Environmental safety encompasses aspects of both ecological and human health. These may be influenced by physical, chemical and biological factors in the environment. It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing, correcting, controlling, and preventing those factors in the environment that can potentially adversely affect the health of present and future generations of biological life. Water, air, soil and sediment pollution are integral aspects of environmental safety which, in this context, refers primarily to the environmental occurrence, fate and effects associated to the consumer product ingredients. Since the primary environmental points of entry for cleaning product ingredients are via water, emphasis is placed on their aquatic fate and effects including consideration of sediments. Moreover, since surfactants in volume represent >90% of the total material volume directly relevant to the American Cleaning Institute, significant focus is placed on surfactants in the Institute's work. However, other ingredients of interest are also addressed. Protection of environmental and human health is obviously an imperative feature of sustainability and a commitment by the American Cleaning Institute and its members.