Textile service companies have used nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) since the early 1960s, and for just as long, it seems, they’ve been a prime topic of discussion and debate. 
 
NPEs are surfactants that are included in a broader family of chemicals called Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs). Textile service companies have long used these surfactants in cleaning compounds because they have provided a very effective, economical means to clean textiles, particularly in the removal of hydrocarbon-based soils.
 
Writing’s on the wall
 
Recently, NPEs have come under scrutiny for their impact on the environment, particularly ...