FAQ

Environmental

Clorox is the owner of the brand GLAD® and is committed to conducting business in a manner that will not cause unacceptable degradation of the environment.

Clorox is a quiet achiever when it comes to environmentally friendly practices. It has for many years considered the practice of scrap sorting, scrap reduction, increasing recycled content and packaging minimisation as an integral part of business improvement and practice. In many instances we are leaders in this field, especially in manufacturing practice and have been used as industry examples.

Clorox are active signatories to the National Packaging Covenant Australia and members of the Packaging Council of New Zealand. In combination with our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, we are committed to reducing the environmental impacts of our consumer packaging through:

  • improvements in packaging design
  • higher recycling rates
  • better stewardship of packaging
  • council funding to support waste stream management.

Recycling

We encourage everyone to dispose of their non-recyclable plastic waste appropriately in rubbish bins so it is sent to landfill as per local regulations. This will help ensure plastic does not end up in waterways where it can harm marine and bird life. Every person can do their best to help reduce the problems of plastic litter by practicing the three R’s, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Many of our products have recyclable packaging, indicated by the symbol on the packaging (looks like 3 arrows in a triangle shape).

For more information about recycling please visit

http://www.recycle.co.nz/

http://www.wasteminz.org.nz/

http://www.zerowaste.co.nz/

Biodegradability

Plastic:

We are always seeking ways to improve our products however biodegradable plastic options are a little tricky.
All plastic products are biodegradable but it takes many many years for this process to take place.
That’s why we have Glad MatchWare and GladWare Designer Series containers – great reusable options which are microwave and freezer safe and available in a range of sizes.

Foil:

Aluminium foil in landfill is virtually non-toxic. It’s inert and will eventually oxidise to aluminium oxide, without emissions of gas or pollutants. It also adds no poisonous compounds to the soil and ground water.

Cloths:

CHUX® Biodegradable Superwipes® are 100% biodegradable* and naturally break down in compostable conditions, reducing the impact on our natural environment. The packaging is made with a minimum 50% recycled cardboard and is 100% recyclable.

*Independently tested by CSIRO report no: 11-0057. Cloth decomposes after 11 days in compostable conditions.

Sponges:

CHUX® Collections Sponges, and the sponge side of the CHUX® Non-Scratch and Heavy Duty Scourer Sponges (not the scourer side) are made from 100% cellulose and are biodegradable.

Handy Andy:

The surfactants in Handy Andy are readily biodegradable according to OECD Classification.

Plastics and the Environment

While the impact of plastic litter is a problem, the environmental impacts of plastic as a whole is not as bad as most people perceive. When taking into account raw material acquisition, manufacturing, and correct disposal, plastic has a pretty good report card.

Some Interesting Facts about Plastic

The energy required to make plastic bags is very low. For example;

  • The fuel consumed by driving your car 1 kilometre is equivalent to the energy used to make 8.7 single use shopping bags.
  • When plastic bags are compared to paper bags, a plastic bag uses 40% less energy, makes 80% less solid waste, 72% less atmospheric emissions and 90% less waterborne waste.
  • Plastics are strong and lightweight; these two very important properties have been exploited by car manufactures over the last 20 years. The making of car parts out of plastic has drastically reduced the weight of cars. This in turn has made cars more fuel-efficient.
  • The use of plastic in packaging significantly reduces the weight of many products. This saves energy resources in the transportation of goods, where the lighter loads reduce the fuel used by trucks to transport goods.
  • Source reduction is a method by which fewer resources are used to make a product. Because plastic is very strong, less of it can be used to obtain the same strength of something made using another material, which can result in less of an effect on the environment than other alternatives (such as paper bags).
  • If disposed of correctly, plastic takes carbon from a sink (petrochemical oil) and returns it to a sink (entombment landfill), without releasing CO2 to the environment.
  • Plastic equates to roughly 0.2% of total solid waste that goes into landfill each year.

