Taking a circular approach
There’s more to being green than recycling. Dominic Ponniah, CEO of Cleanology, explains how a commitment to sustainability brings a host of added bonuses.
There’s more to being green than recycling. Dominic Ponniah, CEO of Cleanology, explains how a commitment to sustainability brings a host of added bonuses. [Intro]
Cleaning businesses are often thought of as the grimy end of business. There’s no denying that elements of our industry have some way to go, but the more forward-thinking are striving for a sector that focuses on the ‘clean’ in cleaning.
Recycling has become standard over the last 10 years. However, it’s not enough to just add the odd recycling bin and expect people to get on with it. At Cleanology, our recycling systems are designed for maximum participation, so as well as auditing every site, we use an online portal which enables us to view real-time recycling data.
Some might ask, why not stop there? But if we really are serious about sustainability, we need to look at every area of the business. We focus on those areas which will bring the greatest impact, and innovate and trial systems that we hope will benefit the entire industry.
Cleanology was the first in Europe to introduce portion-controlled, biological cleaning sachets. Since switching, we are saving 16,092 litres of water, and cutting plastic bottle use from 21,600 to just 600 each year.
In 2020, we pioneered the introduction of uniforms made from recycled bottles. This saves 7000 bottles from landfill each year, whilst also saving on resources and energy to manufacture new clothing.
We had already taken steps to reduce car emissions by switching to an all-hybrid car fleet, and last year we launched a 100% electric van fleet. These vehicles will save 5000 litres of diesel per year – equivalent to 13.5 tonnes of CO2.
As well as reusing and recycling all of our office paper, we donate printer cartridges to charity for recycling, encourage staff to travel sustainably, and use recycled products wherever possible. We had already seen the benefit of switching to e-payslips for staff. When we rolled out the system to invoices, paper use fell by 20%, resulting in a saving of over 100,000 sheets of paper a year.
All of this, coupled with staff training and a clear commitment at the highest level of the company, ensures that staff and customers know we are serious. We provide staff with in-depth training during their induction and follow-up courses throughout their time with the company. We make our expectations clear, and regularly survey employees to assess their level of environmental awareness. In 2020, this improved from 69 to 75%.
Robust record-keeping is essential if you want to identify the areas that need to change, and measure the effectiveness of initiatives. Our accreditation to ISO:14001 calls for continuous improvement and robust monitoring, while our recent application for B-Corp status backs up our mission to join up all areas of our business.
As someone who started out in the green transport business, sustainability has always been high on my agenda. To those who say the cleaning sector has little opportunity to change the world, I argue that greater sustainability gives a competitive edge, helps with staff engagement, and builds a better planet. And that provides a clear, clean advantage.
A vision for a sustainable future
David Emmerson, group solutions and sustainability director at The Exclusive Services Group, reports.
For many years now, the cleaning industry has been introducing new, innovative machinery, products and technology to support a more sustainable cleaning approach. At The Exclusive Services Group (TESG) we take our commitment to supporting our planet and the future generation’s wellbeing so seriously that we have appointed our very own director for solutions and sustainability. Working closely with our internal teams, supply chain and our customers, we are striving to achieve the most suitable and effective environmental solutions, both now and for the future.
To fully understand the impact we, TESG, are having on the environment, we needed to first establish a ‘how, what, where and why’ approach to understanding our own carbon footprint. To support us with this we engaged the services of a recognised sustainability expert, who over the last six months has guided and educated us to not only understand sustainability, but also how we can develop our strategy, and measure our progress for the future. Having calculated our ‘baseline’ carbon footprint figure, we are now in an excellent position to improve our contribution to achieving a zero-carbon future - whilst most importantly we have a clear strategy, with clear targets and timelines and a clear understanding of how we will get there.
It will come as no surprise that our biggest direct carbon impact is from the use of our fleet vehicles, for which we have already commenced a transition to hybrid and electric vehicles. Whilst working with our managers and customers, we have also achieved a minimum reduction of 20% in travel time, mileage and fuel through restructuring our approach to site visits and geographical management. However, we also recognised that we have a significant ‘indirect’ impact from the machinery, products and supplies that we provide for our on-site cleaning teams, which ultimately has a ‘direct’ impact on our customers’ carbon footprints. So, throughout 2020/21 we have been evaluating our machinery, products, manufacturers, and supply chain and we are pleased to report that we have already started to make significant changes.
