October 2018

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

OCTOBER 2018

SPECIAL REPORT

WORKFLOW

AIR FRESHENERS

Business the global backlash against plastic Page 41

Care of hard floors

Hygiene in kitchens

When fragrance takes over

Page 38

Page 29

Page 45

CONTENTS

October 2018 | Vol.26, No.5

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORTS

41 Global public enemy number 1

19 The plastic peril

Once our flexible friend, plastic has become enemy number one, says Hartley Milner.

Why is plastic still so widely used for packaging and how can we reduce it?

26 How to buy responsibly We must all be more committed to sustainable business in our purchasing.

29 The great kitchen clean-up How the Japanese 5S principle has been applied to a professional kitchen.

35 What’s the problem?

Does the type of facility have an impact on the floor cleaning challenges?

03 News

45 Scents and sensibilities The fine line between creating a pleasant aroma and an overpowering smell.

12 European reports

51 Intelligent matting A look at the invaluable role mats can play in commercial buildings.

56 Product review

53 The myths about lithium Why has the cleaning sector been so slow to adopt lithium ion batteries?

Criterion Publishing Ltd PO Box 299, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1FP UK T +44 (0)1494 791222 F +44 (0)1494 792223 info@europeancleaningjournal.com www. europeancleaningjournal.com

Editor Michelle Marshall Features Writer Ann Laffeaty

Subscriptions UK - £60 / Continental Europe - £70 / International - £80

Circulation Marie Payne

Advertisement director Chris Godman

Italy, Spain & Switzerland Fabio Potesta Mediapoint & Communications Corte Lambruschini, Corso Buenos Aires, 8 V0 Piano, Interno 7 16129 Genova, Italy T +39 010 570 4948 F +39 010 553 0088 info@mediapointsrl.it www. mediapointsrl.it

European Cleaning Journal is published six times a year by Criterion Publishing Ltd. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in European Cleaning, Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. Copyright for all material published in European Cleaning remains with Criterion Publishing Ltd and its agents.

ISSN 0968-901X ©Criterion Publishing 2018

NEWS & EVENTS

Latest News & Events from ECJ

European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2018 finalists announced The finalists of the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2018 have been revealed.

Thirty-six leading service providers, manufacturers and distributors have made the shortlist across 10 categories.

The awards, which recognise standards of excellence in the professional cleaning industry, are the only pan-European awards for the sector. The winners will be announced at an exclusive gala dinner at the Five Star Hotel Palace in Berlin on November 15.

With over 100 entries, the judges have now selected their finalists in the 10 categories: Best Use of Smart Technological Solutions by Service Providers • Smartware/Iclean, Care NV • Principle Cleaning at Blue Fin • Principle Cleaning at Paddington • Virtual Reality in training cleaning employees, Gom • Insider Facility Services Commitment to and Investment in Training Award (Sponsored by Greenspeed) • Derrycourt • OCS Group • Renovo • GOM & Zadkine Startcollege Excellence in Client and Contractor Partnerships (Sponsored by Igefa) • CSU and CIRCL • Incentive QAS • Google, CBRE and Principle • ISS Facilities Services Distributors: Excellence in Added Value Initiatives (Sponsored by Lucart Prof) • Orbita Dashboard, INPACS • Oceanys/Equipage Hygiene Solutions • Kenter Sustainability - Best Practice (Sponsored by Werner&Mertz) • Breedweer • Essity • Chequers Contract Services

• Cleanology Workforce - Commitment to Diversity • The Soap Co, Clarity • Breedweer • Ilunion Facility Services • Vinci Facilities Cleaning Initiative Raising the Profile of the Professional Cleaning Sector (Sponsored by Ceris Burns International) • Idrowash • British Institute of Cleaning Science • Forum Pulire Technological Innovation of the Year • Avet • Essity • OVA8 • Bioorg Leader of the Year (Sponsored

by Truvox Int’l) • Thomas Heary, Derrycourt • Tony Berisha, Insider Facility Services • Rainer Kenter, Kenter Rising Star Award • Alberto del Rosario, Derrycourt • Ben Swinbourne, Principle Cleaning Services The event’s silver sponsor is Lucart Professional. Other supporters include 3M, CleanMachines24.com, Kenter, rai Amsterdam and Vectair Systems.

The media partners are Tomorrow’s Cleaning in the UK, GSA in Italy, Services of France and Reinigungs Markt in Germany.

For further information visit www.echawards. com or email awards@ europeancleaningjournal.com You can also follow the awards on Twitter @ECH_ Awards and #ECHAwards18.

Les noms des finalistes pour les Prix européens de la propreté et de l’hygiène 2018 ont maintenant été annoncés. Ils seront divulgués le 15 novembre lors d’une cérémonie à Berlin.

The finalists for the 2018 European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards have been announced.

Hosted by ECJ, these are the only pan-European awards for our industry. The winners will be announced in Berlin on November 15. Join them and the rest of the industry at the celebration dinner - visit www.echawards.com to find out about tickets

EVENTS October 29-November 1

April 17-18 2019

ISSA North America

Professional Cleaning Solutions

Dallas, USA www.issa.com

Warsaw, Poland www.pigc.org.pl

November 13-15

May 21-23 2019

Middle East Cleaning Technology Week

Pulire

Dubai, UAE mectw.com

Verona, Italy www.pulire-it.com

November 15

September 24-27 2019

European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards

CMS

Berlin, Germany www.echawards.com

Berlin, Germany www.cms-berlin.com

March 19-21 2019

September 25-26 2019

The Cleaning Show

CMS World Summit

London, UK cleaningshow.co.uk

Berlin, Germany www.cms-berlin.com

April 10-12 2019

November 12-14 2019

Interclean Istanbul

Hygienalia Pulire Madrid

Istanbul, Turkey www.intercleanshow.com

Madrid, Spain www.hygienalia-pulire.com

April 16-18 2019

November 18-21 2019

Europropre

ISSA North America

Paris, France www.europropre.com

Las Vegas, USA www.issa.com

To have your event included in Events, contact ECJ via email at: michelle@europeancleaningjournal.com

Die Finalisten der European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2018 wurden jetzt bekanntgegeben. Die Bekanntgabe der Gewinner erfolgt am 15. November im Rahmen einer Preisverleihung.

Sono stati annunciati i finalisti dei riconoscimenti European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2018. I vincitori verranno annunciati durante la cerimonia che si terrà a Berlino il 15 novembre.

October 2018 | ECJ | 3

NEWS Singapore incentivises businesses to use smart cleaning solutions autonomous floor cleaners and smart litter bins.

The offer of a grant aims to encourage business and premises owners to adopt technologies that will increase operational efficiency as part of efforts to make the industry manpower-lean.

Smart litter bins with builtin compactors are capable of handling around five times the rubbish as a regular bin of a similar size.

Manpower constraints Building owners and businesses in Singapore are being offered a grant to persuade them to use tools and technologies that mechanise the tasks of cleaning

and waste management.

The sum of $30 million (€18.9 million) is being put aside for companies to tap into in order to offset the costs of

Les gérants d’immeubles et d’entreprises à Singapour peuvent aujourd’hui recevoir une subvention visant à les inciter à utiliser des outils et technologies mécanisant les tâches de nettoyage et de gestion de déchets.

October 2018 | ECJ | 4

The productivity solutions grant for the environmental services industry was launched by senior minister of state for the environment and water

In Singapur wird Gebäudebesitzern und Unternehmen ein Zuschuss angeboten, mit dem sie dazu bewegt werden sollen, Geräte und Technologien einzusetzen, um die Reinigung und Abfallentsorgung zu mechanisieren.

resources Amy Khor. The money will be available until January 31 2020.

As demand for environmental services continues to rise, it is becoming increasingly difficult to source the required number of workers due to the country’s manpower constraints, said Khor.

She claims that the average age of cleaning workers in Singapore is 60 and adds that rather than replacing older workers, technology can help to make their jobs less physically challenging.

“Repetitive and laborious tasks can be reduced using automation - and workers can then focus on higher value-added jobs.”

A Singapore, ai proprietari di immobili e di attività è stata offerta una sovvenzione per persuaderli a utilizzare le attrezzature e le tecnologie che automatizzano le operazioni di pulizia e la gestione dei rifiuti.

NEWS Clean hands are good for wellbeing and business, says study Hand washing does not only protect us against disease - it can also bring happiness, wellbeing and business gains.

That’s according to a new study commissioned by Tork manufacturer Essity in the runup to Global Handwashing Day on October 15.

The study, which polled more than 3,000 people in six countries, revealed 40 per cent of full-time employees wanted hand hygiene to have a higher priority at work. Around 30 per cent claimed their job satisfaction would be greater if they knew that all their colleagues were washing their hands properly.

The findings also showed how

hand washing could help to boost restaurant trade, with 50 per cent of respondents claiming they would be more willing to return to a restaurant where the staff had clear hand washing routines in place.

And 80 per cent said that knowing people around them were washing their hands properly would have a positive impact on their state of mind, while one in five said this knowledge would actually make them happier.

“Most people today understand the health benefits of hand washing with soap,” said Carolyn Moore, secretariat director of the Global Handwashing Partnership.

Le lavage des mains ne nous protège pas seulement des maladies, mais peut aussi nous apporter le bonheur, le bien-être ainsi que des avantages au niveau des affaires, conclut une nouvelle étude.

“However, the impact of hand washing goes far beyond health.

Global Handwashing Day is an important occasion to make sure we are all washing our hands with soap at critical times and encouraging others to do likewise.”

The Essity study also revealed that clean hands can make us more comfortable when touching and interacting with others. Almost half the respondents said they would be more comfortable shaking hands with people they

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Händewaschen schützt uns nicht nur vor Krankheiten – es kann uns laut einer neuen Studie auch Glück, Wohlbefinden und Geschäftsgewinne bringen.

knew to be practicing proper hand hygiene.

And around three in 10 said they would be more comfortable touching strangers who had cleaned their hands, while 20 per cent this would make them more comfortable when hugging others or helping someone in need.

Other findings of the study were that 80 per cent of respondents washed their hands to protect themselves, while only 10 per cent did so to protect other people. However, around a quarter of those questioned said they would wash their hands more often if they knew it had a positive impact on others.

A quanto emerge da un nuovo studio, lavare le mani non solo ci protegge contro le malattie, ma ci può portare felicità, benessere e vantaggi per le proprie attività lavorative.

October 2018 | ECJ | 5

NEWS Over half don’t wash their hands after using the toilet at work More than 50 per cent of workers say they’ve seen a colleague leave a workplace washroom without washing his or her hands, according to a new study.

And 42 per cent of respondents said they had experienced issues such as unpleasant smells, dirty facilities, scattered paper towels or clogged toilets at the washrooms at work.

Reducing risk These were among the results of the Bradley Corporation’s latest Healthy Hand Washing Survey which polled 1,035 adults across the US. The study was published this summer amid concerns that the number of flu

cases across the US was rising.

A total of 56 per cent of respondents said they frequently or occasionally saw a co-worker leaving the toilet without washing their hands, with the issue appearing to be more widespread among men than women. Around 63 per cent of men claimed to have witnessed colleagues leaving the gents’ toilet without washing their hands compared with 49 per cent of women seeing female co-workers doing the same.

“Hand washing with warm water and soap is a simple and effective way of reducing the risk of contracting viral infections like the flu or the common cold,”

Plus de 50 pour cent des travailleurs affirment avoir vu un collègue quitter les toilettes de leur établissement sans s’être lavé les mains, indiquent des travaux de recherche.

October 2018 | ECJ | 6

says medical microbiologist from Saint Joseph’s University Philadelphia Michael McCann.

“Getting the virus on your hands and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth is a common way for people to become infected and effective hand washing can

Laut einer Untersuchung haben mehr als 50% von Arbeitnehmern einen Kollegen oder eine Kollegin gesehen, der oder die den Waschraum am Arbeitsplatz verlassen hat, ohne die Hände zu waschen.

reduce that risk.”

When asked about their hand washing habits in public washrooms, just two-thirds of respondents said they always wash their hands while 38 per cent said they frequently see others leaving without washing.

Un ricerca rivela che oltre il 50 per cento dei lavoratori afferma di avere visto un collega uscire dal bagno del luogo di lavoro senza essersi lavato le mani.

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NEWS Airport plastic security trays among most contaminated areas children’s play areas.

The study was carried out by the UK’ University of Nottingham in conjunction with the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare. Its authors concluded that a change in behaviour on the part of passengers could be crucial in controlling the spread of contagious illnesses at airports.

