FAQ

• They contain ingredients derived from vegetable oils, instead of petrochemical substances.
• Their tensioactives biodegrade to Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Water and Inorganic Salts, either under aerobic or anaerobic conditions.
• They do not contain phosphates, the primary cause of eutrophication in aquatic environments.
• They do not contain boron compounds, which are harmful to some plants (such as citrus fruits).

• Common detergents contain phosphates and that is why they are responsible for the phenomenon of eutrophication once they are released in natural waters.
• Eutrophication results from the excess presence of nutrients (phosphorus) that stimulate excessive plant growth. This enhanced plant growth reduces the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water and can cause other organisms to die.
• ‘Planet’ products do not contain no phosphates and therefore they do not contribute take to eutrophication. Moreover, the high biodegradability of their i active ingredients minimizes any impact on aquatic environment.

• ‘Planet’ contains the minimum quantity of chemicals required. These are carefully selected so as to minimize the risks for the environment. The main ingredients used are:
• Tensioactives derived from vegetable oils, which are biodegradable even under anaerobic conditions (lack of oxygen).
• Dyes used for food and cosmetic applications.
• Fragrances that are gentle and safe for the skin (low risk for skin irritations).
• Most importantly, ‘Planet’ formulae are carefully designed to achieve high cleaning performance while using  a smaller quantity of product  than that of common detergents.

Planet Products: 

• Achieve excellent cleaning power.
• Are friendly to the consumer, since they contain substances of vegetable origin and gentle to the skin.
• Are friendly to the environment, since they contain substances of high biodegradability.

Surfactants are organic compounds consisting of a hydrophilic (head) and a hydrophobic group (tail). Surfactants lower the surface tension of water, essentially making it 'more wet' so that it is less likely to stick to itself and more likely to interact with oil and grease. This means that while oil (which attracts dirt) does not naturally mix with water, surfactant can suspend oil / dirt in such a way that it can be removed.

The Greenhouse Effect is the natural process by which the atmosphere traps some of the Sun’s energy warming the Earth enough to support life. With more greenhouse gases released to the atmosphere due to human activity, more energy is trapped in the surface of the Earth and this contributes to the ‘Enhanced Greenhouse Effect’ and ‘Global Warming’.

Eutrophication is a process whereby water bodies (lakes, streams, rivers) receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth and decay. Nutrients are typically compounds containing nitrogen (fertilizers) and phosphorus (fertilizers and detergents). In aquatic environments enhanced growth of chocking aquatic vegetation (phytoplankton) disrupts normal functioning of the ecosystem, causing a variety of problems such as lack of oxygen in the water needed for other organisms to survive.

• All primary packaging materials are 100% recyclable. They are of the same material per packaging type, so there is no need for the different parts to be separated before they can be recycled. 
• All cartons are made of recycled paper.
• Significant efforts have been made to reduce the weight of the containers (more than 20%), in order to produce less packaging waste.

While no human activity is completely 'environmentally friendly', there are always opportunities to reduce the impact that these activities may have upon the environment.
ROLCO implements several processes and practices that contribute to the reduction or prevention of potential risks for the environment: 

• Natural Gas: natural gas is used as the primary source of energy in the plant, contributing to the reduction of air pollutants.
• Waste Water Management System: after proper treatment, wastewater is recycled, minimizing the amount of liquid waste discharged to the environment, as well as reducing water consumption.  
• Dust Control System: a system of collecting and recycling dust particles that result from production process protects both people and the environment. 
• Lighting Control System: lighting level is automatically adjusted depending on natural light, occupancy sensors are in place for lights to turn off, if no movement is detected.
• Waste Management: waste is collected per type of material and sent for recycling.
• The company has already initiated all necessary actions in order to obtain in the coming period:ISO 14001 Certification EU Eco-Label Award

ECO LABEL: Planet home care products are certified by the European Eco label.

