Published

April 22, 2025

BASF’s Home Care and I&I Cleaning Solutions team is dedicated to providing innovative products that balance cost, efficiency, and sustainability. One of the ways that we do this is by providing a broad variety of ingredients that are approved for use in Safer Choice cleaning products, including surfactants, chelating agents, polymers, and enzymes. These products are designed to be safer for human health and the environment while maintaining high performance standards. The EPA's Safer Choice program was created to help consumers and manufacturers identify and utilize ingredients that are better for the environment and human health. Products must meet stringent criteria to earn the Safer Choice label. 

Did you know there is an even higher standard known as Direct Release?

EPA Safer Choice Direct Release standards require that products for outdoor use that are intended to bypass sewage treatment processes, meet additional criteria. This is because these products have the potential to directly affect aquatic life. When bypassing sewage treatment processes, careful attention to ingredient choice can help to prevent pollution of rivers, lakes, and oceans. BASF offers a diverse range of ingredients that are approved for use in direct release products, helping to support formulations that safeguard our planet.

The vehicle care market is one of the more critical industries to consider formulation using ingredients approved for direct release – since the water run-off from the cleaning process often bypasses sewage treatment processes.

Formulating for Performance and Direct Release in the Vehicle Care Market

BASF’s commitment to sustainability extends into various industries, including vehicle care, where direct release products help minimize contamination risk from wash water discharges. With approximately 60,000 car wash locations across the US, the sector has been expanding at roughly 5% annually, with some forecasts predicting the market to double by 2030¹. The car wash services market, valued at $14.7 billion in 2024, is projected to grow at an annual rate of 2.1% from 2025 to 2030².

In the United States, more than 72% of drivers utilize professional car wash services on average 13 times annually. Conveyor car washes routinely generate the highest profits in the industry², and many car washes now offer subscription services, making it convenient and cost-effective for customers to clean their cars regularly. With the increasing awareness of environmental issues and the necessity for sustainable practices, the car wash industry is adapting to meet these challenges. The industry is shifting towards eco-friendly practices, such as using green cleaning supplies, driven by regulatory pressures and a growing demand from environmentally conscious consumers.³

BASF offers innovative solutions that cater to these evolving needs, ensuring car wash businesses can thrive in this dynamic market. 

BASF’s portfolio includes a diverse range of products that offer numerous benefits such as:

• Water-saving, rinse-free vehicle wash for shine and protection
• Quick-drying formulas for faster cleaning turnaround
• High-foam products lift dirt and clean surfaces without damage

Additionally, many of these high-performance ingredients are approved for use in Direct Release formulations, meaning that formulators can add the “certified for outdoor use” language to the Safer Choice label. 

Spotlight Ingredient – Glucopon® surfactants for Direct Release Car Care Products

Increasing foam in conveyor car washes enhances cleaning efficiency, protects vehicles, improves equipment lubrication, speeds up wash times, and increases customer satisfaction. The data and image below, shows how Glucopon surfactants can enable foam boosting.

As the market continues to grow and evolve, BASF remains at the forefront by providing innovative solutions, including direct release products, that enhance efficiency and effectiveness for customers. To learn more about our direct release products or to request a sample, please contact us today.

Questions?  Contact us

¹ BLOOMBERG
² gRAND VIEW RESEARCH
³ pROFESSIONAL CARWASHING & dETAILING MAGAZINE

*The content of regenerative carbon for Trilon G is calculated to be 56% using internal testing methods. The percentage of renewable carbon is based on the following calculation: renewable carbon % = number of renewable carbon atoms/total number of carbon atoms (renewable and nonrenewable) x 100. The content of regenerative carbon for Trilon M was measured by ASTM D6866 method. 

**Readily biodegradable means the active ingredient (Trilon M) is known to be ≥ 60% degradation within 28 days according to the internationally recognized OECD 301F test. The Trilon G product itself has not been tested. Trilon G's active ingredient, glutamic acid diacetate (GLDA), is classified as readily biodegradable. The statement is derived from products of a similar structure and composition.