Awareness needed The plastic trays in which passengers place their belongings at the security desk are among the most contaminated areas of a typical airport, according to a study.

Four out of eight samples analysed in the study tested

positive for respiratory viruses such as influenza A, rhinovirus and human corona OC43.

Viruses were also found to a lesser degree on other surfaces including shop payment terminals, staircase rails, passport check counters and

Les plateaux en plastique dans lesquels les passagers mettent leurs effets au contrôle de sûreté des aéroports comptent parmi les zones les plus contaminées d’un aéroport typique, affirme une étude.

October 2018 | ECJ | 8

“The study supports the case for improved public awareness of how viral infections spread,” said professor of health protection at the University of Nottingham’s School of Medicine Jonathan Van Tam. “People can help to minimise contagion by hygienic

Die Kunststoffschalen, in die die Passagiere bei der Sicherheitskontrolle ihre persönlichen Sachen legen, gehören laut einer Studie zu den am stärksten verschmutzten Bereichen auf einem typischen Flughafen.

hand washing and coughing into a handkerchief, tissue or sleeve at all times - and especially in public places.

“These simple precautions can help to prevent pandemics and are important in crowded areas such as airports where there are many people travelling from different parts of the world.”

Virology expert Niina Ikonen from the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare said: “The new findings support preparedness planning for controlling the spread of serious infectious diseases in airports, and also provide new ideas for technical improvements in airport design and refurbishment.”

Da uno studio recente emerge che i vassoi in plastica dove i passeggeri mettono i loro oggetti mentre passano dal controllo di sicurezza, sono fra le aree più contaminate di un aeroporto tipico.

NEWS Divestment

Report discourages use of warm air dryers

Global facility services provider ISS is to divest its non-core single-service cleaning portfolio in the Netherlands to Dutch cleaning company CSU. As one of the country’s largest cleaning companies CSU is a well-known and respected market leader with experience in integrating activities from acquisitions. The divestment affects approximately 70 Dutch customers and, pending approval from the Netherlands Authority of Consumer and Markets (ACM), will see the transfer of around 2,200 employees to CSU.

New guidance on hand hygiene published by the French Society for Hospital Hygiene (SF2H), strongly discourages the use of electric hand dryers as a method of hand drying in hospital washrooms, and recommends instead the use of single use paper towels as the most effective way to dry hands and minimise the spread of microorganisms following a visit to the washroom.

The new guidance, ‘Hand hygiene and care - choice of products and how to use and promote them’ recognises that good hand hygiene among

• Dans de nouvelles orientations sur l’hygiène des mains, la Société française d’hygiène hospitalière déconseille l’emploi de sèche-mains électriques dans les toilettes d’hôpitaux.

• Le groupe mondial de multi-services ISS va se dessaisir de ses entreprises de propreté à service unique non hors cœur de métier. Elles seront reprises par l’entreprise de propreté néerlandaise CSU.

healthcare professionals is essential in preventing infection and cross-transmission of micro-organisms in a healthcare setting. The report was reviewed by 25 experts in infection control and microbiology, and will be widely circulated and read by those working to promote optimal hygiene and minimise the spread of microorganisms.

Contamination of surfaces Professor Frédéric Barbut of the Infection Control Unit at Hospital Saint-Antoine (AP-HP) in Paris commented: “This new SF2H guidance reflects the latest research on hand hygiene and

• Neu Richtlinien zur Handhygiene, die von der Französischen Gesellschaft für Krankenhaushygiene (SF2H) veröffentlicht wurden, raten ab von der Verwendung elektrischer Handtrockner in Krankenhauswaschräumen.

• Das globale Gebäudetechnikunternehmen ISS wird sein nicht zum Kerngeschäft gehörendes EinzelleistungsReinigungsportfolio in den Niederlanden an das niederländische Reinigungsunternehmen CSU veräußern.

is intended to complement the recommendations published in 2009. Responding to a question frequently posed by hygienists, and in light of recently published studies, the authors of the guidance advise against the use of hot air hand dryers in healthcare settings because of bacterial and viral contamination of air and surfaces.”

SF2H, the French Society for Hospital Hygiene, is a member of the European network to promote infection prevention for patient safety and of the International Federation of Infection Control (IFIC).

• Delle nuove linee guida per l’igiene delle mani pubblicate dalla French Society for Hospital Hygiene (SF2H) scoraggiano l’uso di asciugamani elettrici nei bagni degli ospedali.

• Nei Paesi Bassi, la ISS, fornitrice globale di servizi alle strutture, sta per cedere il suo portfolio di servizi unici di pulizia non-core alla impresa di pulizia olandese CSU.

October 2018 | ECJ | 9

NEWS Tennant to buy China’s Gaomei US-based professional cleaning machines and solutions producer Tennant Company has signed an agreement to acquire Gaomei Cleaning Equipment Company, a privately owned manufacturer of commercial cleaning systems based in China.

Gaomei is a family-run business founded in 1997 and it offers cleaning machines and equipment including single disc scrubbing machines, vacuum cleaners, carpet extractors, blowers, high pressure cleaners, sweepers, and floor scrubbers.

Pat Schottler, Tennant Company vice president, Asia Pacific commented: ”Acquiring Gaomei is a strategic

move that aligns with our growth aspirations in the China market. The acquisition will enable Gaomei and Tennant to further strengthen our position in the region by offering highly complementary product portfolios and differentiated go-tomarket approaches.”

Gaomei will continue to operate independently. “We are confident that our collaboration with Tennant will help us expand our capabilities and grow the Gaomei brand,” said Chen Guobao, the company’s general manager. www.gaomei.cn www.tennantco.com

• Tennant a signé une convention prévoyant la reprise d’une entreprise de propreté chinoise, la Gaomei Ceaning Equipment Company.

• Les membres des familles de milliers d’Indiens qui ont péri en nettoyant des égouts ont récemment organisé une manifestation à New Delhi.

October 2018 | ECJ | 10

India protest over sewer deaths The relatives of thousands of Indians who have died cleaning sewers protested in New Delhi recently, reported Reuters, aiming to stop the practice of workers entering underground conduits to unclog drains and remove waste with their bare hands.

Hundreds of protesters shouted slogans accusing the government of delaying compensation for sewer deaths.

About 1,800 sewers cleaners have asphyxiated to death in the last decade, says the Safai Karamchari Andolan (SKA), a group that is campaigning to eliminate the practice.

Most of the approximately

• Tennant Company hat eine Vereinbarung zur Akquisition von Gaomei Cleaning Equipment Company in China unterzeichnet.

• Die Verwandten von Tausenden von Indern, die bei der Reinigung von Abwasserkanälen gestorben sind, protestierten vor kurzem in Neu Delhi.

160,000 workers involved in cleaning human waste are women, it added.

In 1993 India outlawed what it calls “manual scavenging”, a practice that includes the barehanded cleaning of dry latrines, mostly by women and Dalits, who are at the bottom of Hinduism’s social hierarchy.

Some members of India’s lower castes, however, still engage in unsafe cleaning practices.

This edition’s special report on sustainable cleaning starts on page 19

• La Tennant Company ha siglato un accordo per acquisire la Gaomei Ceaning Equipment Company in Cina.

• I parenti delle migliaia di indiani che sono deceduti pulendo le fognature hanno manifestato recentemente a Nuova Delhi.

UPDATE: UK A force to be reckoned with ECJ’s UK correspondent Lynn Webster reports from the recent awards for excellence in environmental cleaning by the armed forces.

Attending the recent awards recognising excellence in environmental cleaning for the armed forces by the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners at their Military Awards was a humbling but very proud experience. The award-winning individuals are recognised and honoured in citations from their senior officers describing their contributions, their tenacity in the face of adversity and their dedication - demonstrating those attributes, skills and specialist knowledge necessary in such diverse situations. It certainly makes you consider the greater and far wider exposure of the cleaning industry into another world and what we often take for granted in our day to day lives.

There are significant health and hygiene implications establishing effective sanitation levels in setting up a hospital in a war zone camp which take far more focus than in the time of Florence Nightingale. Preassessment of the surroundings are critical for providing suitable conditions for surgical operations in a tent or on board a ship, facing challenging standards of hygiene far different to the general National Health Service (NHS) hospital.

For example, the achievement of the field hospital at Bastion was being operational 24-7 and treating up to 2,000 casualties a year. A significant challenge in the Afghan desert with the hospital recording zero cases of MRSA or any other healthcare acquired infection. Hand hygiene protocols become paramount in the management of infections and disease outbreaks in these Notre correspondant au Royaume-Uni Lynn Webster contemple les travaux des techniciens militaires de la santé environnementale, qui ont souvent à affronter des conditions extrêmes.

October 2018 | ECJ | 12

conditions; often with many thousands of deployed forces personnel living in very close proximity to each other.

The cleaning assessments required in environmental situations continue during peacekeeping missions to far reaching countries with the impact of hurricanes, earthquakes and as disaster relief deployments. They are faced alongside climatic threats, political instability and the extremes of neglected tropical diseases. This can involve managing largescale trauma situations and humanitarian operations.

Poor water quality Cleaning challenges abound with poor water quality and limited clean water supplies - with questionable safety of even bottled water let alone the local water bore holes. Providing hygiene support in volatile conditions such as mosquito attack or significant rodent infestations requires additional expertise in the approach to pest control and specific cleaning routines.

Our forces-based environmental cleaning teams have a critical part to play; mitigating health risks, minimising risk to health in both active operations or during exercises for all those deployed.

As environmental heath technicians (isn’t that a much more appropriate title than ‘cleaner’?) their advice on environmental health, occupational hygiene, preventing disease and environmental protection for senior commanders is imperative for protecting troops’ health and wellbeing. Clearly a ‘force’ to be reckoned with!!

Die britische ECJKorrespondentin Lynn Webster betrachtet die Arbeit der Umwelt- und Hygienetechniker in der Armee, die häufig mit schwierigen und extremen Bedingungen konfrontiert werden.

La corrispondente del Regno Unito Lynn Webster prende in esame il lavoro fatto dai tecnici dell’igiene ambientale nelle forze armate che spesso affrontano delle condizioni estreme e impegnative.

UPDATE: DENMARK Killing bacteria.... or people?

In some businesses the ultimate cost of poor hygiene could be death. Yet, it takes convincing to change behaviour, says Lotte Printz in Denmark.

“How many do we want to kill before we do something about it?” This sinister rhetorical question was raised by Alan Friis, senior consultant in hygienic design for the food industry, when representatives from the cleaning industry in Denmark met at a seminar on TCO in that line of business. And he followed it up expressing a keen desire to be invited to teach hygiene to cfo’s in the food industry – not just to those in charge of cleaning.

In his opinion, many cfo’s seem to be blind to the obvious advantages of so-called hygienic design - machinery or other equipment that has been designed not just for a certain purpose and with high efficiency in mind, but also made of cleaning-friendly material and designed in a way that facilitates cleaning.

While the design itself, and perhaps convincing cfo’s or small business owners to invest, may be rocket science, the right path to take is not. The seminar participants generally agreed it is in fact all pretty simple.

Various professionals should talk together and learn from each other. Cleaning professionals should be heard both when architects design buildings and when engineers design processing lines, for instance, for the food industry. They, on the other hand, should give advice on how their “products” are properly cleaned to still be safe.

A 2013/2014 listeria outbreak in Denmark that made more than 40 people ill and cost 17 lives needs little introduction in the general public, let alone at the seminar where it is a natural case and reference point. The outbreak was traceable to a Danish manufacturer of sliced meat for Dans certaines entreprises, le manque d’hygiène et de propreté peut coûter des vies humaines. Mais convaincre certains de cette réalité n’est pas toujours immédiat.

traditional open sandwiches that were served in hospitals and it is believed the bacteria, that can be fatal to people with a weak immune system, developed due to sloppy cleaning and control of the processing line.

The factory paid dearly for the poor hygiene and the bad publicity - it eventually closed.

Total costs could be higher in the end, even fatal at times when, for instance, you invest in state-ofthe-art production equipment with features that are difficult or impossible to clean, or if various processes have not been thought through or are seen as separate entities by the finance people.

Despite the obviousness and some successful cross-industry projects, the cleaning industry in Denmark is still “struggling” with business owners and companies choosing the cheapest solutions, looking exclusively at immediate savings: buying the cheapest equipment or hiring the factory owner’s 15-year-old niece to clean high-risk areas. Or as one participant put it: “There are still those who go to baker’s rather than the mechanic when their car breaks down!”

