Most liquid laundry detergents commonly found at the store are made up of 90% water. The detergent formulation itself makes up the remaining 10%. This is done in an effort to trick consumers into thinking getting more than they really are.

It's the equivalent of putting a little hand soap into a large glass of water. The water will appear soapy, but it's not nearly as affective as the actual hand soap itself.

But the environmental impact of liquid laundry detergent starts way before it hits the shelves. From unnecessarily reducing the water supply, to being super heavy to transport, to the large carbon footprint acquired over its extensive journey through its supply chain — the list is truly never-ending (just like the plastic it's packaged in).

The act of tossing something in your recycling bin with the mere hopes that it is recyclable. Don't be fooled by the recyclable logo on these giant plastic jugs — roughly 70% of them will never actually get recycled even if done so properly by the consumer.

Here's the thing: liquid laundry detergents are packaged in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) which is almost impossible to truly recycle. In addition, that HDPE was just the home to a long list of synthetic, skin-irritating ingredients for an extended period of time. The residue left over in the bottle impacts its recyclability and can sabotage other items when being recycled.

Probably the least mentioned when discussing the environmental impact of laundry detergent is what happens after the wash.

Ingredients do not just disappear.

The cheap, synthetic ingredients that are formulated in these liquid laundry detergents are drained with the wash water to a wastewater treatment facility, then introduced to our water ways.  In the US, most wastewater treatment facilities do not have all of the conditioners necessary for these ingredients to fully degrade. Subsequently causing them to impact our water ways.