The pandemic underscored how critical cleaning is to human health and welfare. The cleaning products industry relies on innovation to keep ahead of the latest threats to consumer health. That’s why the American Cleaning Institute is urging the US Environmental Protection Agency to speed up its review of new chemistries for industry.

“We have heard loud and clear from our member companies that it’s nearly impossible to get new chemicals – including sustainable materials – through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) review processes,” ACI CEO Melissa Hockstad told members during the Association’s annual meeting last month. “We’re going to work harder than ever with our association allies to address this issue in Congress and at EPA to bring about greater ‘speed-to-market’ for vital cleaning chemistries.”

Last year, ACI noted that the US government is failing to meet its requirements to review new chemistries within 90 days, which has created a bottleneck for new, innovative safer and environmentally sustainable chemicals from reaching the US market.

ACI’s annual meeting and industry convention set an attendance record. More than 1,280 attended the Orlando event.

During her address, Hockstad assured attendees that ACI will work to ensure that EPA policies on 1,4-Dioxane do not result in overburdensome limitations of critical chemistry process for the production of surfactants and other cleaning product ingredients.

“We are working hard to provide EPA with needed data including occupational monitoring data and socio-economic impact analysis to inform forthcoming risk management rulemaking in 2025. We are also looking to maintain uniformity across the country with New York’s 1,4-Dioxane regulations while simultaneously working with the EPA on its approaches.”

Hockstad recalled ACI held an “EPA Day” during its mid-year meeting. The event included presentations from EPA representatives and gave ACI members the chance to discuss their challenges in bringing new, sustainable chemistry to market. And for the third year in a row, ACI earned the EPA’s Safer Choice Award. At the congressional level, ACI hosted its largest Capitol Hill fly-in event on June 14. The event underscored the Association’s call for a national standard for cleaning product ingredient communication.

Topical Antiseptics and FDA

Hockstad noted that ACI continues to be a key member of an industry team negotiating with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its implementation of the Over-The-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Program (OMUFA).

“Our focus here is to ensure that there is a clear path to ongoing regulatory acceptance of topical antiseptic active ingredients,” said Hockstad. “ACI also wants to develop mechanisms for FDA to be more collaborative when providing feedback on safety and efficacy studies supporting GRASE (Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective) determinations for antiseptic ingredients.”

Hockstad pointed out that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reissued its Green Guides. ACI worked with members to ensure there is consistency with other agencies guidance. The Institute is urging FTC to review the Green Guides more frequently in order to keep up with the science.

State Efforts

Hockstad predicted a busy year at the state level, especially in the areas of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and 1,4-Dioxane. Other priorities for ACI include:

• Publication of a new sustainability report, which will highlight the advances being made in the expansion of ACI’s Sustainable Feedstocks Initiative and provide case studies focused on companies’ sustainability successes.
• The “Cleaning is Caring” program, focusing on how regular cleaning contributes to mental and physical health.
• Publication of a report—based on the findings of an ACI-sponsored workshop—addressing new approach methodologies to assess the potential hazard of respiratory irritation throughout the lifecycle of cleaning products.

In closing, Hockstad urged attendees to get engaged, share their companies’ stories and work together to drive what matters forward.

“ACI is tested, trusted and tirelessly working on your behalf every single day,” she said. “We are the frontline and the backbone of the cleaning product value chain.”

Industry Leaders & Innovation

Following her address, Hockstad led an industry leadership panel featuring Mary Kurian, president, BASF Care Chemicals; Christian MacIver, president and COO, Pilot Chemical; and Marchoe Northern, SVP/GM, North America Home Care, Procter & Gamble.

Northern explained that, for P&G, innovation starts with the consumer to solve their problems. For example, research shows that, after cleaning the toilet, dishwashing is the most hated household chore. Consumers spend 28 minutes every day on it.

“We can help reduce that friction with Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray,” asserted Northern.

How? Platinum Powerwash hydrolyzes baked-on soil on dishes. The spray-on application saves water and time, according to the P&G executive.

“It changes the consumer’s dishwashing habit,” said Northern. “Any time we can come up with an innovation like that it, it’s a win/win.”

Kurian agreed that innovation starts with the goal of solving consumer needs and delighting them. But innovation isn’t limited to finished formulas. BASF pioneered mass balance in the market and collaborates with partners on a range of sustainability issues.

MacIver said sustainability is a long-term issue at Pilot, “we’ve been in business for 70 years and plan to be in business for 70 more,” she told attendees. As a result, 25% of R&D time is spent on sustainability projects. One of the results is CalCare biosurfactants for personal care and home care formulations. CalCare 190C is a clear, 40% solids, nonionic surfactant derived from renewable, biomass feedstocks and is produced via sustainable production methods. It is compatible over a wide pH range with other anionic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants, and other formula ingredients like builders, polymers and solvents, according to Pilot.