We have already started to roll-out ‘chemical-free’ cleaning with a solution we produce on site as and when we need it, reducing our chemical usage by up to 80%. Our future target is 100% chemical-free cleaning. Our vacuum cleaners are now made of 76% recycled materials and use 30% less energy, whilst our buckets and other plastic products are 95%+ recycled and in most cases recyclable. Our cleaning machines have ‘eco’ functions that reduce water usage by up to 50% and our latest cleaning machine supports the reduction of manual mopping by up to 95%, therefore reducing time, water and risk. Our latest trials of robotic solutions demonstrate an ability to recycle up to 85% of water.
When procuring new equipment and machinery from our supply chain, a key part of the evaluation process is now one of sustainability and not just price. We actively look to understand where the product is sourced and assembled and the embodied carbon figure to manufacture. Whilst manufacturers do not have to declare this yet, they will need to in the future, we are sure, and the partners we want to work with have already started to do so. All must have recycling capabilities for end-on-life product/equipment and be WEEE compliant, whilst operating a ‘zero waste to landfill’ policy. We evaluate the ‘Cradle-to-Gate and Cradle-to-Grave’ environmental impact wherever we can and believe this has to be the evolution when assessing new products.
From a technology perspective we have introduced our own unique ‘paper free’ computer-based training platform for all our cleaning colleagues, electronic payslips, electronic T&A system, and are currently looking to introduce a fully computerised on-boarding process - all of which support a sustainable future.
Some who read this may think all the things we are doing are too excessive - after all, it’s just about ‘cleaning’ isn’t it! Well, we should all know by now that it’s NOT just about cleaning - it’s about people and their wellbeing, it’s about helping each other, and it’s about doing the right thing. At TESG we want to, and feel it’s the right thing to do, by going that extra yard to be the best we can be in supporting our cleaning colleagues, our customers and our planet in delivering a sustainable future for generations to come.
Rolling out the cleaning industry’s roadmap to sustainability
James Lee, managing director of Cromwell Polythene, outlines how the sector can integrate the CHSA’s five pillars of sustainability.
Action on climate change is gathering pace as governments, businesses and citizens accelerate measures to tackle it, and achieve global net zero by 2050. We all need to do our bit to make a positive impact.
To support the sector on the challenges ahead, The Cleaning and Hygiene Supplier’s Association (CHSA) is rolling out its ‘Roadmap to Sustainability’ this year. I was proud to present this initiative to the industry at The Cleaning Show in London last November, on behalf of the CHSA’s sustainability committee. As it develops, it will also form part of the conference programme at the Manchester Cleaning Show, from 6-7 April. If you didn’t get the chance to see the presentation made at last year’s Cleaning Show you can see it on the CHSA YouTube channel and watch this space for more roadmap information throughout this year.
Practical programme
Sustainability is multi-faceted and identifying the environmental impact of a product or process is not straightforward. The roadmap is a practical programme, designed to help CHSA members and the wider industry with activities and insights to move towards a more sustainable future. This will include webinars on key topics, including how to create a closed loop process that considers the whole product lifecycle. There will be factsheets and suggestions on what to ask your suppliers, and information on new legislation affecting the sector.
Integrating the five sustainability pillars
So, what steps should businesses be making to combat climate change? Here are some ways that Cromwell is applying the five pillars, and top tips for how organisations can embody environmental best practice:
1) Product: decision-makers are becoming more interested in how products they buy are manufactured and the supply chain behind this. It’s important to take a whole lifecycle approach when measuring a product’s sustainable credentials. This includes how materials are sourced, production processes, packaging, transportation, product use, durability, recycling and disposal methods, including any waste or by-products. We encourage businesses to check for recognised environmental standards and take time to assess whether they’re investing in the right tool for the job.
2) Packaging: packaging should be kept to a minimum and be both recyclable and easy for end users to recycle. I regularly emphasise that there are many benefits to using plastic packaging, when it is manufactured and used responsibly. It can, for example, prevent food waste and, due to its lightweight characteristics, reduce fuel consumption and lower greenhouse gases throughout the supply chain. Cromwell Polythene provides the option to use ‘poly packed packaging’ as an alternative to cardboard boxes. This packaging can be made from over 30% recycled content and easily recycled once used. The introduction of the Plastic Packaging Tax this year and Extended Producer Responsibility a few years after will be a key driver to reducing excess and unnecessary packaging whilst accelerating the amount of recycled content used.
