Greener routines
Robert Scott’s Business Development Director, Steve Courtney, discusses the importance of educating janitorial staff and management teams on smarter, healthier and environmentally-friendly cleaning practices.
Sustainability is a word on the tip of the industry’s tongue, and is set to become ever more prevalent as technology gets smarter, products become more efficient and, most importantly, businesses take more responsibility for their environmental impact and staff wellbeing.
Earlier this year, a study published by Norway's University of Bergen found that regular exposure to cleaning chemicals significantly affected lung function over the measured period of 20 years. The study of 6,000 people was the first long-term research into the effects of cleaning chemicals on humans.
Adults in the study, published in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, were followed for two decades. Their lung function was measured by looking at how much air people could forcibly breathe out – the amount declined more over the years in women who cleaned at home (4.3 ml per year) and women who worked as cleaners (7.1 ml per year).
The authors suggested that chemicals in cleaning products irritate the mucous membranes that line the airways of the lungs, causing long-term damage. The effects were also found to be more severe among women than men.
In light of the research, the cleaning industry needs to think seriously about sustainable alternatives that are less harmful to the health of end users and the wider environment. It’s no secret that our industry is experiencing a green revolution, with new products and materials coming to market designed to reduce plastic waste and lessen the impact on the environment. But we also need to address the public’s growing concerns around the use of harsh chemicals in cleaning, which will only increase as more evidence-based research is published.
Robert Scott has put a significant focus on sustainability, as a business and with its customers, and is currently working with a number of its distributors to assess and evaluate cleaning processes and products, to help customers make more informed decisions.
One example is the Toucan Eco disinfecting and cleaning system, which has been developed to offer customers a product that significantly reduces the use of traditional
cleaning chemicals, while also providing a cost-effective and more environmentally sustainable cleaning alternative by reducing plastic waste produced by chemical containers and packaging.
The Toucan Eco system uses electrochemical activation (ECA) technology – the most effective disinfectant and cleaning alternative to synthetic chemicals currently on the market. It has only two components – water (straight from the tap) and table salt (sodium chloride), which is dissolved in the water.
The components are activated using a form of electrolysis, whereby a small electrical current is applied to the solution using a specialised electrolysis cell. This produces hypochlorous acid – a powerful and safe disinfectant, and sodium hypochlorite solution – an effective cleaning agent. Together, they create a strong, naturally-occurring disinfectant, cleaner and sanitiser that’s safe, non-allergenic, environmentally-friendly and low cost.
Research by EU-accredited independent laboratories and universities has also shown it is highly effective against all types of bacteria, viruses, cysts, protozoa, algae and spores, eliminating all forms of microorganisms in water supplies, on work surfaces, fabrics and materials. The solution kills up to 99.999% of microorganisms, including pathogens, with a very fast contact time and virtually no regrowth.
Another more sustainable switch that businesses can make to their cleaning regime is the use of microfibre cloths. Microfibre is proven to improve cleaning and hygiene performance of all cleaning solutions, again reducing the need for large volumes of harsh chemicals. Due to its design, microfibre also reduces water usage and the products can be used many times over, providing there are adequate laundering facilities on site. By making a simple switch from disposables to microfibre, any facility can drastically reduce its waste output, waste water and chemical usage.
Of course, any cleaning regime is only as effective as those who are implementing it. Every facility is unique, as are the janitorial staff that carry out the daily, weekly and monthly tasks. One of the biggest barriers we find when visiting customers is the inconsistency in cleaning protocol and the lack of awareness around reducing waste and the use of chemicals.
If staff are involved in the process from the beginning, it gives the management teams a chance to obtain feedback firsthand and look at where efficiencies can be made. This can be done by introducing a microfibre mopping system that uses pads which can be changed throughout the clean to avoid cross-contamination, or identifying areas that could be cleaned with a chemical-free solution, or less water and chemical solutions. Making your team active participants in the company’s environmental strategy will no doubt deliver their buy-in, boost morale and increase the overall performance of staff.
24 | FEATURE
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