Biodegradability refers to the ability of a chemical substance to be broken down by microorganisms in the environment. For car wash operators, it is both an environmental responsibility and a regulatory requirement — the EU Detergents Regulation 648/2004 mandates that all surfactants in detergents must be ultimately biodegradable.
Levels of biodegradability:
- Readily biodegradable — breaks down by at least 60% within 28 days (OECD 301 tests). This is the gold standard.
- Inherently biodegradable — eventually degrades but takes longer and may not meet regulatory thresholds.
- Persistent — does not meaningfully degrade. Banned in EU detergent formulations.
Car wash wastewater flows into municipal treatment plants or, at sites with closed-loop water recycling, is recirculated. In both cases, biodegradable chemistry reduces environmental impact and prevents buildup of persistent compounds in recycled water.
Fortis Foam ECO is formulated exclusively with readily biodegradable ingredients, including modern chelating agents like GLDA. This makes it suitable for environmentally sensitive locations and operators seeking to reduce their footprint without sacrificing cleaning performance.
For a detailed comparison of environmental profiles across product types, read our article on biodegradability of car wash chemicals.