PHOSPHATE FREE: It does not contain boron nor phosphates that cause eutrophication.

 NON TESTED ON ANIMALS

 PLANT-DERIVED INGREDIENTS: Contains ingredients derived from vegetable oils, instead of petrochemicals.

 WITH RESPECT TO AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT: Planet products contain ingredients of high biodegradability. They do not contain phosphates, the main cause of eutrophication in aquatic environment.

 RECYCLABLE PACKAGING: Packaging Materials are 100% recyclable.

The legislation that states a public system of ecological labeling in order to promote products with fewer environmental consequences for the entire duration of their life cycle, and the supply of accurate, non deceiving and scientifically substantiated information for the effects the products have on the environment is: Legislation (ΕΚ) no. 1980/2000 of the European Union and Council on the 17th of July 2000 .

My Planet products are fully aligned with the requirements of this legislation.

To attain all the relevant official information the European Union has established, please visit:

http://www.eco-label.com/greek/  http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/index_en.htm  http://europa.eu/  

To attain the full list of substances that can be used in the production of ecological detergents and cleaners, please visit:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/product/pg_did_list_en.htm

The use of some common chemical substances is allowed according to the EU Eco-Label, as long as certain strict criteria regarding toxicity, biodegradability and washing performance of the product are met.For more information you can visit the official site: www.eco-label.com
In addition, our company goes one step further by substituting petroleum-derived substances with ingredients of vegetable origin.

In order to compare the value of two products:
They must be of the same type (ex. contain the same percentage of active ingredients).
Their cleaning ability is evaluated using the dosage recommended on the package of each product.
A product is more expensive than another of the same type, when it costs more and at the same time its washing ability is worse, when using the recommended dosage for each one of them.
Planet products have an added value since they cause minimal environmental harm, while maintaining cleaning effectiveness. Although the cost of ingredients is relatively high, our company makes sure that Planet products are affordable and in competitive prices.

The carbon footprint of a process basically expresses the amount of energy required for the process, which can then be expressed as amount of CO2 that is released during the process as well as during the production of the energy that is required for the process.

It is clear that the amount of CO2 released per energy unit is related to the type of energy used – if the energy is renewable, clean etc.

Carbon footprint is expressed in tons of CO2. For the determination of Carbon footprint a given time period is selected – e.g. one year – and the amount of CO2 that is produced by the process in question within the specific time period is summed up.

In order to determine the carbon footprint of a product, one has to split the life of a product in separate steps – processes (perform a life cycle assessment) and determine the carbon footprint of each step. By summing up the Carbon footprints calculated at each step, one can determine the total Carbon Footprint of the product.

The method can be applied in processes, products or facilities of any scale – e.g. a car or a house or a company or a country etc. The environmental sensitive companies calculate their carbon footprint and the set internal targets for reducing their emissions and thus their carbon footprint.

Planet detergents are Greek products and are produced and marketed by Rolco. Today, Rolco is the largest Greek industry in the detergent manufacturing segment.

During the past few years, a series of investments has been implemented and as a result, Rolco possesses the most technologically advanced plant in Greece and South Eastern Europe.

With technologically integrated facilities for increased productivity that provide integrated solutions for cleaning products and services. Certified with the International Quality Standard ISO 9001:2000, thus ensuring high control and total quality in every stage of development and production, while the R & D department ensures continuous improvement and development of products and services that always target customer satisfaction.

With a record of over fifty years in this market, the company reports major innovations such as the creation of the first powder detergent and first hand dishwashing liquid. In the early '70s, Rolco was the first company in Greece to launch detergents with fully biodegradable ingredients, with higher costs but major benefits for the environment. Based on the philosophy that a modern industry should contribute to the consumers’ ecological awareness and develop oneself so as to maintain a sustainable future, in July 2008 Rolco introduced the brand range planet, a range of detergents and cleaners distributed in Greece, and exported to other EU countries, such as Cyprus and Bulgaria.