THE OTHER ADVANTAGES OF GOING GREEN


Lisa Breakspear, Business Development Manager, FILA UK looks at the many benefits that eco-friendly products provide, aside from helping the environment.


When was the last time you took a long, hard look at your floor maintenance ‘tool box’ in terms of its green credentials – and other benefits? With time often short, we tend to stick to what we know best, to what works. Product innovation goes on all around us but does it reach us all in terms of our own purchasing? And are there other advantages to gain from ‘going green’, besides the obvious environmental benefits?


In terms of our own surface care sector, water-based sealers are a great case in point. For years and years, solvent-based formulations were considered the far superior option. Many thought that water-based formulas gave a watered down treatment, in terms of performance and longevity. This is no longer the case but some people are still reluctant to change. As well as providing comparable – and often better – performance, water-based sealers offer other advantages in addition to eco and safety benefits. One major plus is that they can be applied over residual moisture, rather than having to wait for a surface to be completely dry. This can result in considerable time and cost savings. It also makes the treatment of outdoor surfaces more feasible, especially in our damp climate.


Modern, water-based treatments can also often a raft of benefits beyond basic water and stain protection. For example, our new outdoor sealer, FILAHYDROREP ECO, also protects surfaces against efflorescence, and hampers the build-up of algae, mould and lichen. Meanwhile, FILAMP90 ECO PLUS is a water-based sealer that’s certified ‘food safe’,


so it can be used in kitchen and catering environments where previous treatment wouldn’t have been feasible.


It can also


be used across a wider range of surfaces – including polished porcelain and natural stone – whereas it’s solvent-based predecessor could only be applied to polished tiles.


“As well as providing comparable –


and often better – performance, water- based sealers offer other advantages in addition to eco and safety benefits.”


Applicator health and safety is also a key issue. Fume-laden solvents can be very hazardous and water-based alternatives win hands down. And, along with good formulations, application methods are improving all the time. For instance, our water-based FUGAPROOF grout protector is available in a pump-action stray, which gives a faster application.


To help identify the best products, look out for treatments recommended by tile manufacturers. Certifications like GEV and EC1 Plus are also a sign of a good, eco-formulation and, in specification, help projects gain valuable LEED credits used to evaluate a building’s eco-performance. Switching a few old favourites could make a big difference, not only in terms of green credentials and opportunities, but also to your bottom line.


www.filasolutions.com/en


08 | SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS


www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com


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