Unilever has partnered with LanzaTech and India Glycols to produce the world’s first dishwashing liquid made from recycled carbon emissions instead of from fossil-fuels

Unilever has partnered with LanzaTech and India Glycols to produce the world’s first dishwashing liquid made with recycled carbon captured. The limited-edition Sunlight Dishing Liquid is available in stores in South Africa.  

Working together with LanzaTech and India Glycols, Unilever can produce dishwashing liquid made from captured industrial emissions from a steel mill before it reaches the atmosphere and transforms it into liquid detergent for everyday use. 

In April, Unilever, along with LanzaTech and India Glycols, launched the world’s first laundry capsule in the market made from industrial carbon emissions. The surfactant found in an OMO (Persil) laundry capsule is now on sale in stores in China.

“There is an overwhelming need to replace fossil resources for fuel and materials,” said Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech.” “We have an amazing partnership between Unilever and India Glycols in how we can capture carbon before it is released into the atmosphere and convert it into ethanol. India Glycols can convert ethanol into ethylene oxide, which is then used to produce several ingredients, including surfactants used to produce the dish soap. With this process in place, we can leverage carbon emissions as the feedstock of the future to make products we use every day.” 

LanzaTech makes its ethanol out of carbon emissions from industrial sources like steel mills. In a bioreactor that collects those emissions, bacteria eat that pollution and turn it into ethanol. Working with India Glycols and Unilever, it can turn waste emissions into products such as clean solutions, bottles for soap and juices, athleisure, packaging, clothing, fragrances, and sustainable aviation fuel, all made with carbon emissions. 

“This product launch comes at a critical time in our global efforts to address the climate crisis,” said Holmgren. “We are showing the world what we can do today through technology, innovation, and collaboration to decarbonize the material production process, improve the material mix, minimize waste, and rethink what is possible in transforming the circular economy.”