[pct-l] Dr. Bronner's Soaps

[Liz Mares]

First off, I'm glad to hear L-Rod is back on line and safe!  
   
  I tried to post this back on Sept. 27th when I received this reply from Dr. Bronner's Soaps but that was when the list went down.  Anyhow, if anyone is interested in the study attachments, please email me off-list and I will send them to you.  Also, if anyone has any further questions for Michael Bonner, send them to me off-list and I'll put them all in one email to him and post his reply.  Thanks, La Zorra
   
  Here is Michael Bronner's email:
   
   
  Thanks for writing.  We completely understand your concern for what you use out in nature.
   
  I have attached the results of a biodegradability study we did on our soaps and our Sal Suds this past Spring in Germany.  As you can see from the results, our soaps have been shown to be rapidly biodegradable.  The Sal Suds contains fir needle and spruce essential oils and still is rapidly biodegradable.  We feel that any of the other essential oils in our products would respond the same way.
   
  Ironically, the soap scum that you see in your bathroom, and which you are worried about getting into the lakes and rivers, is exactly what makes our soaps so biodegradable in the first place.  Soap scum is what results when soap reacts with the calcium and magnesium ions in hard water and peters out.  In so doing, the soap is broken down loses all of its “soap-like” characteristics, including the reduced surface tension it has given to water.  Surface tension is a little hard to explain but basically a higher surface tension will result in water beading up into little droplets, while a lower surface tension allows the water to sheet out and evenly cover a table.  Soap works so well because it lowers the surface tension, and not only allows the water sheet out, but it also is able to penetrate into clothing and dig out all the dirt.  However, water with a low surface tension can be very bad for fish and aquatic plants, since it makes it difficult for them to glean the
 nutrients they need out of water.
   
  When soap breaks down as it reacts with the calcium and magnesium ions, the surface tension is normalized back to its original levels.  Many surfactants and detergents, on the other hand, are engineered to resist breaking down in hard water, not only so they will foam better but also so they won’t leave “soap scum” in the bathtub.  Unfortunately, these chemicals reach the waterways intact, and can effectively “drown” fish who can’t glean the oxygen from water that has had its surface tension reduced.
   
  As far as oils not being water soluble, you are absolutely correct.  However, the beauty of soap is that it has two sides: a water-loving side and an oil-loving side.  That is what makes soap so effective: it is soluble in both oil and water, and by breaking down oils and allowing them to be absorbed into water, it can remove the dirt and grime that clings to the body and other things and rinse them away.
   
  Hope this helps.  Please let me know if you have any other questions, or if you need me to clarify anything.
   
    Take care,
   
  Michael Bronner
    Vice-President
    Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps


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