothiazolinone, it is not greatly advisable to pour the Dawn ultra dish soap down the drain. 

That is because otherwise, there could be negative repercussions such as groundwater pollution, damage to aquatic life, reproductive complications, and also organ damage.

However, the most important point is that when Dawn ultra dish soap is poured down the drain, there could be negative effects on the septic systems which is a downside. 

For these reasons, it is also advisable to not drain the Dawn ultra dish soap directly into water bodies such as lakes, streams, rivers et cetera as this can lead to aquatic toxicity and direct damage to the aquatic ecosystems.

Should you use Dawn ultra dish soap?

Since we have discussed the biodegradability and eco-friendly aspects of Dawn ultra dish soap, let us address an important question which is should you use Dawn ultra dish soap or not? 

As per various opinions, it is not advisable to use Dawn ultra dish soap and prefer other alternatives because of certain reasons such as: 

  • It uses synthetic dyes
  • It uses synthetic fragrances
  • It contains methylisothiazolinone

Synthetic dyes

The use of synthetic dyes such as Blue#1 and Yellow#5  are linked with medical damages such as:

  • Cancer
  • Skin irritation 
  • Damages to the nervous system 
  • Organ damage 
  • Skin allergies 

Synthetic fragrances

Dawn ultra dish soap also makes use of synthetic fragrances that also have certain defects and health effects (negative) including: 

  • Skin allergies
  • Skin irritation
  • Aquatic toxicity 

Use of methylisothiazolinone

The use of methylisothiazolinone is also of concern since it is linked with negative and degradative environmental phenomena such as aquatic toxicity and damage to aquatic ecosystems. 

More than that, there are also negative effects such as organ damage, skin damage, vision damage,  and also cancer. 

Final verdict 

Therefore, in light of these points, it is advised and asserted that Dawn ultra dish soap should not be used and other eco-friendly alternatives could be preferred as those alternatives would be made from natural materials and would not have any degradative effects on the health or on the septic systems. 

What should you use instead?

You may be wondering what to use instead since it has been established that there are negative effects of Dawn ultra dish soap that make it unfit for use. Therefore, let us explore some sustainable options that you can give a try instead.

  • Ecos Dish soap 
  • Aspen clean dish soap
  • Eco roots dish soap
  • Bestowed Essential dish soap 
  • Etee liquid dish soap

To wrap things, while making the choice of dish soap, you need to have the following points in mind:

  • It should be made from natural materials (plant-based or animal-based) 
  • It should not make use of preservatives or fragrances
  • It should not make use of carcinogenic ingredients 
  • It should avoid the use of parabens, phosphates, phthalates, and triclosan 
  • Look for sustainable third-party certifications such as Leaping Bunny and PETA. 

Conclusion 

It is concluded that Dawn ultra dish soap is biodegradable (90%) but some of the ingredients used are linked with degradative effects on health (such as organ damage, skin damage, and cancer). 

Also, there are negative effects on the environment such as effects on the septic systems and aquatic toxicity. Therefore, owing to these effects, it is not advisable to use Dawn ultra dish soap and prefer the greener alternatives mentioned in the article. 

References

  • Greenorb. (November 19, 2021). Is Dawn Dish Soap Biodegradable? Retrieved from: https://www.thinkingsustainably.com/is-dawn-dish-soap-biodegradable/#2–is-dawn-dish-soap-biodegradable-