3) Transportation: this covers the complete supply chain, from the sourcing of raw materials to delivery to the end user. When we introduced a new fleet range last year, we selected trucks that had strong eco credentials. Product and packaging should be designed so more can transported in the same space. The CHSA will be supporting members to ask the right questions of their supply chain. These include how do you optimise loads and delivery routes? What is your strategy for deploying electric vehicles? What steps have you taken to reduce the impact of delivery miles?
4) Social and ethical values: organisations should have a strong set of values, embodied throughout the business. For instance, one of Cromwell’s is to extend our family values to business partners and communities. All businesses, whether large or small, should champion ethical and environmentally sound products and processes, and be clear and honest in all they do.
5) Emissions, waste and water: clear environmental policies and actions should be in place. For example, our investment in new machinery and upgrades has increased energy efficiency, and our buildings have solar panels. We also help our customers to be more resource-efficient through our polythene recovery service. This keeps valuable resources within the circular economy by returning clean polythene packaging to the production cycle.
Each business will have its own set of unique challenges, however, by assessing measures against each of these pillars, you can start moving torwards a more sustainable future.
Keeping things clean whilst keeping it green
Daniel Took, head of professional product marketing at Kärcher UK, discusses the sustainable revolution and how businesses can adopt more sustainable cleaning methods.
Sustainability is an increasingly important focus for many within the cleaning industry and one taken seriously at Karcher UK. From our robust plans for our factories to be climate-neutral to optimising our product packaging and increasing the amount of recycled plastic used in our products, sustainability is more than a buzzword, it requires action. With this in mind, we have carefully developed our Battery Universe Platform to help facilities managers make a lasting change to their energy output.
The Battery Universe includes over 40 different machines from garden and lawn maintenance to building site cleaning to help users get the most from their switch to battery power. Rather than develop a series of machines that each run off their own battery, the Battery Universe is made up of just two batteries that can power every machine in the range. The 18V battery is ideal for handheld appliances, offering great range and power output for those less energy intensive jobs. The 36V battery can be used for larger machines and more energy intensive cleaning machines.
As the batteries are interchangeable, users can ensure that they always have the battery power that they need. Rather than purchasing lots of batteries of multiple sizes and outputs, the Battery Universe System reduces the environmental impact as the end user needs less batteries to power a range of appliances. For example, a facilities manager can easily go from using the hand-held battery-operated HV 1/1 Bp Fs vacuum cleaner to swiftly clean carpeted flooring to using the ES 1/7 Bp electrostatic sprayer for effective disinfection of surfaces without the need to find different batteries for each machine.
Moving over to battery power supports efficiency when it is required most. From spills to scrubbing hard floors, the mess can be effortlessly cleaned without the need for hazardous wires strewn across the floor - ideal for the service industry. As there are no cables to unwind and re-coil, the use of battery-powered machines can save up to 20% work time compared to corded models.
The intuitive LCD display with real-time technology keeps the user informed by displaying the runtime and charge time in minutes, alongside the remaining battery capacity. This allows the user to know exactly how long they have left until the battery needs to be charged.
As we continue to look for more sustainable cleaning methods, making the move to battery power is one way we can reduce our energy usage.
Vortex One – removing single use plastic from your cleaning regime
OES is a UK-based, next generation virus protection company working closely with Lime Supply, a national supply house, to introduce innovative and sustainable products. The focus is on removing single use plastic from cleaning processes while improving standards and reducing costs.
Vortex One is a super concentrate all-in-one EN 14476 sanitiser, cleaner and deodoriser designed for today’s post-pandemic challenges. This product is designed to be truly sustainable. Key benefits include:
• Economical: each super concentrate dose-controlled bottle can make 100 x 750ml antibacterial cleaning sprays or 50 double dose antiviral cleaning sprays, saving up to 20kg of single use plastic and 1.7kg of carbon emissions on delivery when compared to standard 750ml RTU products.
• Closed-loop: the bottle is designed to be re-used. Simply Freepost the bottle back to be recycled and reused again and again, removing more plastic from landfill.
• Re-use: the Vortex One re-usable spray bottle is made in the UK from 100% recycled milk bottles and is 100% recyclable, so not only can this eco-friendly bottle be used multiple times, but when it finally reaches the end of its life it can be easily recycled. Reducing landfill further.
• Safe: Vortex one is CLP free, has low aquatic toxicity and is water-based so is as eco-friendly in use as it is in design, and is as kind to the user as it is to the environment.
