ABSTRACT
Regardless of the state-of-the-art and affairs in the detergent industry worldwide, with respect to scientific, technological, economic, safety, and regulatory aspects of detergent production, formulation, application, and consequently consumption, their environmental impact constitutes and will continue to be an issue of major concern. This is particularly so given the operating global free-market economy, which is supposed to, and is expected to, ensure sustainable development. Avoidance of detrimental environmental impact primarily requires prevention rather than correction, which in turn should dictate what the detergent industry should do and what needs to be accomplished in the future to ensure environmentally-oriented sustainable development, given contemporary shifts in consumer preferences, the availability and cost of raw materials and energy, demographic and social trends, and the overall economical/political situation worldwide.
