Last November, Biokleen was purchased by Weiman Products, LLC., a company owned by The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm.
And just as concerning as it is sad, this information was not easy to verify. I found out from my local refill delivery service who decided the new company’s policies didn’t align with her standards for sustainable business.
When I contacted TCG directly, at first they completely denied it. When I pressed harder, they said a PR agent would contact me shortly. They never did. But I found that response to be a little strange and revealing in itself. So I contacted other businesses that had used Biokleen to find out the same information: they sold out.
This was the letter sent to them back in November 2019:
The problem is that Weiman Products LLC is owned by The Carlyle Group is a giant supporter of the fossil fuel industry.
From their website: “Carlyle International Energy Partners (CIEP) seeks investment opportunities in oil and gas outside North America, notably in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia … The primary investment focus is on oil and gas exploration and production (E&P), mid- & downstream, refining and marketing (R&M) and oil field services (OFS).
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In October 2019, The Carlyle Group launched Boru Energy, an “oil and gas exploration and production” company that targets acquisitions of oil & gas assets across Sub-Saharan Africa. I wonder how the locals feel about this.
On the other hand, Azure Standard, Puretergent (Oakland/online) and Meliora (Chicago/online) sell eco-friendly products AND take back their containers.
If you’re in the bay area of California, fillgood.co delivers a ton of awesome household supplies, including these two brands, and they even have a couple pick up locations.
And don’t forget, you can make your own cleaning products at home with just a few, safe ingredients. Here are some tips and recipes we have perfected over the years:
3 Ingredient Dishwashing Detergent!
3 Ingredient Laundry Detergent
Plastic-Free Laundry Tips
Soapberries: A Multi-Purpose Cleaner
Cleaning Product Recommendations
Zero Waste California 