It calls for an even more sweeping change in behaviour than the industry has experienced in the past 10-15 years. Through awareness. Awareness of the benefits of cleaning-friendly design, of cross-industry cooperations, of hygienic issues and, of course, TCO. The Danish Council for Better Hygiene, formed in 2008, estimates that 3,000 people die each year in Denmark as a result of poor hygiene. And poor hygiene “costs” more than a million sickleave days, and thus the society billions of Danish kroner.

Bei einigen Unternehmen könnte der höchste Preis schlechter Hygiene und Reinigung Todesfälle sein.

Dennoch ist viel Überzeugungsarbeit erforderlich, um das Gedankengut zu verbreiten, durch das sie vermieden werden könnten.

In alcune attività, il costo finale di una scarsa igiene e pulizia potrebbe essere il verificarsi di decessi.

Eppure serve della persuasione per diffondere le idee che potrebbero prevenire tali decessi.

October 2018 | ECJ | 13

UPDATE: FRANCE

UPDATE: ITALY

Cleaning gets a national day

Recognising a hacker

In France, the cleaning industry is prospering currently and is holding a national day in October.

Christian Bouzols reports for ECJ.

ECJ correspondent in Italy Anna Garbagna reports from the recent LIFE 2018 conference for FM.

The French professional cleaning sector is currently in good shape.

According to the most recent figures, it registered a three per cent growth during the first half of 2018.

With an improvement of the economic situation in France, cleaning contractors are recruiting more people and looking for new competencies to respond to increasingly diversified requirements. Unfortunately, as is the case for many other commercial sectors, recruitment is no easy matter.

The number of cleaning jobs is about half a million (generated by 47,000 firms with a combined turnover of €13.6 billion). The number of sector jobs has in fact increased by 90,000 (20 per cent) over the last 10 years. But despite these indications of good health, the sector still has to face a negative image and struggles to attract new talent.

Better image That’s why for the very first time the branch was holding the first Journée Nationale des Métiers de la Propreté, or National Cleaning Trades Day, on October 18. The aim is to project a better image of the many trades practised within the cleaning sector and of the companies that keep it going. To support this initiative a global communications campaign has been launched. Who has it been targeting? Well, obviously the general public, but also cleaning companies and their employees, whose activities will be promoted vigorously.

En France, la première Journée nationale des métiers de la propreté aura lieu en octobre.

Elle vise à relever le profil du secteur de la propreté à travers le pays. Christian Bouzols fait rapport.

Videos were being broadcast on social media and photos of cleaning professionals at work have been exhibited on different platforms, including the press, on the theme: “500 000 visages: la propreté, des métiers à voir” (which translates as ‘500,000 faces: cleaning - trades deserving to be looked at).

The objective of this unprecedented mobilisation is to showcase cleaning trades and enhance their image. But it will also be a matter of taking the campaign out to the country by organising events at regional level. In cities such as Angers, Marseilles and Bordeaux, “villages de la propreté” (cleaning villages) will be set up and include stalls, animations and other events dedicated to the various cleaning trades. One such event will be a window cleaning competition open to all. In Nantes, a photo exhibition will be set up in the main railway station to display the work of a young cleaner whose activities will have been followed in the Instagram social network.

A dedicated website (www. journee-nationale-metiersproprete.com/www.journeenationale-metiers-proprete. com) was launched in the spring of 2018 to promote and develop that national event. Dozens of cleaning companies from the whole of France have been involved. They have had every reason to do so as the success of that national day could help to change the image of the cleaning profession and thus help its recruitment and development efforts.

In diesem Oktober findet in Frankreich der erste Nationale Tage der Reinigungsberufe statt – eine Kampagne, die das Ziel hat, das Profil der Reinigungsbranche im gesamten Land zu heben. Christian Bouzols berichtet.

La prima edizione

October 2018 | ECJ | 14

del Cleaning Trades National Day (giornata nazionale del settore delle pulizie) si terrà in Francia a ottobre. Si tratta di una campagna per migliorare la visibilità del settore in tutta la nazione come ci informa il corrispondente Christian Bouzols.

The third edition of the Labour Intensive Facility Event LIFE 2018 in Capri was a great success. The event for facility management professionals also had guests from institutions and testimony from Italian and European businesses. The meeting was promoted by ANIPConfindustria (the Confindustria association which gathers companies in the cleaning and integrated services sector).

The subject for debate was ‘Service industry: a net of companies at the service of people’. As explained by the president of ANIP-Confindustria Lorenzo Mattioli: “The new idea is the concept of the supply chain and citizens’ involvement in improving the industry of services, a sector which in Italy grew considerably from a turnover of €18 billion in 2003 to around €35 billion in 2016.

“As market data show, the sector widened and diversified over the years: integrated services represent around 60 per cent, cleaning services around 30 per cent and only 10 per cent for other kinds of services. This new scenario requires a renewed approach by Italian operators towards the market, rules and opportunities in order to meet the challenge posed by the modernisation of the country.”

The programme of LIFE 2018 and the topics covered enabled the creation of a road map for a modern and qualified industry of integrated services, in which companies, institutions and citizens will be involved. The first day of the event was dedicated to the facilities network, while the second day saw the discussion of the sector with Notre correspondante en Italie Anna Garbagna s’est rendue à la manifestation LIFE (Labour Intensive Facility Event) dédiée aux industries à maind’oeuvre intensive et réunissant des entreprises des secteurs de la propreté et des services intégrés.

European, national and regional institutions and industries to consider political, economical and commercial aspects faced by the sector. Topics which were subject to further examination, together with the more specific ones were: the network of companies in the facilities sector; fair competition (where companies and citizens work together as players in evaluating the rating of quality and perception of service) and accountability; Sustainability 4.0 and the new framework law on services.

Mattioli explained that the agenda did not only include the topic of the procurement code, which highlighted the introduction and reinforcement of the concept of services as equal as the concept of jobs, but also the subject of reducing the number of procuring entities and how to marginalise procurement based on lowest possible price - rewarding instead best value offers. It was also essential to understand the effects of the new rules in the area of employment for a sector which is at strong social level. A clear message emerged from LIFE 2018: “There is the need for a path shared with citizens who are our end users, companies and social bodies to formulate a draft framework on services which defines, guarantees and creates conditions for the expansion of the whole sector.

“In order to achieve these objectives we are ready to make this into a citizens’ initiative.

This requires 30,000 signatures and we are sure we are able to reach this goal,” Mattioli declared, and the institutions have shown the will to commit for the sake of the sector.

Unsere ItalienKorrespondentin Anna Garbagna berichtet von dem vor kurzem stattgefundenen Labour Intensive Facility Event (LIFE), bei dem Unternehmen aus den Branchen Reinigung und Integrierte Dienstleistungen zusammenkommen.

La corrispondente italiana Anna Garbagna ci fa un resoconto dell’evento tenutosi di recente Labour Intensive Facility Event (LIFE) che riunisce le imprese del settore delle pulizie e dei servizi integrati.

UPDATE: GERMANY

UPDATE: NETHERLANDS Wrongly imprisoned

From rollercoaster to restaurant

“Take the laces out of your shoes and take off your belt.” Life was rosy for Joseph Oubelkas until December 2004. Dutch mother. Moroccan father.

Raised in a Dutch village. VSR’s John Griep reports.

German correspondent Alexandra Lachner on the cleaning of the country’s largest theme park.

Until as a young man he was taken into custody in Morocco on suspicion of involvement with drugs trade. Oubelkas ended up in jail and would remain there – despite being entirely innocent – for five years. Even after a lawyer in the Netherlands determined that he ‘did not even deserve a fine’ and the Foreign Office had confirmed that he had been wrongly convicted.

Oubelkas, 38, has lived in the Netherlands as a free man for nearly 10 years now. He is a platform speaker and tells others about his experiences, and about how we can determine what effect an event has on us.

He inspires business leaders in this way, and I was able to hear his story – along with over 80 members and non-members – during the VSR summer party.

Oubelkas explained: “I was 23 and IT was booming. I’d been working for one of my clients in Morocco for some time. I had a car and shook hands with directors.

Until, one day, drugs were found at the company of one of my customers. I had just driven up and asked a customs officer what was going on. He asked for my passport, and before I knew it I was in a cell.”

Find a goal The reason: the police found that his passport had 22 entry stamps and 17 exit stamps. Morocco decided this meant he was a frequent smuggler. The unbelievable happened - on the basis of this alone, the judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison, even though it later emerged that there were 11 entry stamps and 10 exit stamps in his passport.

John Griep, correspondant d’ECJ aux Pays-Bas, fait rapport sur un homme illuminé cde mère hollandaise et de père marocain qui a été faussement emprisonné au Maroc.

There were dozens of prisoners in his cell. He witnessed violence, there was a single toilet – a hole in the ground – and he would get a dollop of white, green or yellow slop with a piece of old bread on his plastic tray twice a day. He took solace in letters and cards, particularly those from his mother. “Focus,” she wrote. “Find a goal.” “Take care of yourself.”

Oubelkas has stuck by this lesson. Personal hygiene was next to impossible, but he brushed his teeth three times a day. He helped out at the little shop, gave English lessons and was later allowed to tend to a garden plot (where he would grow the red-whiteblue Dutch flag in flowers using seeds from his mother, as a silent protest). The situation in his cell did not change.

Until Morocco extradited him to the Netherlands in 2009.

Once back in the country, his release was immediate. He wrote a book – 400 letters from my mother – and is now inspiring people with his story: students, employers, football teams and (cleaning) contractors.

Also as a cleaning contractor there will be things you have to go through: rules change to your detriment, you lose a contract, a colleague resigns. Lots of scope for disappointment. Oubelkas teaches us an important lesson in the face of all this: he is often asked how he survived it. He has just one answer: attitude. “I could blame the outside world, but that would mean deserting my own power. The prison was not my world; I MADE it my world.

It’s up to you. One hundred per cent. Always.”

John Griep, der ECJKorrespondent für die Niederlande, berichtet über einen Mann – Sohn einer niederländischen Mutter und eines marokkanischen Vaters – der fälschlicherweise in Marokko inhaftiert war und ein inspirierendes Beispiel bietet.

Dai Paesi Bassi, il corrispodente di ECJ John Griep ci parla di un uomo fonte di ispirazione, di madre olandese e padre marocchino che è stato ingiustamente incarcerato in Marocco.

To understand what a huge demand for cleaning there is in the Europa Park in Rust, we need only to think about the sanitary installations. With 5.6 million visitors recorded in 2017, the team reporting to Heidi Schmidt, manager of cleaning services, registered 20,000 visits to the toilet each day. “We have 40 public facilities with 500 toilets, 210 urinals, 400 washbasins, 30 disabled WCs and 15 baby changing rooms. During the day there are around 50 employees making sure that everything is kept clean and that sanitary products are regularly replenished.” A service provider is engaged to look after the routine cleaning which is carried out each morning before the park opens.

Cleaning activities are generally divided into those which are undertaken outside visitor time and those which have to be integrated into the daily routine – without inconveniencing the visitors. “We have around 30 sweepers who cover their designated areas between 07.00 and 09.00 with battery-powered blowers and blow all the debris lying around into the centre of the paths. Mechanical sweepers then come along and sweep up the rubbish and dirt.” In addition all the public roads, paths and open spaces in the park are washed each morning with steam jets, high pressure cleaners and wet sweepers and the water is vacuumed away afterwards.

During the day there are 40 litter-pickers patrolling the park until it closes, constantly walking their designated routes and picking up anything which visitors dispose of without using the waste bins, for example cigarette butts or drinks cups. Their job also involves dusting the lights, removing spiders’ webs or emptying ashtrays. The cleaners’ team leaders are also out and about Dans son rapportage d’Allemagne, Alexandra Lachner se rend à Europa Park pour nous donner un aperçu des opérations de nettoyage d’un grand parc d’attractions.

in the park all day long, regularly checking to make sure that everything is in order and that nothing has been overlooked in one place or another. “The restaurants are in charge of their own daily cleaning, but with advice from us,” explains Schmidt.

A further important aspect is the number of attractions in the park which must always be kept in immaculate condition. From the queuing areas and stations to the boats and trains on the rides, a considerable amount of cleaning needs to be done on a daily basis, including the removal of chewing gum. Rides involving water need more extensive care, including the removal of limescale deposits and the application of protective wax.

Visitor experience “In addition, we have a special programme for cleaning the supports and rails of our attractions”, explains Christian Hirt, technical director operation and service. “As and when needed we work with cherry pickers or, for example when cleaning the Silver Star, with industrial climbers. The climbers abseil down from the top of the supports and remove traces of airborne contaminants and weathering or bird droppings from the struts as they go. With rides involving water there may also be verdigris, algae and calcification to remove.”