Problems with Plastic

While plastic can have may benefits for the environment, how people dispose of it causes a large environmental problem, LITTER. Plastic litter on land can clog drains and be unattractive, however in marine environments it can have greater effects. There is a real need for people to take better responsibility for the way they dispose of plastic – in particular plastic shopping bags. Other alternatives to plastic shopping bags need to be used to reduce the problems associated with plastic bag littering. Some of these include reusable polypropylene and calico shopping bags.

We encourage everyone to dispose of their non-recyclable plastic waste appropriately in rubbish bins so it is sent to landfill as per local regulations. This will help ensure plastic does not end up in waterways where it can harm marine and bird life. Every person can do their best to help reduce the problems of plastic litter by practicing the three R’s, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Many of our products have recyclable packaging, indicated by the symbol on the packaging (looks like 3 arrows in a triangle shape).

Facts about GLAD Plastic Wraps and Containers

Countering Confusion

There have been many misleading “chain” e-mails or articles that incorrectly suggest all plastic wraps and containers are unsafe for heating foods in the microwave. The articles raise concerns about the presence of certain chemicals, Di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), phthalates, dioxins and Bisphenol A, supposedly found in all wraps and containers. The truth is, GLAD® products do not contain any of these chemicals or produce them when used to microwave food.

DEHA (Di-(2-ethylhexyl adipate) is a “plasticizer” commonly added to rigid plastic, like poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), to enhance flexibility. GLAD® Cling Wrap, GLAD® Snap Lock, GLAD® Sandwich Bags, GLAD® Handi-Covers and GLAD® Zip Slide are made from polyethylene, a more flexible plastic film, that doesn’t require the use of a plasticizer. GLAD® Steam Lock and GLADWare® containers also are free of plasticizers, since they are made from polypropylene, not PVC.

It is important to note that GLAD® products do not contain any phthalate plasticizer and are dioxin free. Dioxins can be formed only when materials containing chlorine are heated to an extremely high temperature in the presence of organic materials. These high temperatures cannot be reached using even the most powerful microwave ovens. Furthermore, the plastic used in the formulation of GLAD® products do not contain chlorine or any chlorine containing substances such as PVC. Therefore, it would be impossible for dioxins to form when microwaving food using GLAD® products.

Finally, GLAD® products do not contain Bisphenol A ("BPA"), a building block used to make polycarbonate plastic products such as impact resistant eyeglass lenses, food and beverage containers, compact disc and other consumer products. GLAD® products are not made from polycarbonate.

Most of the inaccuracies in the e-mails and articles we see result from a misunderstanding about plastics. Not all plastics are the same.

If you have any questions related to this topic, feel free to write to us via our contact page.

Facts about Foil

Can Aluminium Foil be recycled in NZ?

Aluminium foil is 100% recyclable as we recycle all our aluminium foil scrap produced at manufacturing. Depending on your location within New Zealand, the local council by-law does allow for foil to be recycled, so long as it has been cleaned of food/grease. If recycling is not possible in your area, you can reuse the aluminium foil. You will need to clean it with hot soapy water and save it for when you next want to grill or cover something. Mono Magic Non-Stick Foil will make the cleaning process easier, over standard foil, so you don’t have to use too much water or detergent.

Do you know what the environmental impacts are of Aluminium Foil?

Aluminium foil in landfill is virtually non-toxic. It’s inert and will eventually oxidise to aluminium oxide, without emissions of gas or pollutants. It also adds no poisonous compounds to the soil and ground water.

Animal Testing

GLAD products are not tested on animals. We are on animal rights websites because we are owned by Clorox. You should know that the Clorox cleaning and disinfecting products you see on the shelves are also not currently being tested on animals. However, federal law in the United States requires that when disinfectants, products that kill germs, are first introduced, animal testing data is required. Many Clorox products are disinfectants. Whenever possible, Clorox submits existing test data to avoid unnecessary testing, and its disinfecting products are no longer tested once they are on the market unless there are major formula changes.

Like you, Clorox and GLAD are committed to animal welfare. Clorox is actively sponsoring non-animal testing studies that will hopefully take us to a place where it is no longer necessary. If you’d like to read more: http://www.thecloroxcompany.com/corporate-responsibility/products/product-safety/.