Understanding Our Grey Water & Septic Safety Ratings

At Envirosafe Solutions, we believe in transparency. The “eco-marketplace” is often filled with vague claims and confusing jargon about septic and greywater safe industrial cleaners. Our commitment is simple: we provide honest, plain-speaking information so you can make an informed decision for your facility and the environment.

And products vetted and given the grey water rating are ideal for mine sites, remote camps, and facilities utilizing on-site wastewater treatment plants (WWTP).

Why We Created the Rating System

To help you choose the right products, we consulted an independent chemist to review our entire range. Because environmental impact depends on your specific location and plumbing setup, there is no “one size fits all” answer. Instead, we use a star-based rationale based on guidelines from Lanfax Laboratories.

Septic/Greywater Safe Logo Rationale – A Note from the Chemist:

“In assessing your products for greywater discharge I have used the guidelines suggested by Lanfax Laboratories with the additional criterion of no other undesirable products.

In summary, these are the desirable features of grey water discharge:

Neutral pH
Low phosphorus
Low sulphur
Low sodium (defined as <20g per wash)
Biodegradable surfactants
No other undesirable ingredients

A Note on Phosphorus: Phosphorus is a tricky one because most Australian soils are phosphorus deficient; therefore, it could be argued that phosphorus is desirable in the grey water discharge. However, if the discharge is into the catchment area for an inland waterway such as the Swan River or finds its way into the water off the Great Barrier Reef for instance, then it is undesirable because it promotes algal blooms.

Sodium and high alkalinity are the main problems for grey water. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to formulate cleaning products that have no sodium and are not alkaline.

Generally, the one star products are okay if highly diluted with water. Obviously, the ratings are somewhat arbitrary; you could take the view that anything given a star rating is okay to go into grey water. The stars give you some idea of the relative desirability of each product ending up in the grey water.
Finally, it is worth noting that none of the products with these ratings, have any added sulphate (usually sodium sulphate, generally used as a cheap filler). There are no products that contain any unnecessary ingredients as fillers.

Simply put: If a product has a star rating, it has been vetted. The more stars it has, the “friendlier” it is for your WWTP and septic system.”

The Star Rating Guide

The stars indicate the relative desirability of a product ending up in your grey water system:

	Excellent: Contains little to no undesirable constituents.
	Good: Contains slightly higher levels of sodium, phosphorus, or alkalinity.
	Caution: Higher in sodium or alkalinity; safe for grey water only if highly diluted.

For more information on implementing our septic and greywater safe industrial cleaners at your site, get in touch with us here.