Is Tide Bad for the Environment?

We apply the same rigorous, risk-based scientific approach to environmental safety as we do to consumer safety, guided by proven methods, stringent international standards, and leading industry guidance to ensure Tide is not harmful to the environment when used and disposed of as intended. But when considering what detergent to use and its role in reducing the environmental impact of a load of laundry, Tide, or any detergent, should be evaluated using scientific lifecycle criteria, not assumptions based on marketing claims.

Why lifecycle assessment matters?

Every laundry detergent has an environmental footprint. Ingredients are produced, products are packaged and transported, and a washing machine uses water and energy. A useful question to consider is whether a particular detergent can help reduce total environmental impact per successfully cleaned load.

The use phase can dominate laundry's lifecycle impact. Heating water is the largest source of energy consumption and carbon emissions in the wash cycle, accounting for up to 90 percent.

Apply the same five questions to Tide and other detergents

First, can the specific detergent clean effectively in cold water? Cold-water performance can enable consumers to reduce the energy used to heat water without accepting a poor cleaning result.

Second, does it clean effectively the first time? The need to use warmer water, having to use more detergent, or rewashing can increase the resources required for one acceptable load.

Third, is the product concentrated? Concentrated detergents may use smaller, lighter packages for the same number of loads. Smaller packages result in less packaging waste. Lighter packages help reduce emissions from delivery vehicles during transportation.

Fourth, does it perform in colder, quicker cycles that can support fabric longevity? Cotton et al. (2020) found less color loss and dye transfer in colder, quicker cycles.

Fifth, what is known about the ingredients? Some factors that may matter include biodegradability, aquatic toxicity, persistence, regulatory assessment, and credible third-party standards such as EPA Safer Choice.

The key takeaway

When trying to assess a detergent like Tide, and the impact using it can have on the environment, consider the entire lifecycle of the product and these scientifically relevant criteria: cold-water efficacy, first-time cleaning, concentration, fabric care, ingredient environmental profile, and the behaviors the product enables. Selecting cold water when appropriate, using the labeled dose, and avoiding unnecessary rewashing can help reduce the environmental burden of laundry regardless of brand.

Frequently Asked Questions

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