Tomorrow’s Leaders

All three executives agreed that 2023 was a challenging year—with two wars, inflation and supply problems coming together. Some issues have resolved, noted the speakers, but burdensome regulations continue apace.

“How do we leverage our influence to get the outcomes we want? We must take a science-based approach to how we think about innovation,” said MacIver. “There are things we can control and things we cannot.”

As a result, today’s successful leaders share several characteristics. Chief among them is flexibility and adaptability, according to Kurian.

“One year is different from the next,” she said. “Leaders must be able to adapt, see around the corner and say yes to the opportunities ahead of them.”

MacIver called employees, Pilot’s competitive advantage.

“The question becomes, ‘How do you get the most out of your people?’” she asked. “You must harness that power to solve problem. You wouldn’t run a plant at 50% capacity.”

At the same time, Pilot consider diversity, part of its sustainability strategy.

“Diversity makes for more creativity,” MacIver added.

At Procter & Gamble, the leaders of the future must match the communities P&G serves, according to Northern.

“Diversity is a force for good and a force for growth,” she explained. “Diversity delivers more solution. Thirty-three percent of my organization is multicultural as we serve a diverse US population.”

Northern said diversity is critical to understanding consumer needs.

“We have to understand their lived experiences. There are differences culturally and how they clean,” she told attendees. “We must understand that to unlock new levels of growth.”

Northern called diversity a business opportunity, and pointed out that half of Gen Z identifies as multicultural.

According to Kurian, diversity is fundamentally the moral thing to do—and makes good business sense, too.

“The consumer of today is not the consumer of tomorrow,” she noted. “BASF has women in leadership programs. We do a good job of bringing in people and it will be the competitive edge in the future.”

Speaking of the future, all three panelists concluded they were excited for the future of bringing value to the customer through innovative products. 

Macinga Honored with Service Award Gojo CEO Cary Jaros and ACI CEO Melissa Hockstad The late Dr. David Macinga, who served as vice president of product development and regulatory affairs, Gojo Industries, until his passing in June 2023, is the 2024 recipient of the ACI Elva Walker Spillane Distinguished Service Award. The posthumous honor recognizes Macinga’s many years of outstanding service to ACI and the cleaning products industry. He was actively engaged at ACI in a range of areas, especially the topical antiseptics program, where he provided invaluable expertise and insights as part of ACI’s extensive efforts to protect public health and safety and preserve the marketplace for these products and chemistries. In addition to his active engagement in ACI’s antiseptics research program, he provided leadership and strategic thinking on behalf of the industry. He was a key voice in discussions with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Dave Macinga was an outstanding leader, collaborator, colleague and friend,” said Melissa Hockstad, ACI President and CEO. “Most importantly, he was a beloved husband and father and is sorely missed by so many. We are proud to honor Dave’s contributions to ACI and the industry at-large.” Over the years, Macinga was an active participant in ACI’s Research, Technology and Regulation Committee, Disinfectants Tiger Team, Microbial Cleaning Products Task Force and various regulatory and government affairs initiatives. He was also a founding member of the Future Leaders, serving as its first board treasurer. Macinga was an integral leader at Gojo from 2003 to 2023, developing new and innovative antimicrobial and antiviral skin and surface hygiene products. Prior to Gojo, he worked at Procter & Gamble and Schering-Plough Research Institute. ACI’s Distinguished Service Award is named in honor of the late Elva Walker Spillane, the former National Purity LLC chief executive who served on the association’s Board for 20 years. The award honors an individual for extensive or exceptional service to ACI, who promoted the growth and interests of the Institute and the industries it represents and who exercised outstanding leadership within ACI.

ACI Elects Board for 2024-25 Year ACI Chair Eric Reynolds Eric Reynolds, Clorox, was re-elected chair of the American Cleaning Institute. Eric Peeters, Dow, is vice chair for the 2024-2025 term. The election took place February 2 during the ACI annual meeting. Other officers elected were: Treasurer, Suzanne Carroll, Nouryon; President and CEO, Melissa Hockstad, ACI; and Corporate Secretary, Douglas Troutman, ACI. The ACI Board of Directors also includes: Rick Strittmatter, Arxada; Steve Tanner, Arylessence; Parthiv Amin, BASF; Carlos Linares, Church & Dwight; Stephan Habif, Colgate-Palmolive; Scott Tuchinsky, Croda; Lily DeStefano, DSM-Firmenich; Larry Berger, Ecolab; Ronald Birnbaum, Evonik; Jessica McCoy, Gojo; Jillaine Dellis, Henkel;  Renee Henze, IFF; Joseph Schwalbach, Indorama Ventures Oxides; Arnaud Melin, Novonesis; Erik Roberts, Procter & Gamble; Silke Hoppe, Sasol; Deb Fiddelke, SC Johnson; Zoë Baldwin, Shell Chemical; and Sean Moriarity, Stepan.