When designing a sustainable product, manufacturers want it to be able to make as large an impact as possible, and this is where Vortex One excels. Not only is it tested to EN12776, EN14476, EN1275, EN1650, and EN13704 and has a 1-minute deactivation rate against Coronavirus, but it is also multi-purpose. It can be used to sanitise, clean and deodorise hard surfaces, carpets, glass, mirrors, washrooms, and many other applications, reducing operative training time and improving standards. From a sustainable viewpoint this replaces multiple potentially toxic and unsustainable chemicals with one simple eco-friendly solution, all while reducing COSHH.
Matt Burtinshaw, managing director of Lime Supply, said: “We have been working with OES for a number of years now and their track record on viral protection is well established. However, when we started discussing Vortex One, we realised there was a real opportunity to take the market leading OES anti-viral cleaning performance and deliver it in a truly sustainable package. One that could save our customers up to 50% on their chemical costs while allowing them to meet their environmental, social and governance targets. This was too good an opportunity to miss, and along with Tim Jevons at OES we believe we can re-educate the marketplace that cleaning sustainably does not have to mean lowering standards and spending more - but in fact can improve performance and save money while protecting people in the post-pandemic world and still put the environment first.”
Vortex One is used across a wide spectrum of sites in the UK with great feedback across the board. Paul Ashton, CEO at Birkin Cleaning Services, said: “Since using Vortex One across a range of high-profile sites, the front-line feedback from the team has been fantastic. Vortex One is helping us achieve our ESG goals by supporting UK-based supply chain, removing single use plastic from our cleaning regime and ensuring accurate dosage, increasing hygiene standards and encouraging employee engagement through the recycling scheme.”
Environmental protection starts with awareness
Climate neutral by 2050: this is the ambitious goal that Europe has set itself to tackle the climate change we are witnessing, which is now an urgent threat that requires specific and prompt actions to combat global warming. In the current scenario, the green approach must become a priority: today more than ever, it is pivotal to reduce as much as possible the emissions of greenhouse gas and offset the inevitable to achieve an overall balance between emissions produced and taken out of the atmosphere.
In 2019 TTS started a long-term compensation programme to fully absorb the emissions associated with the annual production of Magic, thus making it a carbon neutral trolley line - a concrete action against climate change that not only allows the absorption of CO2 but also helps to safeguard endangered ecosystems, preserve biodiversity and protect the work of local communities making it possible for them to take care of an invaluable natural heritage.
The Carbon Footprint system lays the foundations for the definition of emission offsetting programmes as well as the implementation of other appropriate actions - understanding where the greenhouse gas emissions are occurring and quantifying their amount is the first step towards sustainable development.
For this reason, TTS has developed a computerised system that allows the counting of greenhouse gas emissions for each phase of the lifecycle of the trolleys and other equipment, from the supply of raw materials to the disposal at the end of their life (LCA - life cycle assessment). The work carried out has made it possible to achieve important milestones: TTS is one of the first companies in the world to have obtained certification for the implementation of Carbon Footprint Systematic Approach and the Magic Line 120 trolley is the first product to have obtained the Carbon Footprint Italy mark.
The Carbon Footprint Systematic Approach defined in the UNI EN ISO 14067:2018 standard represents an innovative tool for systematically and quickly quantifying the environmental footprint of products, with important wide-ranging benefits. First, identifying the most critical phases allows improvement actions to be outlined and implemented. Starting from the collected data, TTS can make choices from a sustainable perspective to minimise the emissions related to its production. For example, products are designed to be as compact as possible: stackable frames, foldable bag holders and compactable grips are just some of the solutions developed by TTS to optimise packaging and therefore transport, reducing environmental impact. In addition, the plastic used to produce the products comes exclusively from selected suppliers located at a maximum distance of 45km from the company's headquarters. This proximity to manufacturers and printers not only guarantees the origin of the materials but also reduces CO2 emissions associated with transport.
Quantifying the carbon footprint also means reporting the product's performance level in terms of sustainability, making the community aware of the impact on the environment. In this regard, TTS shares the quantification of the emissions associated with each phase of a product’s life to encourage a conscious and responsible choice by.
Briggs Equipment celebrates carbon neutral status
The Briggs commitment to sustainability isn’t just a slogan, it’s a long-term culture that will benefit its people, customers and the environment itself.
Briggs Equipment, the asset management and engineering services specialist, has underlined its ongoing commitment to sustainability by becoming an officially accredited carbon neutral business. The company will also be implementing a wide-ranging environmental strategy that will ensure Briggs and its customers can continue to operate in a sustainable fashion moving forward.
