EthicalChem
EthicalChem develops and licenses plant-based surfactant and oxidant chemical technologies for environmental remediation and oilfield applications, serving remediation firms and oil & gas operators through direct sales and a global channel partner network spanning 14 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersSouth Windsor, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What EthicalChem does
EthicalChem, a division of Ethical Solutions, LLC owned by the 125-year-old Shepard Group, develops and commercializes plant-based chemical technologies for environmental remediation and oilfield applications. The company was established in September 2014 when Ethical Solutions acquired intellectual property and assets from VeruTEK Technologies, including the patented S-ISCO (Surfactant-enhanced In Situ Chemical Oxidation) and SEPR (Surfactant Enhanced Product Recovery) technologies whose surfactant-oxidant chemistry originated in 2005. Its portfolio is anchored by E-Mulse plant-based surfactants (E-Mulse 10 for chlorinated solvents and petroleum fuels; E-Mulse 3 for heavier hydrocarbons including MGP and creosote) and extended into oilfield production chemistry with MudOut single-step filter cake remover, Green Solvents, Scale Dissolver, GnA green-synthesized nano-iron activator, NLX-65 demulsifier, and ECN-17 nutrients. Eleven issued patents worldwide and seven pending protect the underlying surfactant-oxidant combinations and downstream applications across the US, EU, Australia, and Canada.
The company monetizes through chemical product sales, technology licensing, and flexible technical services ranging from chemical supply only to full-scale remedial design and implementation. Go-to-market combines direct sales with a channel partner network that includes Terra Systems (exclusive US distributor since April 2024), ChemCo (Canada), Beijing Champin (China), EOR Marketing (US Southwest), and Middle East resellers in Egypt, UAE, Kuwait, and Libya. End-customers are primarily environmental remediation firms, oil & gas producers, and oilfield service companies addressing NAPL contamination, chlorinated solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, filter cake, paraffin, asphaltene, and scale problems. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and reflects a project-driven model.
EthicalChem is headquartered in South Windsor, Connecticut, employs 1-10 people, and operates without external institutional investment. Marketing emphasizes technical education through webinars, industry conferences (Battelle, AEHS, SPE ATCE, RemTec, Florida Remediation Conference), peer-reviewed publications, and case-study-driven content. The company received Clean Water Action's Innovation Award in 2015 and benefits from regulatory pre-approval of E-Mulse in Los Angeles County under the General WDR. Operations span 14 countries through 100+ documented site implementations.
EthicalChem firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EthicalChem
- Legal name
- Ethical Solutions, LLC (operating as EthicalChem Division)
- Website
- https://ethicalchem.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- EthicalChem develops and licenses plant-based surfactant and oxidant chemical technologies for environmental remediation and oilfield applications, serving remediation firms and oil & gas operators through direct sales and a global channel partner network spanning 14 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EthicalChem industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Chemicals
- NAICS
- Surface Active Agent Manufacturing (325613)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Commodity Surfactants & Detergent Base Chemicals (IMAEAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Chlorinated Solvent & VOC Groundwater Remediation (e.g., PCE/TCE) (BPALAKAC), Circular Economy & Waste/Materials Reporting (Zero waste, packaging) (EUAHAJAL)
Keywords
Where EthicalChem is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Windsor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
EthicalChem business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Chemical Products Sales: Sale of proprietary plant-based chemical products including E-Mulse surfactants, Green Solvents, MudOut, Scale Dissolver, and GnA catalyst. Products are sold with varying levels of support from supply-only to full implementation.
- Technical Services: Flexible service offerings including bench scale testing, pilot or full-scale remedial design, full onsite implementation, and technical support on or off-site. Services provided based on client preference and site-specific requirements.
- Technology Licensing: Licensing of patented S-ISCO and SEPR technologies to partners and distributors for use in environmental remediation projects.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
EthicalChem product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EthicalChem develops and supplies plant-based surfactant and oxidant chemical technologies for environmental soil and groundwater remediation (S-ISCO and SEPR processes using E-Mulse surfactants) and for oilfield applications (MudOut filter cake remover, Green Solvents, Scale Dissolver). The company operates a flexible business model providing chemical product sales, technical support, bench/pilot-scale testing, full-scale remedial design, and on-site implementation project management based on client needs.
