Emerald Kalama Chemical recently announced that it has completed registration for Kalaguard^® SB sodium benzoate as a new active ingredient under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fungicide Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). This registration makes the product available for use in North America for in-container control of bacteria, yeasts, and molds in industrial and household products.

Kalaguard SB is a broad-spectrum preservative for home care products up to pH 7. The EPA registration also covers a range of industrial applications, such as floor and leather care, coatings, adhesives, silicones, surfactants, inks, and other non-ionic emulsions systems. Kalaguard SB is recommended for use in formulations at neutral and acidic pH and may be used at ambient and elevated process temperatures.

“The range of available preservatives has decreased significantly due to regulatory pressure, evolving consumer preferences and supply disruptions,” said Rosanna Stokes, business development manager for Emerald’s Consumer Specialties business in the Americas. “At the same time, there is growing demand for eco-friendly, skin-friendly products that are still adequately protected from microbial contamination. This is especially true during a pandemic, when it’s critical to make sure products remain stable and effective throughout their life, while also minimizing adverse reaction potential due to increased use of cleaning product.

“This registration is a culmination of a complex, data-intensive, multi-year effort. It’s a very important milestone that will enable a  new generation of home care products with robust preservation and a favorable environmental and human toxicology profile.”

For more information, visit www.emeraldkalama.com.