There are several alternatives, namely:
• Ethoxylated alcohols
Substitutes for nonylphenol ethoxylates in the industrial, institutional and domestic detergents sectors are generally mixtures of anionic and nonionic surfactants : mainly ethoxylated alcohols mixed with fatty acids and derivatives, fatty amines, hydrocarbons unsaturated.
• Glucose surfactants
Another alternative for NPEs is the use of carbohydrates such as alkylpolyglucosides or glucamides. They are moderate foaming agents and excellent emulsifiers. They are well suited for washing textiles, especially when combined with other nonionic surfactants and anionic surfactants, with which they can have synergistic effects.
• Other surfactants
Some surfactants may substitute for specific applications, for example, silicone surfactants are used in the production of polyurethane foam while naphthalene compounds are used in photographic developing solutions. In other cases, the NPEs may be replaced by a mixture of nonionic surfactants or a mixture which comprises anionic or amphoteric surfactants.
For more details, refer to the document : Technical and economic data on chemical substances in France: nonylphenols and ethoxylates (in French).