The Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) and Ecolab share a common mission: protecting vital resources for the well-being of people and the planet. In helping to safeguard wastewater infrastructure, RFA is prioritizing public health, sanitation and environmental protection. With the recent release of its 100% plastic-free¹ Disinfectant 1 Wipe, RFA member Ecolab, is doing the same with a product that could help to revolutionize the wipes industry and reduce plastic waste.

A First for Healthcare: The 100% Plastic-Free¹ One Minute Disinfectant Wipe

Each year, healthcare facilities in North America use a staggering amount of plastic disinfecting wipes — enough to circle the globe 58 times²! Most of these wipes end up in landfills, adding to the growing plastic waste problem³. Until now, healthcare workers in North America haven’t had many alternatives. Disinfectant wipes need to work quickly and effectively, but the most common disinfectant chemistry used in North America has compatibility challenges with plant-based and other sustainable materials.

Answering the challenge, Ecolab’s team of scientists took a new approach. Enter the Disinfectant 1 Wipe: the first EPA-registered, 100% plastic-free¹, readily degradable, one-minute hospital disinfection wipe. It is made with a type of cellulose substrate called lyocell, a regenerated cellulose fiber derived from wood pulp*.

Instead of leveraging the most common active ingredients, alcohol- and quats, Ecolab’s Disinfectant 1 Wipe uses an acid-based active ingredient called Dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DDBSA). DDBSA has been approved for use by the EPA for over 50 years and has a long history of safe and effective use in the most common household cleaning products. It is also compatible with cellulose fibers. When combined with other ingredients to form the Ecolab Disinfectant 1 Wipe, DDBSA enables this cellulose-based wipe to deliver effective one-minute hospital disinfection. Plus, they are readily degradable, meaning they will break down in landfills much quicker than plastic wipes, which could take hundreds of years to fully degrade. In a third-party study the Ecolab Disinfectant 1 Wipe demonstrated 94.3% relative biodegradation after 15 days, compared to 0.6% relative biodegradation of a plastic-based wipe substrate after 75 days⁴. The Ecolab Disinfectant 1 Wipe also comes in soft- pack packaging rather than canisters. A plastic canister with 160 6” x 6.7” wipes contains approximately 260 grams of plastic; Ecolab’s Disinfectant 1 Wipe soft-pack packaging with 110 plastic- free1 wipes contains only 10 grams of plastic.

Moreover, the Ecolab Disinfectant 1 Wipe maintains 4x the surface area wetness for the respective recommended EPA registered contact times⁵, when compared to the market leading alcohol based disinfectant wipe. Healthcare workers have demonstrated being able to use fewer Disinfectant 1 Wipes to get the job done because the Ecolab Disinfectant 1 Wipe holds more liquid than traditional plastic- based wipes. Ecolab conducted a four-week study in the OR of a hospital affiliated ASC to measure the consumption of Disinfectant 1 Wipe compared to the market leading healthcare disinfectant wipe. The result? A staggering 60% reduction in utilization⁶, which means hospitals could potentially purchase, use and dispose of fewer wipes over time—leading to environmental benefits and cost savings.

Setting a New Standard for Sustainable Wipes

Ecolab’s groundbreaking wipe is more than just an enhanced sustainable alternative; it’s a catalyst for change.

“We’re looking at the challenge of single-use plastic disinfectant wipes, and our 100% plastic-free¹ solution, as a step in the right direction,” said Luke Cote, Senior Marketing Manager of Ecolab Healthcare North America. “For us, it’s about bringing enhanced sustainable innovations to healthcare and also providing insights into categories like disinfectant wipes, where for decades the market has been limited to only plastic-based substrate options.”

Cote explained that many healthcare associates aren’t familiar with the ins and outs of wet wipe design, especially when it comes to the substrate and the specificity required to achieve hospital level disinfection for disinfectant wipes in healthcare settings. Many don’t know that hospital disinfectant wipes are made of plastic or that they stay in landfills, without breaking down, for hundreds of years. “When given the option, everyone we interviewed said they would choose the plastic-free wipe substrate if it could meet all the necessary criteria⁷,” he said. For the first time, the North American healthcare space has a more sustainable option—and there’s more to come as Ecolab works to develop more 100% plastic-free¹ disinfectant wipes.

The company is also actively exploring flushable technology. While many wipes like the Disinfectant 1 Wipe must prioritize durability with tightly woven fibers that make them non-flushable (see the “Do Not Flush” symbol on the label), Ecolab’s research and development team continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

The introduction of the Disinfectant 1 Wipe into the North American healthcare market marks a turning point in the fight against plastic waste. As awareness grows and healthcare systems increasingly prioritize sustainability, the demand for enhanced sustainable solutions will rise—and innovators like Ecolab will continue with groundbreaking developments to meet the need.

1 Wipe substrate is 100% plastic-free¹. Soft pack packaging comprised of plastic. Represents a 90%+ reduction in total plastic compared to the total plastic mass of a wipe canister containing 160 plastic wipes.
2 DRG data & internal calculations used to determine total wipe volume.
3 Jain, N., & LaBeaud, D. (2022). How should US health care lead global change in plastic waste disposal? AMA Journal of Ethics, 24(10), E986-E993. https://doi.org/10.1001/amajethics.2022.986
4 ASTM D5511 quantitative laboratory tests performed have demonstrated 94.3% relative biodegradation in 15 days of accelerated landfill testing, for the Ecolab Disinfectant 1 Wipe, made with substrate derived from wood pulp fibers and 0.6% relative biodegradation for a standard plastic-based wipe under the same test conditions. Actual rates of degradation will vary based on landfill conditions.
5 Laboratory tests performed have demonstrated that the Ecolab Disinfectant 1 Wipe, made with substrate derived from wood pulp fibers, maintains 4x surface area wetness, for the respective recommended EPA registered contact times, when compared to the market leading alcohol based disinfectant wipe. Dry times will vary based upon actual conditions, including temperature, relative humidity, and air flow.
6 Research conducted over a 4-week period in the OR of an ambulatory surgery center demonstrated a reduction in wipes used when compared to the market leading alcohol-based wipe. Actual results will vary based on operating conditions. Ecolab research available upon request.
7 Research conducted across 10 hospitals in the continental US, over a three-year time period. 100% of respondents indicated that they would prefer a disinfectant wipe made with 100% plastic-free substrate vs. a disinfectant wipe substrate made from plastic, if all other attributes remained the same.
* EPA Reg. No. 1677-263, refer to product label for use directions.