Two common beliefs are that natural ingredients are safer and more sustainable than synthetic ingredients. Neither are true. This article explains why.
What is the difference between natural and synthetic ingredients?
A natural ingredient is a substance occurring in nature that is either unprocessed or separated from its natural state. Synthetic ingredients are man-made.
The safety myth: are natural ingredients safer?
No. An ingredient’s safety is not determined by whether it is natural or synthetic. It’s determined by a scientific formula: Risk = Hazard x Exposure, where:
Hazard is the potential harm a substance could cause.
Exposure is the amount of that substance that actually reaches you in real-world conditions.
Risk is the likelihood that a harmful effect will actually occur.
Think of apples. The seeds contain a compound that can release cyanide (a hazard). However, the risk of harm from eating an apple is negligible, because the exposure from accidentally swallowing a few seeds is incredibly small.
Now think of lab made ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). It has exactly the same chemical structure, taste, smell, and function in your body as the naturally occurring ascorbic acid found in oranges.
These examples show that when it comes to safety, natural isn’t always better and synthetic or artificial aren’t always more damaging; a position supported by the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health and explained in this article: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/know-science/natural-doesnt-mean-better. In fact, synthetically derived ingredients can sometimes improve quality and consistency.
The sustainability myth: are natural ingredients better for the environment?
They can be, but not always. An ingredient's overall sustainability depends on multiple factors, including how it is sourced, manufactured, and transported. This requires a holistic, science-based approach like a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to prove.
For example, while natural ingredients can have a lower carbon footprint, growing them at an industrial scale can have other environmental impacts, such as land-use changes, high water usage, and biodiversity loss. At the same time, under optimal conditions, synthesizing compounds can sometimes be a more sustainable alternative, ensuring a steady supply and consistent quality while mitigating the environmental impact of intensive crop cultivation.
Ariel’s approach: the best of both worlds
Ariel uses a combination of natural and synthetic ingredients, depending on which are the most suitable to deliver brilliant cleaning performance via products that are safe and non-harmful for the environment when used and disposed of as intended. Irrespective of an ingredient’s source (natural or synthetic), our commitment to you is to:
Ensure the safety of every ingredient through a rigorous four-step safety risk assessment procedure and then applies safety margins that are typically 100 to 1,000 times below established safe limits.
Embed responsible sourcing throughout our supply chain, employing an approach which is ethical, environmentally aware, and respects human rights. For more details visit: Responsible Sourcing at P&G | P&G