One thing is clear: in ensuring the thousands of visitors each day can enjoy their visit to the Europa Park in Rust, the cleaning operations behind the scenes play an integral part in this success.

“The satisfaction of our guests depends on whether they are greeted with a clean environment.

As with everywhere else, cleanliness usually only becomes an issue if some detail or other isn’t right – we focus all our efforts on ensuring this doesn’t happen!” says Schmidt.

Alexandra Lachner berichtet aus dem Europa Park in Deutschland und bietet uns einen Einblick in den Reinigungsbetrieb eines belebten Freizeitparks.

Dal Europa Park in Germania, la corrispondente Alexandra Lachner ci informa sulle operazioni di pulizia di un affollato parco di divertimenti.

October 2018 | ECJ | 15

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SUSTAINABLE CLEANING

The plastic peril Everyone is talking about plastics these days as the need to reduce the burden of waste becomes more pressing. But plastic is still one of the most widely-used packaging materials for cleaning products. Why is this the case? And what are manufacturers doing to reduce their plastics waste?

Europeans generate around 25 million tonnes of plastic waste each year according to the European Commission.

But less than 30 per cent of this material is collected for recycling - and an even lower percentage actually completes the recycling process.

When improperly discarded, plastic waste often ends up in the natural environment. Every year around 10 million tonnes of plastic pollutes our oceans with catastrophic results on marine life. Sea birds, dolphins and seals frequently become entangled in the debris while some marine creatures mistake it for food.

Turtles cannot distinguish between plastic bags and the jellyfish which form part of their diet, but when consumed a bag may cause internal blockages and result in death. Meanwhile, larger pieces of plastic debris can cause damage to the digestive systems of sea birds and whales, again with potentially fatal results.

Unsurprisingly there has been growing concern about this situation along with governmental moves to ban drinking straws, outlaw disposable coffee cups and limit our use of plastic bags. But plastic packaging is still widely used in all types of industry - including the cleaning sector where many products are still routinely packed in plastic bags or bottles.

So, are manufacturers seeking alter-

native packaging materials? And in the meantime, what are they doing to reduce the plastic burden on society?

Diversey uses a range of packaging materials including rigid and flexible plastics says executive director for sustainability Daniel Daggett. “Sustainability is considered in all our packaging and there are times when plastic offers the best option from a life cycle perspective,” he said.

“However, we have a long history of reducing our use of plastics and will continue to improve the sustainability of our packaging footprint. We’ve achieved massive reductions by increasing the concentration of our chemicals which means we ship less water.”

While highly concentrated chemicals offer sustainability benefits they can also present a challenge, he says. “We need to ensure worker safety and packaging durability while finding ways to accurately dilute the products at our customers’ facilities,” said Daggett.

Diversey’s scientists and engineers evaluate all options when developing new packaging materials. “We have a sustainability scorecard for all new projects and our packaging criteria include renewable raw materials, greener chemicals, durability, better performance and recyclability,” he continued.

No landfill Some plastic waste originates from the suppliers rather than the manufacturer and Diversey receives chemicals in a variety of formats including plastic packs.

“We are currently developing new sustainability goals, but our most recent waste target is to ensure that 100 per cent of our waste from facilities is not landfilled,” said Daggett. “We will continue to target and minimise waste from our operations.”

He adds that there are still instances in which plastics are the best packaging solution. “Certainly when we consider factors such as cost, performance and sustainability it becomes clear that strong, lightweight, plastic packaging is not a bad thing provided the empty materials are

collected, sorted and easily recycled or repurposed,” he said.

Diversey has implemented a number of waste reduction schemes, adds Daggett.

“One solution is to create a database of best practices that is shared across all of our plants so that we can learn from each other,” he said. “Sometimes there are clever solutions to challenging issues such as the disposal of flexible plastic wrap. We’ve now identified local recyclers for this.”

Reduce all packaging He believes that the industry should focus on the reduction of packaging as a whole - not just plastics. “We should avoid a bias against specific materials based on a single criterion such as recyclability in order to select the correct solution and avoid unintended consequences,” he said. “Our overall goal is to reduce our packaging footprint and increase reuse or recyclability at end of life.”

Werner & Mertz also uses plastic packaging in the form of pouches, bottles and cans for most of its cleaning products according to international business development manager Christopher Luening.

“As a supplier of highly concentrated cleaning chemicals we do so for safety reasons because plastic provides the required stability and material behaviour for very high and very low ph values,” he said.

“However, we have accepted the challenge of turning this burden into an environmental advantage and we are now pioneering the use of 100 per cent recycled packaging material from household waste.”

The company also offers its customers a marketing tool that allows them to calculate the plastic savings they can make by using Werner & Mertz products. “In this way they can turn their savings into a business advantage.”

The company tries to reduce its use of packaging material wherever possible, adds Luening. “Our bag-in-a-box systems and pouches incorporate only a small amount of packaging mass, for example, Continued page 20

October 2018 | ECJ | 19

SUSTAINABLE CLEANING The plastic peril (continued) and we encourage the refilling of empty litre bottles,” he said. “And with the high level of concentration of our products we save a lot of unnecessary packaging while also reducing transport-related CO2 emissions.”

Werner & Mertz’ packaging material of choice is Systalen. “This is made out of 100 per cent waste,” said Luening. “In cooperation with waste collectors in Germany and our packaging partner Alpla we have established full production of a range of recycled polymer packaging types including recycled HDPE, PP and PET within our Green Care Professional brand range.”

He adds that plastic packaging cannot be reduced or replaced for most typical applications where stability, user safety and transport safety are all matters for concern. “However, there is no reason to replace it if the material is based on a full circular design,” he said. “We know that in reality much more innovation is needed in waste management and sorting to bring about a true closed loop. But this is a development that is being brought forward by politicians globally.”

External pressure According to Luening, external pressure is helping to force a change in attitude towards sustainability and packaging waste. “For instance, new packaging laws in Germany will increase the costs of non-sustainable packaging,” he said.

“And new ambitious recycling targets will soon require markets to use more recycled plastic products. It is only a question of time before minimum recyclate ratios will be on the table.”

Werner & Mertz has its own We for Recyclates website that continually logs the number of plastic bottles the WM Group recycles as a whole. “We expect to reach 200 million bottles soon,” said Luening.

Metsä Tissue’s managing director Mark Dewick agrees that plastic is still superior to many current alternative packaging materials. “It is lightweight and protects the products well from moisture, dirt and damage in transport,” he said. “And in our market area, packaging mainly ends up

Les matières plastiques constituent un thème de grande actualité de nos jours parce qu’il s’agit de réduire le fardeau de déchets qu’elles font peser sur l’environnement. Ainsi, que font les fabricants de produits de nettoyage pour réduire la quantité de matières plastiques qu’ils utilisent ? Sont-ils prêts à minimiser le volume des emballages autant que possible, ou bien le recours aux matières plastiques est-il indispensable pour la protection de leurs produits ? Nous invitons des entreprises à nous expliquer leurs politiques dans ce domaine, ainsi que les types alternatifs d’emballages qui seraient en usage.

October 2018 | ECJ | 20

in the recycling bin anyway. But there is always room for improvement and that applies to the more efficient collection of plastic waste throughout Europe.”

He says Metsä’s aim is to reduce, reuse, recover and recycle as much of the raw material it uses as possible - and this includes plastics. “We are currently evaluating different ways in which we can make an impact on the current situation, such as by reducing additional packaging materials or developing the use of recycled plastics in future,” he said.

Other options Plastic is not the only option when it comes to packing tissue products, according to Dewick. “We have a large range of products that we deliver in cardboard boxes, and these offer equal if not better protection than plastic when there is no fear of moisture. There is a place for both alternatives.

“We also invest a significant amount in R&D and our ongoing development - along with technological advances - allows us to use thinner qualities of plastic to minimise consumption. We also keep our packaging to a minimum and focus on bigger transport units to minimise plastic usage per delivered product.”

He says waterproof plastic packaging is hard to replace when it comes to shipping liquids. “There are currently not enough suitable alternatives available for substances such as soaps and disinfectants,” he said.

And in any case, plastic packaging is engineered to minimise the waste burden where possible, he adds. “For example, our Katrin Handy Bags for hand towels are made from plastic foil which makes them safer to carry for staff compared with large hard cases with corners and sharp edges,” he said. “However, in designing the Handy Packs we made them as re-usable as possible so that they can become bin liners or waste receptacles when empty.”

Metsä applies strict criteria to ensure that its suppliers adhere to the company’s own sustainable principles, adds Dewick.

“The topic has a very high profile at the Alle reden derzeit über Plastik, denn das Reduzieren der Last durch Plastikmüll wird immer dringender. Was unternehmen die Hersteller von Reinigungsprodukten, um die von ihnen verwendete Plastikmenge zu reduzieren? Verringern sie die Verpackungsmenge wo immer möglich auf ein Minimum, oder ist Plastik unverzichtbar, um ihre Produkte beim Transport zu schützen? Wir befragen Unternehmen nach ihren Strategien hinsichtlich Plastik und fragen sie nach alternativen Verpackungsarten, die verwendet werden.

Next edition of ECJ November. Download the app now to read all editions on your mobile moment - and this is a good thing,” he said.

“We would encourage all commercial businesses to do their utmost to reduce their plastic use, and urge recycling companies to continue to invest in solutions that make recycling easier and more pervasive.”

So, will plastics be replaced or reengineered in the foreseeable future?

According to Dewick there is a great deal of current research into creating non-fossil raw material-based alternatives to plastic which would also be biodegradable.

“Our parent company Metsä Group has already created products from wood pulp-related material which could provide a natural alternative to many current raw materials,” he said.

Systems-based approach Werner & Mertz’s Christopher Luening says progress is being made in the development of new materials and sorting processes to reduce the plastic burden.

“There are indications that there will be some new ‘intelligent’ materials watermarked for better sorting,” he said. “One interesting concept being pioneered is that of ‘edible water’, where a biological seaweed polymer encapsulates drinking water and is biodegradable. A similar, nonedible but dissolvable capsule could be found for chemicals.”

Diversey’s Daniel Daggett adds recent reports about plastic litter in our oceans prove that we are not currently doing enough to ease the burden. “Our position is that we need to use good science and a systems-based approach to find the right solutions,” he said. “But of course, Diversey can’t solve this alone: we need suppliers, governments, customers and NGOs to all work together.”

Oggigiorno tutti parlano di plastica perchè la necessità di ridurre l’aggravio dei rifiuti in plastica diventa sempre più pressante. Quindi, cosa stanno facendo i produttori di prodotti per le pulizie per ridurre la quantità di plastica che utilizzano? Stanno minimizzando la quantità di confezioni quando ciò è possibile oppure la plastica è di vitale importanza per proteggere i loro prodotti in transito? Chiediamo alle imprese produttrici quali sono le loro strategie in merito alla plastica e quali i tipi di confezioni alternative che vengono usati.

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PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABLE CLEANING

Whispering vac

The new Taski Aero vacuum cleaner range from Diversey features patented whisper motor technology and is said to be in line with the EU Eco directive in terms of efficiency and energy saving.

Maximum power consumption is reduced to 585 watts, which is a further 35 per cent lower than the minimum demand. This, says Diversey, delivers the same cleaning result as a vacuum with more than 900 watts - without loss of performance thanks to the company’s airflow system concept. And Taski Aero has been awarded an A+ rating.

CO2 emissions are reduced by 100kg compared to previous models and over a 12-month period savings of more than €40 in energy costs can be made according to the company. www.diversey.com

new wet and dry vacuum cleaners also guarantee clean air and a dust-free work environment.

The machines are equipped with improved automatic filter cleaning (Tact) and suction power remains constantly high even with large volumes of fine dust. And compared to previous models they have better suction power with the same energy consumption and work at a lower noise level. www.karcher.com

Floor pads Ashine’s EZShine diamond pads system is designed for mechanical cleaning and polishing floors with water only. Supplied by Americo, the base pads are designed to maintain high performance on all types of floor, in all conditions and with any equipment.

The pads can be used on concrete, stone, terrazzo and resilient floors. www.ashinediamondtools.com

Certification

Save resources Mopping specialist Filmop has developed Unilav, a washing and sanitation tool with a tank that is designed to offer high levels of hygiene while avoiding waste of detergent solution thanks to precise dosing.

