News & comment Time for the UK to clean up its act


As a relative newcomer to the cleaning world my experience so far has been bittersweet.In a short time I have been lucky enough to meet lots of enthusiastic members of the industry who are passionate about what they do,but sadly this seems to be at odds with the value being placed on cleaning by those outside of the industry.


Earlier this month I went to the British Institute of Cleaning Science’s (BICSc) summer event for my local region (details of events in your region at:www.bics.org.uk) which featured a lively debate on the subject of the choice between using microfibre cloths and chemicals.One of the conclusions was that finding the most effective way of cleaning is possibly irrelevant until the UK places a higher value on the process itself. There is a consensus that while budgets for cleaning are being continually squeezed and cleaning operatives are paid the minimum wage with little chance of career progression,cleaning standards are also unlikely to move forward.


Consequently some believe the UK is lagging as much as ten years behind much of Europe in its standards and its approach.A lack of consensus on how to tackle this suggests the gap is set only to widen (ideas raised at the event included creating foolproof cleaning systems, elevating the profession through increased wages and prospects and more and better training).


This lack of investment in cleaning in the UK is not only frustrating and


disheartening for those in the industry but, given the news of the arrival of a new deadly superbug to our shores and the acknowledged vital role cleaning can play in limiting its spread, frankly quite frightening.


The body of evidence to support the value of cleaning is vast; aside


from the untold value of saving lives by promoting cleaning standards in hospitals, proper cleaning and hygiene in workplaces prevents the spread of infections saving companies significantly in lost work days due to illness.


Yet the UK’s current attitude to cleaning suggests it has developed a


dangerous obsession with knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.


Georgina Bisby editor – Cleaning Matters Tel:01342 333721 email: gbisby@progressive-media.co.uk


Role of hygiene emphasised in light of Asian superbug


The cleaning industry has responded to news that a new drug-resistant bacteria, NDM-1,has emerged. An article published in the medical journal The Lancet, suggests NDM-1 initially spread in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, but has also been found in 37 patients from the UK who travelled


to Asia for medical procedures such as cosmetic surgery. Chairman of the British Cleaning


Council commented: "The potential of NDM-1 to become a worldwide public health problem is great,making the role of hygiene even more important in our daily lives. Regular hand- washing and surface cleaning are


Buildings recognised for effective cleaning


The 2009/2010 Building Cleanability Awards scheme has culminated with a prestigious Presentation Luncheon at Guildhall, London where a number of short listed building entries were recognised for a variety of features which support day to day cleaning. Promoted by the cleaning


industry Livery Company – The Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners, this latest biennial scheme was the eighth held since the Awards inception in 1994.


Nearly 400 buildings from across the UK and Republic of Ireland have been individually assessed over the sixteen year period and from ten separate entry categories. Visit:www.cleanability


awards.co.uk/results2010.php for a full list of winners.


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two of the simplest but most effective ways to halt the spread of germs." Andrew Large, chief executive of the Cleaning and Support Services Association, stressed the importance of general cleanliness in hospital environments:“The everyday cleaning that takes place in hospitals becomes absolutely


critical when the threat of a new superbug arises.As well as demanding extra care from members of the public towards their own hygiene,we ask that the NHS guarantee that hospital cleaning does not suffer at this critical time as result of the financial pressures facing the health service.”


Cost of cleaning Britain’s streets tops £858 million


Keep Britain Tidy has launched a campaign with local authorities up and down the country designed to encourage everyone to ‘Get Behind Keep Britain Tidy’and do their bit to clean up the place in which they live. The launch comes as the chairty


reveals the bill to clean up England’s streets now exceeds £850 million/year. New figures show that the amount of money spent by local authorities in England on clearing up cigarette ends, food wrappers and other rubbish every year has risen by almost £100 million,from £780 million to £858 million. However the posters launched as


part of the campaign (see below) have sparked controversy with some critics labelling them childish and inappropriate.Asked whether they found the posters offensive in a recent online poll,39% of CM readers said they thought they were just a bit of fun,while 35% did find them offensive and 26% weren’t sure.


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