The wave of Green products have found a new ingredient taken from coconut and palm kernel oil.  These are natural sources, and sodium lauryl sulphate is a processed substance that requires sulphuric acid to produce.  This ingredient has raised some concerns (legitimate and illegitimate) about whether this is a Green or a safe ingredient now showing up in many "Green" cleaners.

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS or NaDS) (C12H25SO4Na) is an anionic surfactant that is used in industrial products including engine degreasers, floor cleaners, and car wash soaps; as well as in household products such as toothpastes, shampoos, shaving foams, some dissolvable aspirins, fiber therapy caplets, and bubble baths for its thickening effect and its ability to create a lather. The molecule has a tail of 12 carbon atoms, attached to a sulfate group, giving the molecule the amphiphilic properties required of a detergent.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is a foaming that helps in the cleaning process which is something we all expect in a certain cleaners.  This foaming and dispersal action makes this a broad use ingredient for soaps and personal products.  It is likely that those in the cleaning business have heard the pros and cons of SLS. 

There is a debate going on about whether Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is harmful and may lead to eye, brain, heart, and liver damage.  The American Cancer Society has responded to the SLS concerns with an article dated 1998/09/23 “Bebunking the Myth.”  You can find this link at http://www.cancer.org/docroot/nws/content/nws_2_1x_debunking_the_myth.asp

I doubt that my comments are going to settle the debate, but I find no convincing evidence that this product is not a real health risk regardless of the “urban legend” type articles that show up in the Internet.  You will see Sodium Lauryl Sulphate in many commercially available “Green” products.  These are admittedly better than the standard cleaning products that you will find.  So, while I have no ability to endorse or condemn from a scientific viewpoint, I feel comfortable with this product in the Green category of cleaning and personal care products.

AS someone with vested interest in the use of Green products, I feel comfortable with the products I have seen using sodium laurel sulphate.  I may be surprised one day to be mistaken about this ingredient, but it will not be the first time.  I am still being tossed back and forth about butter versus margarine since the science seems to teeter to either side depending on the year.  Coffee has suddenly emerged as a health drink against cancer and a few other ailments though it was condemned for other reasons as few years ago.

So, with a layman's viewpoint added by a fairly good insight into the nature of Green concepts, I feel this ingredient presents a significant step in the right direction.  Until something better comes along, sodium lauryl sulfate products are pretty Green.