Used in conjunction with microfibre mops, the system boasts high absorbency and optimum dirt trapping - leading to water and chemical savings.

Many of Filmop’s products have been Plastic Second Life certified, which identifies and guarantees they are manufactured using recycled plastics. www.filmop.com

Granule based

Award winners The AFG 100 air purifier and the new wet and dry vacuum cleaner generation from Kärcher have received the Green Good Design Award 2018. This recognises products, services, programmes, ideas and concepts that contribute to a healthy and sustainable world.

The AFG 100 cleans the air in closed spaces more effectively and sustainably than would be possible with HEPA filter systems, thanks to a plasma generator. And the company’s

ultra-concentrated for less volume in packaging - saving space and transportation. wmprof.com

Werner & Mertz Professional has been undergoing the recertification of its 71 type-1 ecolabelled and 40 Cradle-to-Cradle certified green care Professional cleaning products. In terms of packaging the company has developed the Cradle-to-Cradle certified Gold 2l pouch system with the Kliks connector and dosing system.

For kitchen cleaning GREASE quickKliks is designed to dissolve all kinds of dirt without leaving smeary residues. It can be used on any surface and is ultra-concentrated.

For manual dishwashing meanwhile, there is MANUDISH evoKliks whose formulation is

Wetrok has a line of cleaning products based on granules Granuline - all packaged in single portion sticks.

There are three water-free cleaners in the range - floor maintenance cleaner Granufloor, sanitary maintenance cleaner Granusan and the all-purpose cleaner Granusurf. The granules dissolve in cold water and Wetrok claims there are significant savings in storage space.

Granusan and Granusurf have good foaming properties, making them suitable for manual foam cleaning says Wetrok.

Chemical use can be reduced by up to 30 per cent and water consumption by up to 95 per cent. Granufloor is suitable for use with scrubber dryers.

One stick contains the right amount of cleaning agent for a bucket or for a 0.5 litre foam bottle. And the sachets are small and lightweight to transport. www.wetrok.com

• La consommation maximale de puissance de la nouvelle gamme Diversey d’aspirateurs Taski Aero a été réduite à 585 W. • L’épurateur d’air AFG 100 et la nouvelle génération d’aspirateurs à sec et à liquides de Kärcher ont remporté le Green Good Design Award 2018.

• Les tampons diamantés EZShine sont conçus pour le nettoyage mécanique de sols à l’eau seule.

• Parmi les innovations les plus récentes de Werner & Mertz en matière d’emballage figure le système à poche Gold 21 doté d’un connecteur et d’un système de dosage Kliks.

• Proposé par Filmop, l’Unilav est un outil de lavage et de désinfection qui évite la perte de détergent grâce à un dosage précis • Ayant lancé le Granuline, Wetrok aligne une gamme de trois produits de nettoyage sous forme de granules.

• Der maximale Stromverbrauch des neuen Staubsaugersortiments Taski Aero von Diversey wurde auf 585 W gesenkt.

• Der Luftreiniger AFG 100 von Kärcher und die neue Generation der Nass- und Trockensauger wurden mit dem Green Good Design Award 2018 ausgezeichnet.

• Die Diamant-Bodenpads EZShine wurden für die mechanische Bodenreinigung nur mit Wasser konzipiert.

• Eine der neuesten Verpackungsinnovationen von Werner & Mertz ist das Gold 2-l-Kartuschensystem mit dem Kliks-Verbinder- und Dosiersystem.

• Bei Unilav von Filmop handelt es sich um ein Wasch- und Sanitisierungsgerät, mit dem die Verschwendung von Reinigungsmitteln dank präziser Dosierung vermieden werden kann.

• Wetrok stellt Granuline vor und bietet damit eine Produktfamilie von drei Reinigungsprodukten, die ausschließlich auf Granulat basieren.

• Il consumo energetico massimo della gamma di aspirapolveri della nuova gamma Taski Aero della Diversey è stato ridotto a 585w.

• Il purificatore d’aria AFG 100 e la nuova generazione di aspirapolveri wet & dry della Kärcher hanno vinto il premio Green Good Design Award 2018.

• I dischi diamantati EZShine sono progettati per la pulizia meccanica dei pavimenti utilizzando soltanto l’acqua.

• Una delle più recenti innovazioni di confezionamento della Werner & Mertz è il sistema di sacche Gold 2l dotate del sistema di connessione e dosaggio Kliks.

• Unilav della Filmop è un attrezzo per lavare e sanitizzare che evita lo spreco di detergenti grazie al suo dosaggio preciso.

• Con il lancio di Granuline, la Wetrok propone una linea di tre prodotti per le pulizie interamente a base di granuli.

October 2018 | ECJ | 23

PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABLE CLEANING

• Probio est une nouvelle gamme de produits de nettoyage probiotiques de la société Greenspeed.

• TTS a apporté des améliorations a son Dosely, dispositif qui imprègne les têtes de balayage humide d’un liquide de nettoyage.

• L’aspirateur à dos Superpro 700 Advanced de Pacvac est doté d’un harnais ergonomique et d’une batterie ultralégère.

• La technologie ec-H2O de Tennant utilise de l’eau convertie par voie électrique en une solution de nettoyage exempte de détergent.

• SCI-Services affirme que son concept nouveau d’armoire verrouillante à linge Click-O-Matic permet une réduction de volume pendant le transport et le stockage.

• Probio ist eine neue Produktfamilie mit probiotischen Reinigungsprodukten von Greenspeed.

• TTS hat den Dosely, einen mechanischen Reinigungslösungsspender für Mopps, verbessert.

• Der Rücken-Staubsauger Superpro battery 700 Advanced von Pacvac bietet ergonomisches Gurtzeug und einen extrem leichten Akku.

• Bei der ec-H2O-Technologie von Tennant wird Wasser verwendet, das mittels Elektrizität in eine waschmittelfreie Reinigungslösung umgewandelt wurde.

• SCI-Services teilt mit, dass das neue Berufskleidungsschränkekonzept Click-O-Matic eine Reduzierung der Transport- und Lagerungsmenge ermöglicht.

• Probio è una nuova linea di prodotti probiotici per le pulizie della Greenspeed.

• La TTS ha apportato delle migliorie al suo dispenser meccanico di soluzioni di pulizia per mop Dosely.

• L’aspirapolvere dorsale Superpro battery 700 Advanced della Pacvac vanta degli spallacci ergonomici e una batteria ultra leggera.

• La tecnologia ec-H2O della Tennant utilizza acqua che è stata elettricamente convertita in una soluzione di pulizia senza detergenti.

• La SCI-Services afferma che il suo nuovo concetto di armadietto per lavanderia Click-O-Matic permette la riduzione del volume in trasporto e in stoccaggio.

October 2018 | ECJ | 24

Probiotic

in better performance, longer motor life and durability. The lithium-ion battery offers more power, longer runtime and faster charging.

Four rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs come as standard. pacvac.com/eu

New from Greenspeed is a line of probiotic cleaning products, called Probio. These comprise benign micro-organisms of organic origin which battle organic dirt and odours.

Clean with water

Once the products have been used they re-enter the environment where they contribute to water purification and maintain a natural microbial balance.

Said to remove organic grime deep down in surfaces these cleaners offer a lifelong cleaning result. The bacteria can absorb odour molecules, as well as removing substances that bad bacteria could turn into foul odours. And they are completely safe to use, being free of hazard symbols. www.greenspeed.eu

Soaking station TTS developed the Dosely soaking station for its flat mopping system with the aim to decrease the environmental impact of the cleaning process. It enables operators to soak flat mops on demand, on the trolley.

The company says Dosely’s main advantage is water and chemical savings - operators

soak only the mops they need.

For maximum flexibility the dosing ring ranges from 50 to 350 ml to enable optimum dose for each surface, kind of dirt etc.

Only one side of the mop is soaked. www.ttsystem.com

Durable vac Pacvac says its latest battery backpack vacuum Superpro battery 700 Advanced can reduce cleaning time by up to 30 per cent compared to a corded machine.

Featuring an ergonomic harness and ultra-light battery, this model is equipped with a high efficiency, brushless motor which the company says results

This year Tennant is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its ecH2O technology - scrubber dryers equipped with it electrically convert water into a detergentfree cleaning solution.

The second generation of the technology - ec-H2O NanoClean - was introduced on some of the company’s walk-behind scrubber dryers in 2016. This can clean a wider variety of soils in more applications. eu.tennantco.com

Laundry locker New from SCI-Services is the Click-O-Matic, a laundry locker concept allowing a reduction of volume in transport and storage.

The lockers are easy to mount on-site which means smaller parcels are shipped - the same pallet that normally carries four mounted lockers, can contain approximately three times this number of flat packs.

Smaller parcels means less frequent shipments.

A robust patented click system ensures stability and the solid lockers are said to be easy to maintain. Most parts can be replaced on site without tooling. www.click-o-matic.ch

DISCOVER INDEPENDENCE

The most competitive compact range in the market

battery technology

Lithium-ion batteries offer high capacity in a compact form.

Our lithium-ion battery can be charged fast, is completely maintenance-free and has a very long life. This battery makes our scrubber driers very light and manoeuvrable. www.kaercher.com

SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT

How to buy responsibly With the announcement of the latest Circular Economy Package, an even greater onus has been placed on industry to demonstrate a commitment to sustainable business. Lorcan Mekitarian, RPC bpi recycled products sales director, explains how, for cleaning firms looking to expand their environmental behaviour, procurement is the best place to start.

As the wider business community begins to work toward circular economy targets, cleaning firms will increasingly be asked to prove their environmental credentials.

October 2018 | ECJ | 26

To the untrained eye, contract cleaning is all about keeping the client’s work environment free from litter, germs and visible dirt. Throw in a paper recycling bin for good measure and many will think they are doing their best for the environment.

However, cleaning businesses have a much greater opportunity to make a difference, both at their own premises and out on site. What may not be immediately obvious is that what is good for the environment is usually good for business.

As the wider business community begins to work toward circular economy targets, cleaning firms will increasingly be asked to prove their environmental credentials. To make a serious contribution, support for recycling systems will not be enough – circular thinking takes the entire supply chain into account. Buying recycled products wherever possible helps to bridge a huge gap in the system, saving valuable resources and injecting income into the national economy.

The Circular Economy Package For the last 150 years, the economy has consisted of a linear value chain which exploits natural resources. Products are manufactured and then disposed of – to landfill or incineration – once they are no longer useful. This model destroys virtually all the value created in the earliest steps of production; the circular economy, on the other hand, looks for ways to retain value in the supply chain.

Earlier this year, the European Commission introduced an ambitious, updated Circular Economy Package, which sets out concrete actions and targets.

Key elements include the introduction of economic incentives to encourage the production of greener products, and targets which call for EU member states to recycle 65 per cent of municipal and 75 per cent of packaging waste by 2030.

Implementing circular economy policies is expected to build resilience into the market. Many larger companies are aware that resources are finite; as raw materials

become more scarce, costs increase, which means that a linear economy is only effective until the resources run dry. Beyond this, projections show that a new approach will bring added economic benefits. For example, the consumer goods sector could save over €600 billion annually. Not surprisingly, businesses are taking action and asking suppliers to do the same.

Sustainable procurement As increasing numbers of businesses implement environmental initiatives, more and more tenders will look for ways to differentiate between bidders.

Procurement is the forgotten piece in the recycling jigsaw. These days we are au fait with the principles of recycling and, in the plastics sector, technology has been developed to recycle every type of polymer on the market. However, without a demand for recycled products, all of the collections, waste segregation and awareness-building are futile.

For cleaning firms sustainable procurement means auditing purchase arrangements – from bins and refuse sacks to electrical equipment and cleaning solutions – and opting for the most environmentally friendly solution.

Recycled refuse sacks, which are largely manufactured from recycled plastic film, offer a major opportunity to utilise recycled plastics which are not suitable for food grade applications.

In addition, although we live in a global economy where products are traded across long distances, buying from a supplier within the EU can help to save fuel miles and inject funds into a local economy. Companies producing the sacks will be able to invest in state of the art equipment which will help to promote even more recycling.

Case study: refuse bags Polyethylene has been a mainstay of industry for many years. We use it for many packaging applications, and also to manufacture the bags used to dispose of

SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT products at the end of their lives.

With an increased focus on plastics, many companies are looking to buy more responsibly. Buyers want to make sure that bags and plastic wrap are made from the most sustainable materials possible, and to prevent used carrier bags from littering the environment. However, there is a great deal of confusion around the different options – from compostable bags, to bio polyethylene and oxodegradable polymers.