Product overview
EthicalChem offers a portfolio of plant-based chemical technologies for environmental remediation and oilfield applications. The core offerings include S-ISCO (Surfactant-enhanced In Situ Chemical Oxidation) and SEPR (Surfactant Enhanced Product Recovery) for remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater, along with specialized surfactants including E-Mulse 10 and E-Mulse 3. For oil production, products include MudOut filter cake remover, Green Solvents, Scale Dissolver, ECN-17 Nutrients, GnA activator, and NLX-65 Demulsifier. The company operates with a flexible business model providing chemical supply, technical support, and full-scale remedial design and implementation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- S-ISCO (Surfactant-enhanced In Situ Chemical Oxidation): Patented remediation technology combining biodegradable plant-based surfactants with oxidants to destroy soil contamination in-place, eliminating rebound and providing permanent solutions.
- SEPR (Surfactant Enhanced Product Recovery)
- E-Mulse
- MudOut
- Green Solvents
- Scale Dissolver
Products and services
- S-ISCO (Surfactant-enhanced In Situ Chemical Oxidation) Patented remediation process combining plant-based E-Mulse surfactants with oxidants to destroy tightly sorbed hydrophobic contamination and residual NAPL contamination in subsurface soils in place, eliminating rebound and providing permanent source zone cleanup for environmental remediation firms and site owners.
- SEPR (Surfactant Enhanced Product Recovery) Green chemistry injection-and-extraction process that combines patented plant-based, biodegradable surfactant/co-solvent blends with low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide for substantial removal of free-product and residual NAPL from subsurface environments, used by environmental remediation firms ahead of S-ISCO treatment.
- E-Mulse 10 Surfactant Plant-derived, non-ionic surfactant blend effective on chlorinated solvents and petroleum fuel oils such as diesel, hydraulic fluid, and gasoline; biodegradable per OECD 301D. Used as a component of S-ISCO and SEPR remediation treatments.
- E-Mulse 3 Surfactant Enhanced plant-based surfactant blend incorporating citrus solvent for heavier hydrocarbons including MGP coal tar and creosote; biodegrades 90% within 14 days per OECD 301D testing.
- MudOut Filter Cake Remover Single-step drilling mud filter cake remover developed with Texas A&M that provides uniform breakdown of filter cake through one injection, eliminating pre-treatment water-wetting and post-treatment acid injection; outperforms conventional approaches such as formic acid for oilfield service companies.
- Green Solvents High flashpoint, low vapor plant-based solvent and solvent-surfactant blends that dissolve paraffins, asphaltenes, and hydrocarbon residues for oil and gas operators without carcinogens, ozone depleting compounds, or hazardous air pollutants.
- Scale Dissolver Custom-formulated oilfield scale dissolver that forms stable chelates with calcium, copper, and aluminum and has outstanding chelating power for calcium ion, proven effective in dissolving barium sulfate scale and surpassing EDTA and NTA chelants.
- ECN-17 Nutrients Nutrients for enhancing bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon impacts by stimulating and proliferating indigenous micro-organisms at contaminated sites.
- GnA (Green-synthesized Nano-iron Activator) Polyphenol coated nano-iron product that activates hydrogen peroxide to separate oil-bound water into a recoverable oil phase and reusable water phase for oil and produced water treatment applications.
- NLX-65 Demulsifier Demulsifier used in processes that separate oil from water, distributed through ChemCo in Canada for oil and gas and environmental applications.
- Remediation and Oilfield Technical Services Flexible service offerings including bench-scale testing, pilot or full-scale remedial design, full on-site implementation, and on- or off-site technical support, scoped to client preference and site-specific requirements for environmental remediation and oil & gas customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- $5 million (>50%) cost savings compared to excavation at MGP site in Queens NY
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use EthicalChem
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
EthicalChem technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
EthicalChem partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Terra SystemscoreWorldwide market-leading provider of environmental in-situ bioremediation products. Exclusive United States distributor of EthicalChem's patented surfactant technologies S-ISCO and SEPR. This relationship leverages reputations of both environmental remediation firms and enhances Terra System's existing in-situ reagent portfolio providing customers broader range of remedial options for complex sites.
- Middle East Distribution NetworkminorExpanded reseller presence for oil industry products providing representation in Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Libya for MudOut filter cake removal product and Green Solvents product line.
- ChemCocoreCanadian technology developer and chemical distributor. Leading supplier of oxidation and reductive solutions for soil and groundwater remediation in Canada and multi-disciplinary chemical technology provider in other environmental sectors including Water and Atmospheric Emissions treatment.
