A surfactant (“surface acting agent”) is a substance that, even when used in low concentration, is able to reduce the surface tension of water. This allows easier spreading, wetting, and better mixing at the interface between two liquids.

Surfactants are classified into one of four categories based on their ionic properties in water: anionic (negative charge), nonionic (no charge), cationic (positive charge), and amphoteric (both positive and negative charges).

In CleanGredients, the following information is considered environmentally relevant for surfactants:

Surfactant Attributes

Surfactants listed in CleanGredients must also meet certain minimal environmental performance requirements:

Surfactant Listing Requirements