Recycled polyethylene Recycled polyethylene is exactly what it says on the tin. Manufactured from waste polymers, recycled refuse sacks save valuable resources, and can be recycled along with virgin plastics through a standard recycling system.

Key facts: Manufactured from 100 per cent recycled material; 100 per cent recyclable; not compostable.

Biobased polyethylene The building block for all polyethylene is ethylene. Standard polyethylene comes from fossil-based sources, while bio polyethylene is manufactured from renewable sources, such as sugar cane.

Once the raw materials are polymerised, the resulting products are the same, so biobased polyethylene can be blended with standard polyethylene, and holds the same properties.

Since it is identical to standard polyethylene, biobased polymers are recyclable within conventional plastic waste streams. The appeal of biobased polyethylene comes from the use of renewable materials, which can result in a lower carbon footprint during the manufacturing process.

However, there is currently a limited supply of biobased polyethylene, with the only major supplier based in South America. A criticism of this material, and indeed many other biobased polymers, is that the land used to produce the material could have been used to grow food. There is also a question over the carbon impact of transporting the material from South America around the world.

Key facts: Manufactured from renewable sources; 100 per cent recyclable; not compostable.

Avec l’annonce du dernier Programme d’économie circulaire, l’industrie est tenue de plus en plus de faire preuve d’un engagement à la durabilité de leurs activités. Lorcan Mekitarian, de la société de recyclage de produits RPC bpi, explique que, pour les entreprises de propreté souhaitant relever leur comportement écologique, la fonction de l’approvisionnements est celle par où il faut commencer.

Compostable

their rate of degradation and assesses the raw materials used. Those suitable for domestic composting degrade at ambient temperatures and come with an ‘OK Compost’ mark. Those intended for local authority collections and industrial composting feature the ‘Compost’ mark.

Key facts: Manufactured from renewable and fossil-derived sources; compostable under suitable conditions.

Although the term ‘compostable’ might suggest that bags come from plant-based materials – such as eucalyptus, sunflower plants, or sugar beet – compostable bags can be made from either renewable sources such as this, or from petrochemicals. Whichever material is used to make the bags, a fully compostable bag must be certified under EN 13432 on industrial compostability.

This accreditation gives the consumer absolute assurance that the bag can be treated in an industrial composting plant.

At the end of its life, a compostable bag will degrade, leaving no visually distinguishable or toxic residues. However, this does not mean it will entirely disappear – the biological processes will result in carbon dioxide, water and inorganic compounds.

Like biobased polyethylene, compostable bags made from renewable sources are grown on land that could have been used to produce food.

However, unlike biobased polyethylene, the polymers are largely manufactured in Europe and the Middle East, so transportation issues are reduced.

Renewable and standard polyethylene versions are made in the same regions, so the transportation footprint is relatively equal, even though compostable materials have a lower melting temperature – and therefore need less energy – to convert them into a useful product.

Compostable bags come in two types – those suitable for home composting, and those designed for large commercial systems. Most bags are certified under the DIN system by an independent organisation, which tests

Oxo-degradable polymers are made from conventional plastics with the addition of additives that mean they can be broken down by micro-organisms into water, carbon dioxide and other remnants.

These are frequently confused with compostable products, but their properties differ significantly.

The main effect of oxidation is fragmentation into small particles. Unlike compostable bags, degradable ones usually include an additive, which is sensitive to heat and light. This chemical, which mimics biodegradation to make the product ‘oxo-biodegradable’, can leave a toxic residue.

Degradable bags are not recyclable or compostable, and can be extremely detrimental if they find their way into a standard polyethylene recycling system.

For example, a damp course or other construction membrane made from recycled polyethylene will be deployed underground and may be expected to last 50 years. The degradable polymer will have a much shorter life span, which can seriously impact the effectiveness of the product if the two types of polymer are unintentionally mixed.

Key facts: Not recyclable or compostable.

Mit der Ankündigung des neuen Pakets zur Kreislaufwirtschaft, wird der Industrie eine noch größere Verpflichtung auferlegt, ein Engagement für ein nachhaltiges Geschäftsmodell zu demonstrieren.

Lorcan Mekitarian von RPC bpi recycled products erläutert, dass Reinigungsunternehmen, die ihr umweltbewusstes Verhalten erweitern möchten, am besten bei der Beschaffung beginnen.

Con l’annuncio del recente Circular Economy Package (Pacchetto di Economia Circolare), un maggior onere è stato posto all’industria per dimostrare l’impegno verso le imprese sostenibili. Lorcan Mekitarian della RPC bpi recycled products spiega come, per le imprese di pulizia che cercano di espandere il loro comportamento ambientale, gli appalti sono il posto migliore per iniziare.

Oxo-degradable

October 2018 | ECJ | 27

WORKFLOW SYSTEMS

The great kitchen clean-up The Japanese 5S principle is now universally recognised as a highly efficient way of running a production environment such as a factory or industrial workshop.

But can similar principles be applied to the commercial kitchen, asks Lotta Skold of Tork manufacturer Essity?

The main priority in any food preparation business is to serve up attractive and tasty dishes to discerning diners.

But when kitchen staff are in a hurry to achieve this goal it can lead to spills, mess, disorder, confusion – even lapses in hygiene.

And who is in charge of the big picture in a commercial kitchen? Offices have their managers; hospitals are run by administrators and industrial workshops are monitored by supervisors. But the kitchen is the domain of the head chef – and he or she will be much too busy ensuring that the food is of the highest possible standard to notice minor details such as when equipment happens to be in the wrong place.

These were the observations of a team from Essity when carrying out research for the company’s Tork kitchen wiping and cleaning product range.

“When we went into commercial kitchens our initial aim was to see what we could do to make life easier for chefs and other food preparation staff,” said Essity European assortment director Lotta Skold.

“We spent two years studying the kitchen environment in Germany, France and the UK. During that time we also talked to chefs, head chefs and purchasers. And what we discovered was that every country struggles with similar issues when it comes to kitchen flow.”

In an ideal scenario “kitchen flow” enables chefs to glide through the kitchen with ease, encountering the equipment they need when and where they need it.

“Kitchens that have not been fully optimised may quickly become cluttered and disorganised,” said Skold. “But when everything is in the right place, catering staff are able to carry out their jobs efficiently – and this maximises profitability while reducing the stress levels of staff.”

The types of issues encountered by Skold’s kitchen research team mirrored those problems that were likely to occur in industrial environments before the 5S principle was widely adopted, she said.

This principle – developed in Japan - uses five “S” words to describe how the industrial environment should be optimised.

These are: Sorting, or removing all but the most essential items from the workplace; Setting in order, or arranging equipment in such a way as to promote the most efficient workflow; “Shining”, or keeping the workplace clean and uncluttered; Standardising all work practices to keep them consistent; and Sustaining these procedures on a day-to-day basis.

Efficiency and productivity tend to be the main drivers when it comes to optimising an industrial workplace. But while both these factors are also crucial in the commercial kitchen, even higher up the list of priorities is the issue of hygiene.

“A kitchen that is cluttered and disorganised may not adhere to basic health and safety requirements – and these are of course fundamental to a restaurant’s survival,” said Skold. Indeed, her research team discovered that chefs were typically spending 20-30 per cent of their time cleaning their hands and surfaces at the same time as they were preparing food.

And it was here that the problems with kitchen flow typically occurred.

Inaccessible products “For example, we encountered empty paper towel dispensers and wiping products that were in the wrong place,” said Skold. “We also came across hand hygiene products that weren’t immediately accessible for staff which meant they had to take more time and effort to wash and dry their hands than they should have had to do.

“These are the types of issue that few people think about on a day-to-day basis.

Kitchen wipes are a low involvement category and people become accustomed to the products they regularly use. They are not usually aware of what could be changed for the better until it is actually pointed out to them.”

Once Skold had identified the need for adopting a 5S-like approach in the kitchen Continued page 30

October 2018 | ECJ | 29

WORKFLOW SYSTEMS The great kitchen clean-up (continued) she set about seeking expert help. This she found in the form of Alan Kinsella, a highly experienced chef who originates from Ireland and who now operates out of Scandinavia as a kitchen optimisation consultant.

“We approached Kinsella and told him about the Japanese 5S principle in industry, and he said: ‘That’s exactly what we need in the kitchen - it’s a perfect way to think.

Let’s make it a process’,” says Skold.

Essity and Kinsella then set about finding a kitchen plagued with serious flow issues to test their theories. In March 2018 they found such a kitchen in Sweden and discussed the aims of the project with the chefs concerned, who quickly signed up to the idea. Essity and Kinsella then introduced a series of changes based on the 5S principles.

“We went in overnight and cleaned the kitchen from top to bottom,” said Skold.

“We also identified those factors that were blurring the picture where hygiene and kitchen flow were concerned and altered the flow to make the premises run more smoothly.

“And we then ensured that wipers and hygiene products were positioned in opti-

mum locations around the kitchen.”

Wiping and hygiene products act as a vital contribution to overcoming the daily challenges of a restaurant kitchen, according to Skold. “They ensure that staff don’t forget to clean their hands while also making the overall cleaning of surfaces and equipment easier, both during and at the end of the service,” she said.

The Swedish kitchen experiment was a huge success, adds Skold. “The day after our overnight makeover, two chefs were absent from work but the kitchen managed to retain the same standards and productivity levels as the day before,” she said. “Since the two absent chefs would have each worked an eight-hour shift this meant the kitchen actually saved 16 hours of productive time.”

Alan Kinsella has now issued his own flow guide to help kitchens following the optimisation model. The acronym CHEFS stands for Control, Hygiene and tools, Engineer, Finance and Systems.

The Control step involves the head chef gaining an overview of the current kitchen situation and equipping all staff with the optimum resources and environment to allow them to carry out their work.

Dans le secteur de la préparation des aliments, la priorité est accordée au souci de présenter des aliments attrayants et savoureux. Mais quand le personnel des cuisines est sous pression, il lui arrive de prendre des raccourcis sur l’hygiène. Les principes japonais des 5S sont aujourd’hui reconnus universellement comme offrant une voie efficace pour gérer un environnement de production.

Toutefois, cette voie est-elle applicable à une cuisine commerciale ?

Bei jedem lebensmittelverarbeitenden Unternehmen steht im Mittelpunkt, attraktive und schmackhafte Speisen zu servieren. Doch wenn es das Küchenpersonal dabei eilig hat, kann es zu Versäumnissen bei der Hygiene kommen. Das aus Japan stammende 5S-Prinzip ist jetzt allgemein als eine äußerst wirkungsvolle Art und Weise zum Betrieb einer Produktionsumgebung anerkannt.

Können ähnliche Prinzipien auf kommerzielle Küchen angewendet werden?

October 2018 | ECJ | 30

Hygiene should be factored into every step of the process and products such as hand soaps and paper towels should be readily available at the entrance and exit of kitchens. These products should be placed at eye level to ensure they are not missed and to make it an ingrained habit for staff to use them.

Engineered and well-structured menus should be developed to meet customer expectations while creating as little stress for the chefs as possible, and Finances should be controlled to ensure that all cost targets are met. And these four steps should together form a System – one that needs to be repeated on a day-to-day basis.

This System stage can be a difficult nut to crack, admits Skold, since busy staff will inevitably be inclined to cut corners.

However, follow-up visits to the kitchen involved in the makeover experiment revealed that the premises continues to operate more efficiently in general terms.

Generally more efficient “The head chef says they have managed to keep to the changes we implemented, though some old habits are hard to break,” admits Skold. “Keeping the clutter away from surfaces and ensuring that fridges stay clean are both big challenges and we can’t influence those factors. It is up to the operatives involved to find new ways of working.”

Alan Kinsella adds that the key challenge in any kitchen is finding a balance between making money and optimising efficiency.

“We also have to make sure that hygiene standards are at the highest level,” he said. “Not only does this create a good flow which in turn gives staff new energy, it also means that the hygiene routine becomes embedded for kitchen staff.”

Time is precious during service hours which means restaurant kitchen staff need to be as prepared as possible – maybe even over-prepared - on a daily basis. But once factors such as flow, hygiene and efficiency are all in sync, staff will be able to operate efficiently while maintaining the highest standards of hygiene – and all without a second thought.

L’obiettivo prioritario di qualsiasi attività di preparazione di alimenti è quello di presentare del cibo allettante e gustoso. Ma quando il personale delle cucine ha fretta di ottenere questo risultato, c’è il rischio che la fretta possa causare lacune nell’igiene. La metodologia giapponese 5S viene ora universalmente riconosciuta come un sistema altamente efficiente di gestione di un ambiente di produzione. Possono quindi delle metodologie simili essere applicate alle cucine commerciali?

