It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
2022-06-30
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Greendet, Lda Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Saul Last name of representative: Silva Gender: Male Nationality: Portugal Function: CEO Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Urbanização do Cardal, Lt 6 3025-007 Coimbra, Portugal Town: Coimbra Postal code: 3015-007 Country: Portugal Direct Tel:+351 962 750 991 E-mail:geral@greendet.pt
Detergents are one of the most consumed goods worldwide (a 132 billion dollars market in 2020). Associated with detergents production, is the use of plastic to obtain packaging of detergents, which had a revenue of ca. 21.3 million tons in 2022. This, of course carries a huge toll in pollution and carbon dioxide emissions. PlasticFree project intends to change the way we think about the detergents market and their consumption, while diminishing the use of plastic in this sector. PlasticFree created a new and unique line of concentrated detergents, with Ecloabel seal, especially formulated by Greendet. Furthermore, PlasticFree created a new automated dispensing machine. It operates using the concentrated detergents, and runs using water to obtain the desired product, which can be used to obtain detergents in bulk or for household use. PlasticFree dispensing machine is now operating in 5 places in Portugal, both smaller and large supermarkets, mainly Porto area, Lisbon, and Coimbra. Feedback from consumers is positive and Greendet envisages that 8 more machines will be installed in 2023. This allows consumers to use or reuse their own detergent containers, promoting sustainable consumption. By implementing this machine Greendet is set on diminishing, and hopefully eliminating, single plastic consumption, since smaller and reusable containers can be used to store the detergent. This also diminishes the carbon footprint associated with packaging, transportation, and storage that common detergents bear. This breakthrough technology creates a new detergents market segment promoting lower plastic use, while making detergents more economic, ecologic, safer, and more sustainable, fully in line with European Union’s plans and sustainability goals.
Circular economy
Less space and plastic
Plastic reuse
sustainable detergents
Low CO2 emissions
1) To promote the production and consumption of more sustainable solvents, offering the consumer a simple and convenient way of obtaining them. The fact that the dispensing machines are available in several points of Portugal and in different stores, allows this to reach a considerable number of consumers.
2) By using these detergent dispensing machines, a reduction in the use of plastic of 90% can be attained. Also, by promoting the use of reusable containers to store the detergent, Greendet is promoting a more sustainable consumption habit and promoting circular economy.
3) Provide the easy and generalized access to detergent products, at lower costs, to all citizens. Because this dispensing machine can operate in any commercial space, in various points of Portugal, both in urban and rural areas, this promotes social equality and general life improvement.
4) Since with this technology, the detergents are in its concentrated form, for example with 10 L of concentrated detergent, a 600 L can be obtained upon its dilution with water. This reduces the environmental impact of the product by 60 times, in terms of transport, storage, and packaging needed.
5) This project allowed to join different areas of knowledge such as detergent formulation, machine building and engineering as well as industrial design.
PlasticFree addresses the main European challenges, while addressing several of the European Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for example SDG12- Responsible consumption and production, SDG13- Climate action and SDG 3- Good health and well-being. The project was set on developing a robust technology, which is a radically new idea, since this is a technology that uses low energy, sustainable products and that has the advantages of being compact and easily fitted onto any commercial space. PlasticFree works with concentrated detergents, especially formulated by Greendet, which are stored in “bag-in-box” packaging, and thus reducing substantially the use of plastic and is safe for the consumer and the seller. The dispensing machine developed in PlasticFree is also designed to be an integrant part of supermarkets and other stores; the height of the dispensing shelve is the same as the ones existing in the store. PlasticFree results in a convenient, well-suited and sustainable machine, and it is unique both in its design as well as in the formulation of the detergents. Its energy consumption is much lower, and the use of water is also diminished, when comparing to the use of conventional detergents.
The fact that Greendet developed this dispensing machine and commercializes it, allows to have the know-how on this unique way of selling and dispensing detergents, making the knowledge transfer feasible.
1) PlasticFree allows to obtain concentrated detergents, reducing the use of plastic, while also diminishing the carbon footprint of the process. This, in turn, makes the production costs lower, yielding cheaper and more accessible products for all society.
2) Since this dispensing machine is compact and assembled easily in different urban or rural areas, society in general can have access to these products, thereby promoting inclusiveness. Because there is the possibility to remotely control the dispensing machine, and the stocks of each product can be controlled in back office, the technical support is guaranteed. This also ensures that the operation of this machine is simple, and the users do not require special training to use the dispenser.
