Environmental Product Declaration

Download - Environmental Product Declaration
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Our Philosophy

Our lab is dedicated to find and innovate new solutions to eliminate and minimize existing hazardous chemicals used in our daily life.

With a holistic perspective we question all the steps in the supply chain, from raw materials to the final product.

Introduction

Biopolymer™plus, our alcohol free antibacterial formula is disrupting the Hygiene Industry.

Designed to be fully effective and functional we are extremely proud to be able to present a solution with several advantages compared to traditional hand sanitizers and at the same time being a more sustainable solution.

Our goal with this Green Bioscience document is to highlight the environmental impact you make when selecting the Biopolymer™plus formula as your preferred protector against germs.

Certificates

Our production facilities are accredited with the following certificates.

ISO 9000 is today the most widely used common standard in terms of quality. ISO 9001 deals with development, production, installation and service. ISO 9001 is the most comprehensive standard in the ISO 9000 series

ISO 14001 is an international standard for environmental management. The standard is the most dominant environmental management standard in the world.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

ETHANOL PRODUCTION

As in any debate it is challenging to quantify environmental benefits from a holistic perspective, here is a comparison of the most widely used alternative to hand sanitising - ethanol. Not all ethanol is equal, but the main points are always true. It creates a lot of waste product since it is a high energy solvent that comes most often from biomass. Also, you can’t concentrate it, more than it already is.

DEFORESTATION

The ethanol industry is expanding in Brazil, with growing concerns of deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in favor of sugar cane crops.

Deforestation, air pollution,
disturbing the ecosystem

FERTILIZING AND THE USE OF PESTICIDES

There are growing concerns how sugar cane plantations around the world treat affect water sources and the soil.

Water pollution, soil erosion, nitrogen pollution

CROP BURNING

It is common, but controversial practice to burn sugar cane fields before harvest to reduce mass and use the ashes as nutrients.

Air pollution

MECHANICAL HARVESTING

Fossil fuel powered machines harvest the crop and transport it to fermentation.

Air pollution, CO2

FERMENTATION

1000 l of water is added to every 150 kg sugar. Yeast is added and the mash is allowed to ferment to a 15% alcohol mixture. CO2 is a byproduct that is often captured for use in other areas.

CO2

DISTILLATION

Only about 15% of the fermented mash is converted to ethanol. The rest is considered waste and is discarded.

Energy consumption, waste

WASTE

140 kg dried residue
86 kg cellulose
800 liters of stillage

YIELD

80 liters of 95,5% proof ethanol

WASTE TO ETHANOL RATIO

10 : 1

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

ETHANOL TRANSPORT

Main transportation challenge is that the liquid is highly flammable and it cannot be concentrated further than 95,5%, meaning you have to ship nearly the full volume all the way to the end user.

SHIPPING

Shipping accounts for over 10% of transport CO2 emissions and is a major source of air pollution

Air pollution, CO2

MANUFACTURING OF SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

Class 3 materials require special safety equipment and training.
Energy consumption, waste

LAND TRANSPORTS

Since ethanol is not a concentrate the full volume needs to be loaded, transported and offloaded multiple times before reaching the end user.
Air pollution

RISK OF ACCIDENTS

Accidents involving ethanol transports have already happened with a great risk for the enviroment and the rescue personnel at the accident scene.
Pollution, personal injury

YIELD

80 liters of 95,5% proof ethanol

END PRODUCT

100 liters of 80% proof ethanol

ETHANOL OFFERS ONLY 20% SAVINGS IN SHIPPING VOLUME

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

ETHANOL CONSUMPTION

Not only has ethanol been proven to not being able to stop the spread of germs, it has caused major damage to peoples skin, destroyed equipment and the packaging has not being properly disposed of. On top of all this the people responsible for safety are ignoring the danger and the constant risk of accidents, involving fire and children ingesting the dangerous liquid.

MANUFACTURING SPECIAL STORAGE

Class 3 materials require special storage
Energy consumption, waste

ADDITIONAL SECURITY MEASURES

A plentitude of resources, in equipment and manpower, are required to keep alcohol in safe hands.

Energy consumption, waste, risk

REPLACEMENT OF DAMAGED MATERIALS

Alcohol damages sensitive medical instruments, other equipment, floors, fabrics, leather etc. All of these materials need to be replaced or fixed.
Energy consumption, waste

IGNORING SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Safety protocols are there to prevent accidents, fire and injuries. Yet we can see, large quantities of ethanol stored in one place, hand sanitizers sharing tables with candles, unlabeled hand sanitizers, ethanol in reach of children etc.
CO2, personal injury

RECYCLING CHALLENGES

Both the discarded ethanol and the plastic container should be discarded in special recycling facilities for solvents. Empty hand sanitizer bottles are rarely, if ever, recycled properly.

Pollution, waste

LONG TERM CONCERNS

As ethanol evaporates and reacts with the environment it offer no long term protection. The only solution is to use more alcohol which causes more even bigger burden on the environment.

Increased consumption, more damage

Creating Multi resistant BACTERIA

Using only a single active ingredient may cause the bacteria to become resistant causing strains that require even higher concentrations of active ingredients to kill

Increased consumption, more damage

The Environmental Impact of Health Services

'A 10% reduction in emissions from just the US health system would have the same atmospheric impact as a 10% reduction in emissions from the entire Australian economy.'
The Energy Burden and Environmental Impact of Health Services by Lawrence H. Brown, MPH&TM,corresponding author Petra G. Buettner, PhD, and Deon V. Canyon, PhD, DBA, MPH

Benefits

Of Biopolymer™plus

The key to green bioscience in regards to hand sanitizing and desinfection is to use a concentrate. It is essential to have a solution that can be mixed to the correct concentration locally. Our ratio of active ingredient is less than 0,05% which allows us to manufacture and ship only 1 liter of non-classified concentrate that can make up to 2000 liters of ‘ready to be used’ disinfectant, with long-term protection.

SUPER EFFECTIVE BIOCIDE

Using an active ingredient that is highly effective against germs allows us to use much less. Giving use a much higher exchange rate on the concentration ratio.
Need less ingredient, higher water ratio

Multiple active ingredients

Having multiple ways to attack germs allows us to lower the overall concentration while fighting against multi resistent bacteria strains.
Need less ingredient, higher water ratio

LOCALLY SOURCED WATER

Over 90% of our formula is distilled water. Sourcing it locally does not require transportation.
No need to transport

MAIN INGREDIENT IS A BYPRODUCT

We aqcuire our water from industries where distilled water is a byproduct.
No extra energy required

NO CLASSIFICATION

Biopolymer™plus is an unclassified formula with no need for special transport, storage or handling, which is much more efficient.
No waste or unnecessary production

NO SOLVENTS

Our plastic containers can be recycled as regular plastic.
Easy to recycle

NO RISK FOR FIRES OR ACCIDENTS

There is a nearly zero risk for accidents from our formulation.
No additional patients in a hospital

LONG TERM EFFECT

Even with modest usage we can protect hands and surfaces long term and prevent staff and customers becoming sick. Sick people create waste.
Improved effect, less waste

MADE IN SWEDEN

A widespread culture of eco friendly initiatives makes Sweden a great place for environmental conscious production, according to latest research.
More environmentally friendly ecosystem makes for a reduced total impact

BIOPOLYMER™PLUS CONCENTRATE TO FINAL PRODUCT

1 : 2,000