Keep the kitchen going

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Discover our full range and watch our kitchen flow experiment at tork.co.uk/reflex Tork, an Essity brand

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CARE OF HARD FLOORS

What’s the problem?

Does the type of facility have an impact on the challenge involved when it comes to cleaning its floor? Ann Laffeaty asks manufacturers their views.

On the face of it, a hard floor is a hard floor wherever it happens to be. But the whole point of a floor is to be walked upon - and the type and intensity of the traffic it receives will vary enormously depending on the purpose of the facility. So, how far does a floor’s environment impact on the cleaning and maintenance task?

“The environment will determine the footfall – and the higher the traffic, the greater the need for maintenance,” said IPC’s communications and PR manager Gabriella Bianco. “The shape and size of the floor will also have an impact, particularly in large areas such as airports, hotel receptions and retail outlets.”

The sheer size of the floor area in airport terminals, supermarkets and large hotel reception areas can present a major cleaning challenge, she says.

“These large, crowded areas attract high numbers of visitors plus different types of dirt,” she said. “Contract cleaners will also have to clean them in a short space of time with the minimum amount of noise to avoid disturbing the public. Factors such as heels, castors and trolley cases can be a real issue in these environments since they will all leave behind marks that can damage the floor permanently, resulting in the appearance of neglect.”

Rubber marks made by wheelchairs and trolleys are often removable, she says, while scratches from harder wheels can be permanent.

According to Bianco the level of traffic in facilities such as schools, gyms and leisure centres is not usually the main problem when it comes to cleaning their floors. “Here there will be a need to keep

all surfaces sanitised which means that brooms, hot water, buckets, detergents and brushes will not be sufficient for the task,” she said.

In environments such as hospitals and nursing homes there will be a need for optimum hygiene, she adds. “The biggest challenge here is to prevent the spread of infections which means cleaning must be carried out frequently and intensively.”

And in a commercial kitchen the main problem will be the risk of greasy spills.

“However, aggressive detergents will potentially be dangerous for staff.” IPC offers a range of steam generators from the smaller SG-08 and SG-10 to the powerful industrial SG-70 for cleaning ceramics, cookers and worktops.

The type of floor in question can also have a significant impact on the cleaning task, according to Bianco. “Porous tile surfaces are perhaps the most difficult types of floor to maintain and polish because the dirt penetrates into the pores of the stone,” she said. “These kinds of floors require scrubber dryers equipped with advanced cleaning programmes, microfibre pads and appropriate chemicals.

“And weather conditions can also affect the way you clean a floor and can constitute a real challenge.”

IPC offers the 464 battery powered pedestrian sweeper which is designed to remove dust, dirt and debris from hard floors. The company also offers the new CT51 scrubber dryer which has interchangeable brush heads allowing it to be transformed into a single 50-55 cm disc, a twin 60 cm disc, a twin 70 cm disc or a 55 cm roller.

The individual properties of a floor along with the different levels of traffic and soiling definitely add to the cleaning challenge according to Diversey’s global floorcare portfolio manager Michelle Boulanger.

“Requirements will vary depending on whether the floor is in a warehouse, an airport, a shopping mall or a school,” she said. “There will also be specific hygiene standards that will need to be addressed

in a hospital or a commercial kitchen.”

The high traffic in an environment such as an airport terminal complicates the cleaning task, she says. “Airport cleaners need to cover large areas that see thousands of people arriving in all kinds of weather and who will be tracking in dirt on a daily basis,” said Boulanger. “Added to that is the fact that the floors are in constant use and will often bear marks from heavy wheeled traffic and trolleys.”

For this type of large, heavily-trodden area she believes an automated machine to be the optimal solution. “A manual auto scrubber will move autonomously through the airport and cover large areas, increasing productivity and improving daily results,” she said. “Meanwhile the janitorial staff will be tasked with cleaning those areas that an automated machine cannot reach.”

Specialist treatment Hospitals often require specialist treatment to reduce bacteria and other contaminants, she says. “Here chemicalfree cleaning using diamond pads will significantly reduce the chemical impact in these sensitive areas.”

According to Boulanger, 24-hour facilities tend to be the most difficult to maintain. “However, certain floor substrates such as concrete also bring unique challenges since these are easily stained,” she said.

Various machines, products and methods on the market will facilitate the repair or removal of black heel marks, topical scratching and scuffs. “What is important is not the product itself, but the overall solution,” adds Boulanger. Diversey offers a number of solutions for use on resilient and non-resilient floors including its range of Taski cleaning machines.

Kärcher’s product manager Christian Mrowka agrees with other manufacturers that the type of environment helps to determine the cleaning challenge.

“Other factors include the size of the area, the amount of furniture there is, the Continued page 36

October 2018 | ECJ | 35

CARE OF HARD FLOORS What’s the problem? (continued) time-frame available for cleaning, how much maintenance is needed for the floor type, overcoming obstacles such as ramps and slopes, the structure of the floor and the type of dirt to be removed,” he said.

Commercial kitchens represent a particular challenge, says Mrowka. “A very high level of surefootedness is required here in order to prevent work accidents,” he explains. “If a normal floor offers an anti-slip value of R9, a commercial kitchen must have a value of R11 to R13.

“Structured tiles in kitchens also have displacement nubs so that any water spilt will not create a slipping hazard, and grease and food residues deposited throughout the working day will quickly become caught between these nubs.”

High traffic areas Other issues include the need for cleaning in narrow spaces and the high levels of protein and fat that will need to be removed from a kitchen floor, he says.

“Wherever food is cooked there will be stubborn stains and grease, and all food residues must be systematically removed in accordance with HACCP guidelines to eliminate any breeding grounds for viruses and bacteria,” says Mrowka. “Alternating between acidic and alkaline foam cleaning products is important in order to reliably eliminate any breeding grounds for microorganisms.”

When using acidic cleaning agents the tile joints must first be rinsed with water, he says. “This prevents the acid from soaking in and attacking the grouting.”

The main challenge in busy areas such as shopping centres is the high level of traffic they receive, he says. “Thousands of visitors and diverse types of dirt will dictate the maintenance cleaning requirements,” said Mrowka. “Cleaning here will mainly occur outside of opening hours, though in some situations it will need to be carried out immediately and the surfaces must be left dry again as quickly as possible.”

The types of dirt to be found on the floors of shopping centres include dust, sand, fluff, scraps of paper, cups and cans, he says. There will also be scuff-marks from shoes. “In addition there will be leftover food and sticky marks from drinks Quels seraient les points délicats à prendre en compte dans le soin des planchers d’une cuisine commerciale ? D’un gymnase ? D’un terminal d’aéroport ? D’un établissement scolaire ? Parmi ces installations, quelles seraient celles dont les planchers seraient les plus difficiles à nettoyer et à maintenir - et pourquoi ?

Et quels sont les environnements qui causent le plus de problèmes aux entreprises de nettoyage ?

October 2018 | ECJ | 36

in the cafes and restaurants.

“It is important to clean these areas both quickly and effectively to keep the shopping centre looking attractive and offer visitors a clean and pleasant environment.”

Bakery production lines and abattoirs also represent a particular challenge, according to Mrowka. ”This is because of the high levels of dirt involved and the stringent hygiene requirements,” he said. “Refrigerated warehouses are also problematic because the low temperatures make cleaning difficult for both people and machines. For example, the battery life of a machine may decrease in low temperatures while materials such as rubber blades may offer a different level of performance.”

Particularly high standards of hygiene will be required in schools and hospitals, he adds. “In schools there are also safety issues regarding cleaning agents and cables, while the use of substances such as sand can damage the floors’ coating,” he said.

“And in a hospital there will be disinfection challenges plus the need for silent machines to avoid disturbing the patients.”

Kärcher offers a range of flexible machines equipped with the company’s Advanced Response Technology concept along with large, ride-on scrubber sweeper-combination models. The company also offers microfibre pads, brushes and orbital brush heads.

Specific issues Each floor type has its own specific challenges according to Prochem sales manager Phil Jones. The company offers a range of cleaning machines, equipment, accessories and chemical products for cleaning and maintaining hard floors.

“Kitchens are subject to oil, grease and food soiling while airports and schools have to cope with heavy foot traffic, trolley cases, mud and drink spills,” he said.

“Issues in leisure centres include food and drink spills in the café; training shoe marks in the gym, and limescale and soapscum build-up in the swimming pool and changing room.

“Hospitals have to cope with body fluids and medicine spillages as well as heavy foot traffic and sanitising issues. And these Welchen speziellen Herausforderungen begegnet man bei der Bodenpflege in einer gewerblichen Küche?

Einem Sportstudio? Einem Flughafen? Einer Schule?

In welcher Art von Einrichtung wäre die Reinigung und Pflege der Hartböden wohl am schwierigsten und warum? Und welche Umgebungen stellen Bodenpflegefirmen vor die größte Herausforderung?

Register now to receive the monthly ECJ newsletter: michelle@ europeancleaning journal.com facilities operate around the clock so the contractor will be faced with the problem of finding a suitable time to clean.”

According to Jones there is “no easy, on-size-fits-all” solution to floor cleaning.

“Each product is developed for specific surface and soiling types,” he explained. He believes that the type of facility combined with the type of flooring usually determines the cleaning challenge – though this is sometimes complicated by the geographical location.

“For example, the most challenging floor type I have personally come across is a marble foyer in a Middle Eastern hotel,” he said. “Marble is particularly popular in the Middle East but here the surface is constantly being attacked by sand blowing in or brought in on foot. Once the marble has become scratched and dull it can be very time-consuming to fix.”

Kärcher’s Christian Mrowka agrees that geographical location plus weather conditions can add to the challenge. “During the winter months there will be moisture, sludge and road salt to contend with in many shopping centres, for instance,” he said.

And IPS’s Bianco concurs. “Moulds and other staining agents may be left behind in very wet and rainy environments in northern Europe, whereas in southern Europe the persistent sunlight and heat exposure can discolour a floor and dry up surfaces over time,” she said. “In these circumstances it is essential to use right tools and equipment to provide a regular maintenance programme.”

But Diversey’s Michelle Boulanger feels that the real floor cleaning challenge is actually quite subjective. “It really depends on the expectations that a customer has about the appearance of their floor - and the budget they have to maintain it,” she said.

Quali sono i tipi di problemi che si incontrano nel pulire i pavimenti in una cucina commerciale? In una palestra? In un aeroporto? In una scuola? In quale tipo di struttura si incontrano maggiori difficoltà nel pulire e fare la manutenzione dei pavimenti duri e perchè? E quali ambienti rappresentano la sfida maggiore per le imprese di cura e pulizia dei pavimenti?

PRODUCTS: CARE OF HARD FLOORS

• IPC propose une gamme d’aspirateurs à sec, de balayeuses et d’autolaveuses.

• Proposée par Tennant, la T350 est une autolaveuse autoportée à conducteur debout.

• La ScrubBot est une autolaveuse autonome développée par AzioBot. • Comme produit nouveau, Tomcat propose l’autolaveuse autoportée CRZ, offerte avec une gamme de têtes de lavage.

• Selon Fimor, son matériau de raclette serilorCLEAN offre une alternative durable au caoutchouc naturel.

• Hilados Biete a mis au point sa tête de balayage humide la plus récente sous la marque Ressol, dénommée Abrasive.

• IPC bietet eine Produktreihe mit Staubsaugern, Kehrmaschinen und Scheuersaugmaschinen.

• Bei der T350 handelt es sich um eine Stand-onScheuersaugmaschine von Tennant.

• Bei ScrubBot handelt es sich um eine autonome Scheuersaugmaschine, die von AzioBot entwickelt wurde.

• Neu von Tomcat ist die Aufsitz-Scheuersaugmaschine CRZ, die mit einem Sortiment verschiedener Scheuerköpfe erhältlich ist.

• Fimor teilt mit, dass sein Abziehermaterial serilorCLEAN eine dauerhafte Alternative zu Naturgummi darstellt.

• Hilados Biete hat den neuesten Mopp unter der Marke Ressol entwickelt: er heißt Abrasive.

Ergonomic line For vacuuming of hard floors IPC offers the LP range. The LP 1/16 ECO B, for example, is a dry vacuum whose 16-litre capacity ensures long operative autonomy. The ergonomic design makes it comfortable to transport and store, as is the lightweight LP 1/12 ECO B. For larger spaces the 464 sweeper is designed to vacuum dust, pet hair and small debris.

