Savons Prolav is proud to be among the nearly 500 companies, schools and organizations that have officially signed on to be a part of this 3^rd Défi Climat.

As in previous years, this “climate challenge” involves individually committing to changing some of our habits so that together we can improve environmental quality by reducing our greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions.

Like the campaign slogan says, the main goal of the challenge is to remind people that “every action counts.” We often tend to believe that our individual actions fail to make a difference. Yet, every objective has to begin somewhere.

For instance, I pledged to reduce my GHG emissions by 494 kg this year. Kilograms might not seem like much when emissions are generally measured in tons, but if merely 1% of Québec’s population follows my example, collectively it will add up to reducing GHG emissions by 35,000 tons, i.e. the same reduction we would achieve by getting nearly 10,000 midsize cars off the road for one year. Suddenly, the bigger picture makes getting involved worthwhile…

If you wish to take part in this collective effort, it’s not too late. You have until April 30 to sign up and to commit to at least one green action.

Émilie Charbonneau, Eng., M.Env., Environment Manager

Savons Prolav manufactures green household cleaning products. We believe it is important that we clarify the issue with some facts.

For starters, the alleged hazards presented in the report revolved solely around one family of enzymes: protease. Bio-Vert all purpose, glass and bathroom cleaners are protease-free.

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze, or speed up the rate of, chemical reactions. Enzymes work in very low concentrations, which means that when found in cleaning products, they are generally in small quantities. They are used in cleaning products because they facilitate certain cleaning actions. For example, some enzymes help eliminate greasy stains while others more effectively remove sugar-based stains. This is why manufacturers that add enzymes to their cleaning products use different families of enzymes depending on the cleaning action they are targeting. It is therefore inaccurate to attribute the same characteristics to all enzyme-based cleaning products.

Not all cleaning products on the market – dishwashing, all purpose, household – contain enzymes, and enzymes do not necessarily make a product green. Many standard cleaning products use enzymes, while numerous green products do not. We should avoid generalizing when it comes to cleaning products that include enzymes, whether they claim to be green or otherwise.

Also, contrary to what was reported, green consumer products, like Bio-Vert household cleaning products, are subject to the same regulations that apply to conventional products, such as the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations (2001) contained in the Hazardous Products Act.

These Health Canada regulations define how chemical products intended for consumers must be classified, labelled and packaged. The classification criteria are predicated on a scientific assessment of the hazards a product poses during use. Toxicity, corrosiveness, health hazards are all issues covered by the regulations for the express purpose of protecting consumers. 

In addition, Health Canada conducts audits to make sure the regulations are being complied with, and Savons Prolav was just recently audited in December 2009, and no non-compliances were found.

All three Bio-Vert product lines are EcoLogo certified. EcoLogo is the only environmental certification officially recognized by the Canadian Government. This certification assures consumers that the product they are buying complies with a set of environmental and health criteria.

Bio-Vert website

Savons Prolav is a responsible company that continually strives to provide consumers with the information they need to understand the impact of the products they buy and use, and to communicate this information transparently. Our website www.bio-vert.com is filled with information designed to enlighten consumers on environmental and health related issues.

Book about household products

In closing, we’d like to mention the recent publication of 175 questions and answers on household cleaning products, a book written by Savons Prolav’s senior chemist and head of research and development, precisely intended to help consumers make informed environmental and healthy choices. The book was released March 9.

This is what inspired the idea of designing a website that reflected our commitment to being transparent and our desire to appropriately inform consumers about green household cleaning products. 

The site went online in 2009.

Our goal is to provide new and updated informative content on an ongoing basis, which is why we are now introducing Phase 2 of our consumer communication web strategy: a blog. 

The blog is primarily a way of communicating directly with the community of current and future consumers, with a view to answering your questions and providing you with tangible, scientific information.

Our bloggers are professionals in their field who will alternately take turns sharing their expert views on our industry and the issue of sustainability.

We will of course also use this link to you to keep you in lockstep with what’s new at Bio-Vert, from product launches and events and shows we will be participating in, to the very latest news about the company. 

The blog is also your forum for voicing ideas and comments, so we look forward to your feedback.

Here’s to happy blogging all around!

Yan & Bianka Grand-Maison, managing owners of Savons Prolav