- Beijing Champin Environmental Protection Science and Technology Co., LTDcoreReseller and Technical Cooperation agreement to develop soil remediation market for EthicalChem S-ISCO and SEPR technologies in mainland China. Champin is an established provider of wastewater treatment solutions to the oil industry in China.
- EOR Marketing, LLCminorMaster Marketer agreement for reselling EthicalChem high-performance, environmentally friendly oil industry products with focus on oil producers and oil services companies in the U.S. Southwest.
- Texas A&M UniversitycoreCollaborative research partner for development of MudOut filter cake remover. Texas A&M conducted performance comparison tests demonstrating EthicalChem Green Solvents superior price/performance over d-limonene.
- Sahara Petroleum ServicesminorBusiness partner implementing Scale Dissolver product. Documented successful implementation at Shell, GEMSA, Zeitoc, and Petrobel sites.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
EthicalChem competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Regenesis: Provider of in-situ remediation technologies including bioremediation, chemical oxidation, and permeable reactive zones, competing with EthicalChem's S-ISCO and SEPR offerings in the environmental remediation segment.
- Tersus Environmental: Specializes in surfactant-enhanced remediation and in-situ chemical oxidation technologies for NAPL cleanup, overlapping directly with EthicalChem's S-ISCO/SEPR value proposition.
- PeroxyChem: Major supplier of hydrogen peroxide and persulfate oxidants commonly used in in-situ chemical oxidation, competing with EthicalChem's oxidant-coupled surfactant systems as a chemistry input alternative.
Broad incumbents
- Solvay: Specialty chemicals producer with a strong surfactant and peroxygens business; relevant competitor in the surfactant and chemical oxidation chemistries that underpin S-ISCO and SEPR.
- Innospec: Specialty chemicals company with performance chemicals and oilfield services divisions, supplying surfactants and production chemicals to oil and gas — a broad incumbent comparable to EthicalChem's oilfield chemistry products.
- FMC Corporation: Diversified agricultural and industrial chemicals company with a significant surfactants and industrial intermediates portfolio relevant to both remediation chemistry and oilfield applications.
- BASF: Global chemicals giant with substantial surfactant, solvent, and environmental technology portfolios, including offerings in soil and groundwater remediation chemistry that compete broadly with EthicalChem's product lines.
- Clariant: Specialty chemicals manufacturer with a sizable industrial and consumer specialties business including surfactants and green chemistry offerings, competing broadly in EthicalChem's core chemistries.
- Stepan Company: Large specialty surfactant manufacturer serving cleaning, personal care, and agricultural chemical markets; an incumbent whose plant-based surfactant capabilities overlap with EthicalChem's E-Mulse portfolio at a much broader scale.
Others
- Terra Systems: Exclusive US distributor for EthicalChem's S-ISCO and SEPR technologies and a leading provider of in-situ bioremediation products; included as a key ecosystem partner rather than a head-to-head competitor in surfactant chemistry.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
EthicalChem social profiles
Digital presenceEthicalChem financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EthicalChem leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
EthicalChem funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EthicalChem M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EthicalChem
What does EthicalChem do?
EthicalChem develops and supplies plant-based surfactant and oxidant chemical technologies for environmental soil and groundwater remediation (S-ISCO and SEPR processes using E-Mulse surfactants) and for oilfield applications (MudOut filter cake remover, Green Solvents, Scale Dissolver). The company operates a flexible business model providing chemical product sales, technical support, bench/pilot-scale testing, full-scale remedial design, and on-site implementation project management based on client needs.
Is EthicalChem a public or private company?
EthicalChem is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was EthicalChem founded?
EthicalChem was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is EthicalChem based?
EthicalChem is headquartered in South Windsor, United States, in the North America region.
How does EthicalChem make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Chemical Products Sales are the primary driver. The others are technical Services and technology Licensing.
Who are EthicalChem's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Regenesis, Tersus Environmental and PeroxyChem. Broad incumbents are Solvay, Innospec, FMC Corporation, BASF, Clariant and Stepan Company. Terra Systems is listed as an others.
Does EthicalChem have an API?
No public API is recorded for EthicalChem.
What industry is EthicalChem in?
EthicalChem's product category is Specialty Chemicals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAAAI, Commodity Surfactants & Detergent Base Chemicals, with a secondary code of BPALAKAC, Chlorinated Solvent & VOC Groundwater Remediation (e.g., PCE/TCE). Its NAICS code is 325613 and its SIC code is 2890.