Working with Carbon Neutral Britain, Briggs is offsetting its carbon footprint via approved projects that contribute towards protecting the environment and supporting communities across the world with sustainable development. Additionally, Briggs is pledging to plant a tree for every new machine it sells. This activity will see thousands of new trees planted in the UK each year.
To support this initial work, the company is exploring a wide range of transformational infrastructure projects. This includes investigating the installation of green energy options like solar and wind power for onsite storage, the continued roll-out of hybrid and electric vehicles in its company fleet, the installation of electric charging points at Briggs locations, ongoing promotion of green technology, and much more.
In recent years there have been significant advancements in battery technology, bringing electrification to more and more applications and larger and larger equipment. This applies across the spectrum from warehouse operations to ports and container handling. These developments have enabled Briggs customers to invest with confidence in electrification across their equipment fleets and as a result they’re experiencing significant environmental benefits.
Briggs Equipment’s group managing director, Pete Jones, said: “We’re incredibly passionate about our environmental responsibilities and recognise the importance of operating as a sustainable organisation. This new programme of activity is a natural evolution for our business as for many years we’ve provided our customers with various tools to reduce their, and our, environmental impact. Our certification and offsetting initiative with Carbon Neutral Britain provides an umbrella for all these activities to come together as a comprehensive approach. We are pushing forward with a wide range of projects and initiatives that will deliver significant benefits and allow our customers to build their carbon strategy in partnership with us. We’re also exploring various infrastructure projects for renewable energy generation at our premises that will contribute significantly to our green objectives. The phasing out of diesel and petrol vehicles from our company fleet, switching to hybrid and electric vehicles is already well underway. Many of our customers are also embarking on their own ‘green journey’ and we are pleased to see the industry responding to the challenges ahead. Briggs is here to support those companies as they evolve towards a more sustainable model of working.”
SYR Switch - using recycled materials to create cleaning tools
With endless news stories on the negative environmental effects of plastic pollution, minimising plastic usage and waste as much as possible has become a trending concern in recent years. With businesses and individuals alike seeking greener options, this has been a challenge for the cleaning industry due to reliance on plastic in the manufacture of many cleaning tools, from antibacterial wipes to rotary floor machines. Demand may be higher than ever for sustainable alternatives to traditional cleaning products, but it is vital that such tools are fit for purpose and able to clean to the same high standard.
SYR, as a global manufacturer of cleaning products, has striven for more than 60 years to provide solutions to a multitude of hygiene challenges. Beginning life as a small family business, SYR has always been aware of its responsibility to the communities and environments in which it operates, a mindset which has driven its pursuit of innovation. Most recently, it has turned its attention to achieving sustainability in its business, and helping customers to do the same, by creating a range of cleaning products that work to make the most of available resources.
Through SYR’s advanced tooling and manufacturing processes, the creation of products like the LTS and TC20 mopping combos generate very little waste, with >1% scrap left after the moulding process. Even this, however, is not wasted. Plastic, previously destined for landfill is given a new life, used to create the SYR Switch range, a collection of cleaning tools made with recycled materials.
Using would-be waste to recreate some of SYR’s most popular cleaning tools, all Switch products are built to have the same quality and durability as any virgin plastic product. From the Safeguard-R, a safety sign as tough and reliable as its non-recycled counterparts, to the LTS-R, a mopping combo equipped with a multitude of innovative and ergonomic features made from recycled materials, SYR Switch is evidence that customers need not compromise on efficiency or performance in order to make more eco-friendly cleaning choices.
Just as SYR Switch ensures a manufacturing system with 0% waste in the factory environment, SYR also offers an additional method of making the most of the earth’s finite resources: Cradle to Cradle, a closed-loop recycling system. While all SYR products have been built to last, in the event that they should need to be replaced, the Cradle to Cradle scheme allows customers to send their old polypropylene products back to SYR. Cleaning tools can be challenging to recycle, instead ending up in landfill when discarded. Cradle to Cradle offers a more sustainable option, working to halt the progression of product to landfill by creating a circular economy.
Using SYR’s advanced recycling techniques, recycled components and regrind plastics are shaped into brand new SYR Switch products. In addition to reducing the amount of waste both SYR and its customers produce, this system is a future-proof method of creating durable and efficient cleaning tools, making the most of all usable resources, protecting the environment and saving businesses time and money in the process.