3) Because of all the above-mentioned advantages, the local, national and even European governments would greatly benefit from adopting and replicating the PlasticFree project. In the long term this contributes to the general well-being of the population and presents clear social benefits.
4) This also boosts the environmental education and promotes the adoption of more sustainable practices by the society.
Project PlasticFree has had a positive effect in civil society and in citizens, at different levels. It had impact in the public at regional and (inter)national levels. Our strategy contributed to increasing citizens’ awareness and engagement by promoting inclusive policies. This engagement was also attained by connecting to national/local initiatives, and with the use of social media (Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Greendet Website, etc.) to inform the public about our technology and how it will, in the future, help society. This project can have a catalytic effect in environmental policy making, reaching the national and European institutions. Furthermore, this methodology can be in the future adopted by related industries, awarding them environmental and social benefits. Decision-makers will benefit from clear evidence on improved environmental performance and safety of the developed products. Our technology will potentially reduce the cost of pollution management and effects, which are often covered by public authorities. To this end, it is essential to closely interact with policymakers and governmental bodies to facilitate a smooth implementation of the project’s wider outcomes. PlasticFree plans to apply systematic stakeholder analysis to identify innovation networks and partners as well as other representatives from relevant industries. Also, business associations will be invited to participate in our planned events. Regional and (inter)national events will be organized, thus contributing to the establishment of new networks and partnerships, aimed at discussing future commercialization opportunities for exploitation (extending beyond the project lifetime).
Within PlasticFree, although the main idea was developed by Greendet, and the company has all the know-how and intellectual property, partner teams were included in the development and execution process. To develop new formulas of concentrated detergents, that carry the ecolabel seal, a collaboration with the University of Coimbra was established. This university, one of the oldest in Europe, has a long stand tradition in product development and in technology transfer. Greendet collaborated with the Macromolecules and Colloids group from the chemistry department as well as the CIEPQPF group from the chemical engineering department. This collaboration with academic experts, allows a rational approach to detergents development and to have specific and tailor-made products. The whole process is tested and optimized for detergent production to be efficient, fast, economic, and sustainable. Concerning the machine assembly and development, Greendet also collaborated with a team of experts from Coimbra- Balansys, composed by electrotechnical engineers who have large experience in this type of automated systems development. The labels were developed by a marketing and design agency-Rise. Local collaborations were established, mainly around Coimbra region, and both technical and academic experts participated in this project, showing that it is truly multidisciplinary. The established synergies show that these types of collaborations should always be privileged and that they result in successful endeavours.
Project PlasticFree was only executed successfully, because of the involved partners. Each was an expert in its own area, having proven knowledge and academic and economic track records of different disciplines, such as chemistry, chemical engineering, process engineering, electrochemical engineering, design, and sustainability analysis. This broad multidisciplinary approach contributes to improving the feasibility and success of the products- concentrated detergents and the dispensing machine. Moreover, Greendet is an established company in detergents production, having a considerable market and a wide range of products to be commercialized, which ensures that the knowledge produced will translate into validated processes with the potential to be applied in industry. PlasticFree contemplates a sustainable strategy to produce, dispense and sell detergents, clearly addressing the current global challenges we are faced with. The interaction between industry, academy and technical fields worked in a complementary way, periodically evaluating the project progress, having input from all the partners, and weighing the pros and cons of each decision as a group.
As part of the European Green Deal, the EU has committed to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 55% percent by the year 2030 (compared to the CO2 levels of 1990). Our project, PlasticFree, was designed to work within the EU’s plan to revise its climate, energy and transport-related legislation. Several new initiatives have been proposed by the EU, but at the end of the line, technology innovations and the ones responsible for them, are needed to make this ambitious goal a reality. This project contributes to this, since it presents i) beyond state-of-the-art concentrated detergent formulas, ii) a detergent dispensing machine that is easily assembled, accessible and easy to operate and control, and iii) diminishes the carbon footprint of detergents production, transport, and storage. Replicating this project would mean that other detergent companies could also contribute to a more sustainable production and consumption of these products, leading to ‘green growth’, in which the quantity of products may be increased but not at the expense of high-volume emissions. PlasticFree relies on new technology development and know-how that can integrate a circular economy platform. Specifically, the operation of this automated dispensing machine, allows that a plastic bag of 22 g can contain 10 L of concentrated detergent. Upon the dilution of the detergent, the replacement of 600 plastic containers (of 60 g each) is possible, decreasing the use of plastic about 1600 times. CO2 emissions associated with transport of detergents are also reduced, since this allows that 60 times less product needs to be shipped and stored. The present technology is beyond state-of-the-art compared with other detergents present in the market, being that the unique selling point and differentiator is that i) less plastic and detergents are needed ii) less CO2 is emitted and iii) a more sustainable (economically and environmentally) product can be obtained.
