Top tips about biodegradable shampoos and soaps

Biodegradable soaps and shampoos are crucial for camping and travelling, as they enable you to wash clothes and dishes on the go without needlessly polluting the environment. But it’s important to bear in mind that “biodegradable” doesn’t mean you can use the products directly in a lake, river or stream, or that they don’t have any impact at all on the water or soil. What it does means is that the products degrade under specific conditions, which have been tested in a lab. However, laboratory conditions rarely match up exactly with what we encounter in nature, so it is also important to take care when using biodegradable products so that soils and micro-organisms can break down the residues as much as possible. You’ll find all our top tips below.

Tips for choosing biodegradable washing-up liquids and soaps

Many biodegradable soaps and cosmetics avoid problematic synthetic ingredients or artificial fragrances. However, not all synthetic substances are necessarily harmful to the environment. Look out for the following ingredients and certifications when buying biodegradable products:

• In terms of certifications, look out for the EU Ecolabel or the Natural Cosmetics Standard, for example. These take into account factors like biodegradable and renewable ingredients, reduced use of hazardous substances and packaging that can be recycled as far as possible.

• The products should be free from microplastics, so they should not contain materials such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Other materials to be avoided are synthetic polymers such as carbomers or polyquaternium, preservatives such as parabens, and binders such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Instead, opt for products that use biodegradable surfactants, like coco glucosides or decyl glucosides.

• Avoid anti-bacterial agents such as triclosan.

• Natural soaps are a safe choice. They are made of natural fats or oils that are biodegradable.

However, the key issue is not just whether the ingredients are plant-based or of natural origin, but also how well they break down and what impact they have on bodies of water and the environment.

Whichever product you choose, make sure the packaging is refillable and/or made of recycled or recyclable materials. Solid soaps or shampoo bars are often packaged sparingly, with the added bonus that they can’t leak out in your toilet bag.

Using biodegradable products correctly

Biodegradable shampoos and soaps will only decompose if they are used correctly. If not, they will leave behind harmful residues too. So this is what you need to bear in mind:

• Use biodegradable products like shower gel, soap, shampoo or washing-up liquid at least 60 metres away from bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, streams and springs. Please also observe the local rules and regulations.

• When washing dishes, remove any food leftovers and take them with you to dispose of later. Organic waste doesn’t belong in bodies of water either and can attract animals.

• Always follow the dosage recommended on the product label. You often only need a small amount. This minimises the impact on the environment. If you only need to remove a little bit of dirt, water and rubbing will often work well enough – and you won’t need to use a detergent at all.

• Biodegradable products often produce very little foam, if any. However, this doesn’t mean that they clean any less effectively, or that the dosage is wrong.

• Distribute the “waste water” on the ground over as large as an area as possible. This means it won’t end up concentrated on a single spot in the environment. Never pour it directly into lakes, rivers or streams.

Don’t wash yourself directly in the water

Biodegradable soaps or shampoos don’t belong directly in lakes, rivers or streams either. After all, it takes several days or even weeks for the products to decompose, depending on the ingredients and conditions such as temperature, sunlight, and the micro-organisms present. While this process is happening, the soaps and detergents are still harmful to the animals in the water, even though they are biodegradable. Jumping into a refreshingly cool stream is absolutely fine. But afterwards, try scooping some water into a pan, bottle or plastic bag and wash yourself with your biodegradable products at a sufficient distance away from the stream itself. Use as little soap as possible.

Myths about biodegradable products

There are some myths surrounding biodegradable soaps and cosmetics. The main ones are listed below.

• “Biodegradable means that the products are kinder on your skin”: No, that is a completely different matter and it depends on the ingredients.

• “If the packaging says ‘biodegradable’, you can use the product directly in water”: No, even then you should apply the product at least 60 metres away as far as possible.

• “Soap needs to foam to clean effectively”: Lots of foam does not necessarily mean better cleaning. The formation of foam depends on factors such as the surfactants the product contains and, taken on its own, it doesn’t have much bearing on its cleaning performance.

• “Natural soap is always better than synthetic shower gel”: No, the most important factor is the biodegradability of the ingredients, not their natural origin.

• “Plant-based ingredients are always environmentally friendly”: No, they can also cause problems for aquatic organisms.