Increasing Sustainability Takes Good Chemistry

Across the country and around the world, communities are striving to reduce, reuse, and recycle our precious resources and to prolong the lifecycles of the products and materials that we rely on every day.

Antimicrobials contribute by targeting harmful microbes that can make us sick—helping to provide clean drinking water and to promote water reclamation through treatment processes that recycle our water reserves rather than deplete them.

Antimicrobials also protect against microbes that can infest perishable materials used for construction, clothing, linens, personal care products, and much more. These antimicrobial preservatives help products last longer, reducing waste and promoting sustainability.

By preventing microbial spread, antimicrobials play a vital role in creating a healthier, more sustainable world. These important products play a vital role in helping to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a global blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.

Environmental and economic sustainability helps to improve our lives and to protect our planet. Antimicrobial chemistries will continue to play a key role in ensuring our natural resources and environment are protected for generations to come.

Disinfecting Drinking Water

Today, antimicrobials are used in homes and public places, such as medical facilities and schools, to kill germs that could make us sick. They are also used to treat drinking water, and helped in the virtual elimination of typhoid fever, cholera, and other waterborne diseases.

Water is our most valuable resource, and it’s now safe to drink from our faucets because antimicrobials treat and protect our water supply by eliminating harmful microbes and pathogens such as E. coli and Legionella. By using antimicrobials to disinfect and reuse our potable water, we can reduce our reliance on and depletion of freshwater systems.

But it isn’t just the day-to-day benefits of antimicrobials that help keep us safe. When floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters occur, water supplies are contaminated. As a result, health departments, health authorities, and public water systems use antimicrobials to disinfect the water so it’s safe to drink and use for food preparation.

Wastewater Recycling

Along with treatment of our drinking water supplies, antimicrobials play a key role in treating and recycling wastewater. When it comes to municipal and industrial wastewater, antimicrobials are used to treat water so it can be reused safely for many purposes such as:

Irrigating crops and landscapes
Recycling water used for cooling and steam generation in industrial facilities
Recharging groundwater
Flushing toilets

Antimicrobial Material Preservatives

Antimicrobial preservatives are typically applied during the manufacturing process and treat a variety of materials to make them more durable against deterioration from mold, bacteria, moisture, and climate.

More durable products have longer lives, which means consumers won’t need to replace them as frequently and therefore will spend less money unnecessarily. Extending product lifecycles also leads to less demand for replacement products and the consumption of resources needed to manufacture and transport them.

The numerous and wide-ranging benefits of antimicrobial material preservatives to economic and environmental sustainability can be seen in a variety of key areas.

Wood Products and Materials

Think about the wood used to build your home. Antimicrobials can be used as preservatives to protect wood from deterioration and decay caused by pests, mold, and mildew. Such protections help extend the life of the wood therefore extending the life of your home. When our wood supply lasts longer, our communities can reduce the demand on forests, which means fewer trees are cut down and more oxygen is released into the atmosphere.

Paints and Coatings

Antimicrobials have transformed the paints and coatings industry as well. Water-based paints are more environmentally friendly than those made with solvents, however they are also highly vulnerable to spoilage due to bacteria and mold. Material preservatives help prevent the growth of harmful microbes in water-based paint, allowing the industry to transition away from solvent-based products, minimizing hazardous air pollutants and volatile organic compound emissions during production and use.

Fabrics and Textiles

Fabrics and textiles also receive a boost from antimicrobial material preservatives, which help protect clothing, footwear, linens, upholstery, and bedding from stains, odors, and premature degradation due to microbial growth. Material preservatives added in the manufacture of these consumer products helps to prolong their lifecycle and extend their usefulness before needing to be replaced or discarded.

Personal Care Products

Personal care products such as toothpaste, sunscreen, and moisturizers help us maintain good hygiene and health. However, they’re also highly prone to spoilage caused by bacteria, fungi, and mold. Antimicrobial material preservatives help protect these products from such harmful microbes growing and spreading.

We all want our world to thrive now and in the future. By investing in sustainable solutions, we can do right for our communities and for our environment.

Additional information on how the antimicrobial industry promotes environmental, economic, and community sustainability: