Refill packages lessen load on landfills

To lessen the load on landfills, some manufacturers of household cleaners are going green and offering concentrated detergents in small refill packages. These "just-add-water" cleaners are part of an eco-friendly line of

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"For a product that is 95 per cent water, the costs to the environment -- and to the consumer -- just don't add up," says Eric Green, president of Planet People. "We created iQ to combat the excessive waste and cost of traditional cleaners, designing something that is easy to use, easy on our planet and 25 per cent less expensive than conventional cleaners," he says.

Method, creator of non-toxic, biodegradable home-care products, has partnered with TerraCycle to keep its foaming hand wash, dish soap and laundry detergent refill pouches out of the landfills. According to the Method website, the lightweight pouches not only yield "more than 80 per cent savings in materials, energy and water over normal bottles," but they are also reused by TerraCycle to make plastic bags, fabrics and textiles.
Refill pouches are priced from $5.99 and are available at Canadian Tire, Home Outfitters, Shoppers Drug Mart and some grocery stores.