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Setting out on a journey to change the way the UK cleans

Published 10th March, 2023 by Neil Nixon

Setting out on a journey to change the way the UK cleans

Nick Winstone, co-founder and MD of Biovate Hygienics, reports.

Sustainable facilities management can play a pivotal role in boosting an organisation’s overall sustainability goals. It offers a whole host of benefits such as helping to create a positive brand image, reducing energy costs, promoting ‘green’ practices as well as showing a healthy respect for the care of the planet and its people.

According to a recent survey by PwC, 76% of consumers are likely to stop buying from a brand that doesn’t practice sustainability. From the same report 84% of employees prefer to work for a company that cares for the environment. (¹)

One of the ways a facilities management team can focus on its sustainability efforts is to adopt wholeheartedly a green cleaning strategy. Research has indicated that using traditional cleaning chemicals can pose a health risk, whilst sustainable cleaning products will take greater care of your employees and the environment. A sensible cleaning product to invest in would ideally be one that biodegrades completely within a short time frame - usually within 28 days.

As an example, if I was cleaning a table in a bar or restaurant, I would want to use a biologically based product that I know would break down from an environmental perspective and would leave nothing behind. This is just one instance of showing a commitment to reducing your environmental and carbon footprint where at all possible.

The way the products are packaged is also really important to think about. For commercial cleaning products these should be as concentrated as possible. For example, a multi-purpose 1.5 litre pouch uses 90% less plastic than a jerry can and makes 275 spray bottles, massively reducing the carbon footprint and plastic waste generated.

Fully recyclable trigger heads

Fitting products with trigger heads that are made from 33% PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) plastic with no metal parts, and are fully recyclable, as some of our products are, also helps with sustainability. Their use stops 7.5 tonnes of virgin plastic from entering the supply chain, with CO2 emissions reduced by 13% and wastewater by 17%. Responsible sourcing of cardboard packaging also reduces our CO2 emissions by 25%.

Another important factor to consider is the impact a product has on the user. Basically a green cleaning product should not be classified as an irritant to skin or corrosive in its diluted state.

Importance of a sustainability strategy

Adopting a well-defined sustainability strategy has to be a priority for the corporate world with environmental impact becoming a major driver in procurement decisions. This is sure to accelerate in a post pandemic world. In the liquid product cleaning industry, this is reflected in demand from customers and their distributors for chemical-free and plastic-free cleaning products. They are mindful of the fact most commercial cleaning products are in a ready-to-use format, increasing plastic waste and carbon footprints. Others contain traditional chemical actives which are unkind to the environment, while inhaling some chemical cleaning products is simply unhealthy, especially for cleaners using the products all day.

We’ve embarked on a journey to establish our company as the UK’s go-to sustainable brand offering a carbon neutral range of liquid cleaning products that will ultimately transform the way Britain cleans. We have set out to make all our products carbon neutral and sustainable inside the packaging, the way they’re packaged, the way they’re produced and the way they’re transported and stored.

All our products are designed with these goals in mind – and we like to think we’re leading by example, setting standards for the rest of the sustainable cleaning industry to follow.

Biovate Hygienics is exhibiting at The Cleaning Show 2023 held from March 14 to 16 at Excel, London. Visit them at Stand D18.

(¹) https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/library/consumer-intelligence-series/consumer-and-employee-esg-expectations.html

https://www.biovatehygienics.com/

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