PlasticFree is an innovative project, that resulted in changing the way people think about detergents consumption and distribution. It is a pioneer project, new in the detergents sector, with enormous impact, and potential to be replicated in other European countries. Some innovation key points are related with the especially formulated detergents and the production and design of the dispensing machine. The detergent formulas carry the ecolabel certification, and are used in its super concentrated formula, which makes them sustainable and environmentally friendly, but also safe for the consumer. The dispensing machine developed by the project team, is very user friendly and has low energy impact, since it needs only water to produce the detergent, 10 L of concentrated detergent result in 600 L of final product. This machine automatically does the dilution, while also dispensing the label that contains the amount of detergent, mandatory information, price and barcode. There is no need to use a plastic package, since the consumer takes is own container, and reusability is highly encouraged. This is an unique feature, making it even possible that the product can simply be paid in a self-service paying machine. This makes it simple to use this machine in bigger retail shops, reaching a larger part of the consumers. PlasticFree can change the way consumers buy their detergents, always keeping sustainability in mind.
The main driver for PlasticFree, was to have a way to produce concentrated detergent formulas, that would allow the consumer to buy in bulk, while also respecting Greendet philosophy, which is to produce ecological and sustainable detergents. Together with the partners from Unviversidade de Coimbra, experts in surfactants and colloid chemistry, the formulas and their production were developed and optimized. This allowed the detergents to be directly commercialized in this form, which can be further diluted easily. Having obtained this concentrated product, a scale-up of its production was developed, to obtain them in significant amounts, which was developed by Greendet, experienced in the industrial production of detergents. The distribution of these detergents was also something that this project addressed, and the goal was to make it sustainable, easily, and widely accessible to the consumers. The dispensing machine was initially designed to work in large commercial spaces, but also in local and more traditional stores. A partner group of expert engineers developed several prototypes of this machine, internally tested, and optimized, which were then tested in real commercial spaces (Greendet partners). This incremental methodology helped to understand the most important features of the machine to be optimized, and in the end, the most reliable version was obtained. This can be further implemented at a national and European level.
TECNOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SOLUTIONS: PlasticFree can be replicated easily and because Greendet detains the know-how, so it is able to transfer all the technology. Since the detergent formulation was developed between partners Greendet and Universidade de Coimbra, it is assured that this team can formulate and develop detergents with tailor-made properties, suitable for any other applications and consumers. The dispensing machine, on its hand, is also able to be assembled and constructed easily, and fitted to any space or purpose. It only requires electrical power and a source of water to function, so it can be assembled in any type of store, space or geography.
CREATION OF CIVIC AWARENESS AND ENGAGEMENT ON SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES: PlasticFree believes that it encourages consumers and companies to adopt more environmental conscience and sustainable behaviour, towards detergents consumption. This can for sure be replicated, as there is an increasing awareness that global resources are finite and carbon dioxide emissions must be reduced. With the dissemination and replication of the developed dispensing machine and detergents, in other regions and countries, PlasticFree is promoting these actions.
Within PlasticFree, Greendet and all the partners involved, are committed to promote a more conscious and sustainable consumption of detergents and related products. This addresses several global challenges, particularly in Climate action, Health and Responsible use of water. Also, PlasticFree allows for a wide range of population to have easy access to the formulated products, allowing the consumer to choose which type of detergent, its amount, its container, providing a more adapted product fit for each different consumer profile. Because the dispensing machine is easy to assemble and to operate, it can be installed in geographically isolated places, giving the population access to these products. Also, because the process is totally automated, the consumer can easily obtain the detergent, controlling each aspect of the process. If industrial consumers are considered, the installation of this dispensing machine would provide easy access to detergents and reduce costs of buying traditional detergents. It is important to stress that, by providing these solutions, PlasticFree is developed keeping environmental and economical sustainability. The replication and dissemination of PlasticFree can be the catalyst for society and political reforms while changing consumption habits.