This walk-behind machine

features a self-levelling system to maintain optimum pressure on the floor.

And the scrubber dryer CT51 can be transformed into a single 50-55 cm disc, a twin 60 cm disc, a twin 70 cm disc or a 55 cm roller thanks to interchangeable brush heads. www.ipcworldwide.com

Stand-on • La IPC offre una gamma di aspirapolveri dry, spazzatrici e lavasciuga pavimenti.

• T350 è una lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore sulla pedana prodotta dalla Tennant.

• ScrubBot è una lavasciuga pavimenti autonoma sviluppata dalla AzioBot. • Il nuovo prodotto della Tomcat è la lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo CRZ, disponibilie con una gamma di teste per la pulizia.

• La Fimor afferma che il materiale serilorCLEAN usato per i suoi tergivetro è durevole ed è un’alternativa alla gomma naturale.

• La Hilados Biete ha sviluppato Abrasive, il suo mop più nuovo a marca Ressol.

October 2018 | ECJ | 38

The T350 is a stand-on scrubber dryer from Tennant that can clean more than 2,500 square metres per hour. The standon design, it says, makes for greater operator comfort and control, with the ability to clean efficiently in a variety of spaces.

Fitted as standard is the company’s ec-H2O NanoClean technology designed to reduce water consumption by up to

70 per cent. And the intuitive onboard systems are said to make it easy for operators to be up and running quickly. eu.tennantco.com

Robot cleaner AzioBot is developing the autonomous scrubber dryer ScrubBot using robotics technology.

The design is compact to enable it to clean in the narrow aisles of supermarkets, retail stores or offices.

The machine’s scrub system enables the robot to clean close to the edges, says Aziobot, while water and energy use is adjusted according to the application.

Its algorithm allows ScrubBot to start cleaning from anywhere and learn the environment by itself. And the use of multiple sensors such as sonar, lidar and cameras makes for safe operation. www.aziobot.com

New ride-on Tomcat’s newest ride-on scrubber dryer is called CRZ, which is available with disc, cylindrical or EDGE oscillating scrub heads and multiple sizes for each version.

Other features include a vacuum protection system, an illuminated, easy-access service cabinet for the main machine filters and drain hoses to service the machine.

Optional cleaning systems are also available for every configuration - Suds Chemical Dilution or ZerO3 Aqueous Ozone. With Suds there is no longer any need to measure detergents because the machine’s pumps will dilute them. And ZerO3 Aqueous Ozone allows users to eliminate detergents as their all-

purpose cleaner and simply use aqueous ozone. www.tomcatequip.com

Not rubber Fimor has developed a squeegee material which it says is a durable alternative to natural rubber - serilorCLEAN.

Features include green colour, three times less plasticiser then before, no banned phalates, no mercury and improved pick-up.

And Fimor says this squeegee material lasts several times longer than natural rubber, being largely unaffected by oils, chemicals, bleach and other common floor cleaning agents. www.fimor.fr

Deep abrasive Under its trademark Ressol, Hilados Biete has developed a mop called Abrasive, for deep and daily cleaning in hospitals, offices, hotels, stations etc - mainly on rough or anti-slip floors.

Made of ultra thin microfibre, its star structure captures dirt particles like a magnet says the company. Designed for dry or slightly damp cleaning, Abrasive can also be pre-impregnated for healthcare use. www.hiladosbiete.com

PRODUCTS: HARD FLOORS

Wet or dry The wet and dry NT 22/1 Ap L vacuum cleaner from Kärcher features semi-automatic filter cleaning system, compact design, improved accessories and low weight.

Filter cleaning is activated by pressing a button on the device and suction power is kept at a consistently high level. The air flow reverses briefly and blows

the dirt from the filter into the container. The PES cartridge filter is moisture-resistant and this makes it possible to change easily between wet and dry applications.

Bayonet and clip connectors ensure simple, secure connection of all the accessory parts and there is a standard suction hose with a large internal diameter for a high air flow rate and low risk of blockages. www.karcher.com

Easy click The Click’M C flat mop system is the latest addition to Greenspeed’s range is said to make floor cleaning as user friendly and hygienic as possible.

Thanks to the magnetic seals, the operator only needs to slip the frame into the pocket of the mop, press the handle down and the magnetic fastening immediately locks the mop into place.

After cleaning the operator presses the green button with his foot to release the frame and slide the used mop into the laundry bag without touching it.

Click’M C is compatible with three different Greenspeed microfibre mops - the Twist Mop, the Allround Mop, Scrub Mop, Heavy Duty Mop and the Basic Mop. www.greenspeed.eu

Small size Designed to replace traditional mopping in small and medium sized areas such as small shops, fast food outlets and restaurants is the Turbolava range of floor cleaning machines from Cimel.

Electric or battery-operated versions are available Turbolava Li-ion uses lithium ion technology which offers a runtime of one hour, with easy and rapid charging.

Capable of cleaning and drying in one pass, the machines can be used on any type of floor. www.cimel.com

• L’aspirateur à sec et à liquides NT 22/1 Ap L de Kärcher comporte un système semi-automatique de nettoyage de filtre.

• Comme produit nouveau, Greenspeed propose le système à tampon plat magnétique Click’M C, conçu pour un nettoyage confortable et efficace.

• La gamme Turbolava d’autolaveuses est proposée en versions à cordon électrique ou à batterie lithium-ion.

• Der Nass- und Trockensauger NT 22/1 Ap L von Kärcher ist mit einem halbautomatischen Filterreinigungssystem ausgestattet.

• Neu von Greenspeed ist das magnetische Flachmoppsystem Click’M C, das im Hinblick auf komfortables und wirkungsvolles Reinigen konzipiert wurde.

• Turbolava ist eine Produktreihe mit kompakten Scheuersaugmaschinen, die in Kabel- und LithiumionenakkuAusführungen erhältlich sind.

• L’aspirapolvere wet & dry NT 22/1 Ap L della Kärcher è dotato di un sistema semiautomatico di pulizia del filtro.

• La novità della Greenspeed è il sistema mop piatto e magnetico Click’M C, progettato per le pulizie efficienti e comode.

• Turbolava è una gamma di lavasciuga pavimenti compatte disponibili nelle versioni elettrica o a batteria agli ioni di litio.

October 2018 | ECJ | 39

PRODUCTS: CARE OF HARD FLOORS

• Les autolaveuses Antea et Versa de Comac travaillent respectivement sur des largeurs de 50 et de 65 cm.

• La polisseuse/brunisseusse LowRider de la société Aztec est proposée en trois tailles de tampon.

• Le système de balayage humide TruCLEAN Pro XL de Perfex est doté de seaux de 22 litres.

• Die Scheuersaugmaschinen Antea und Versa von Comac decken den Bereich mit Arbeitsbreiten von 50 bis 65 cm ab.

• Das propanbetriebene Poliergerät LowRider von Aztec ist in drei Padgrößen erhältlich.

• Das Moppsystem TruCLEAN Pro XL von Perfex ist mit 22-LiterEimern ausgestattet.

• Le lavasciuga pavimenti Antea e Versa della Comac hanno larghezza di lavoro da 50 cm a 65 cm.

• La lucidatrice industriale a propano LowRider della Aztec è disponibile in tre misure di dischi.

• Il sistema mop TruCLEAN Pro XL della Perfex è attrezzato con dei secchi da 22 litri.

October 2018 | ECJ | 40

Medium areas Antea and Versa scrubber dryers have been developed by Comac for medium-sized applications.

They share the same design and a number of features aimed at increasing performance and productivity. And both are available equipped with the Comac Fleet Care (CFC) system for fleet management.

Antea is the smaller of the machines, with 50 cm working width and a number of different versions - disc brush with 50 cm working width, cable or battery powered, with traction or without.

The two cylindrical brushes of the scrubbing-sweeping Antea enable it to pick up small debris and convey it into a dirt hopper.

Versa is battery powered, with automatic traction, available with two disc brushes in 55 or 65 cm working width. Fitted as standard are new self-levelling splash guards and on request the machine can be equipped with the new Pressure Monitoring (PM) system. www.comac.it

Rugged body Aztec’s LowRider buffer/burnisher features a rugged, solid steel body design with a low profile for burnishing and polishing under hard-to-reach areas.

This propane machine is certified for indoor use in approved areas and has a patent pending vacuum system while improving air quality by containing air particulates.

LowRider can be upgraded

with the Spray Mist option for polished concrete and terrazzo floors. This speeds up the repolishing process, reduces dust and makes diamond pads last longer says Aztec. aztecproducts.com

Versatile The TruCLEAN Pro XL is the largest of Perfex’s mopping systems, with the most versatile configuration. Equipped with 22-litre buckets and two six-litre pails in a handle-mounted carrying basket, the XL system is designed to manage all supplies.

Other features include a foldaway cart extension and heavy duty four-inch casters. Components are made of stainless steel and easy to maintain. www.perfexonline.com

BUSINESS: PLASTICS

Global public enemy number one

Once our flexible friend, plastic is now global public enemy number one. We are told we must cut back on its use in every area of our lives if we are to save the oceans, and that includes in the workplace. Hartley Milner reports on how SMEs can strike a powerful blow in the fight against plastic pollution.

Who could forget those pitiful scenes flashed across our TV screens showing seals, turtles and seabirds entangled in rafts of deadly plastic waste? The footage from the BBC’s Blue Planet II series caused a public outcry worldwide with governments pledging urgent action to clean up our oceans.

The task will be huge. It is difficult to identify exactly how much plastic is in the oceans due to it breaking down into microparticles and the amounts that have sunk to the bottom. But scientists estimate that eight million metric tons enter our seas each year, on top of the estimated 150 million metric tons that currently circulate the planet.

Plastic has been found in more than 60 per cent of all seabirds and in 100 per cent

of turtle species that mistake it for food.

When animals ingest plastic, it can cause life-threatening problems… and there is evidence it is starting to endanger our health too. In less than 10 years, scientists predict there will be 250 million metric tons of it floating around out there and by 2050 there will be more plastic in our seas than there are fish.

Sir David Attenborough, presenter of Blue Planet II, said at the series launch: “We may think we live a long way from the oceans but we don’t. What we actually do here has a direct effect on the oceans and what the oceans do then reflects back on us. It is one world. And it’s in our care. For the first time in the history of humanity, for the first time in 500 million years, one species has the future in the palm of its hands. I just hope we realise that this is the case.”

Consumers around the world are rejecting single-use plastics and pledging to live more sustainably. The European Union is doing its bit by drafting proposals to ban many commonplace plastic items, including straws, cotton buds, cutlery, balloon sticks and drink stirrers. The EU

wants 55 per cent of all plastic to be recycled by 2030 and for member states to reduce plastic bag use per person from 90 a year to 40 by 2026. It has also set a target of having almost all plastic bottles collected for recycling by 2025.

Businesses cannot afford to ignore the consumer backlash either and many industries are drawing up plans to phase out single-use plastics, use more recycled plastic in their packaging and come up with more effective methods of recycling.

Corporate commitments Swiss food giant Nestlé and rival Unilever have pledged to make all their plastic packaging 100 per cent recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. Drinks giant Coca-Cola, which uses around 120 billion bottles a year, says it will recycle a used bottle or can for every new one sold by 2030. McDonald’s has committed to making all its packaging from renewable and recyclable sources by 2025. Starbucks says it will get rid of single-use plastic straws from all its stores by 2020. The coffee giant is also trialling a 5p paper cup Continued page 42

October 2018 | ECJ | 41

BUSINESS: PLASTICS Global public enemy number one (continued)

What are your company’s policies for reducing plastic packaging and waste? Email michelle@ europeancleaningjournal.com to share your ideas charge at all 950 of its coffee houses in the UK. And Volvo says that by 2025 at least 25 per cent of plastics used in new vehicles will be made from recycled materials.

Big-name companies might be leading the way on plastics, but smaller businesses have an equally vital role to play, according to Dean Cambridge, sustainable business engagement manager at the World Wildlife Fund. But where do you start? What can your business do, particularly if you are not large enough to call on an inhouse environmental team to make change happen?

Cambridge offers the following eight top tips towards creating a plastic-free zone.

Top tips • Undertake a simple audit. Take a look around your office or warehouse and you might see some obvious examples of single-use or disposable plastics that can be phased out. Are you still using plastic cups at your tea and water points?

Consider investing in some drinking glasses or ask your staff to bring in their own reusable mug or water bottle.

You could even use it as an employee engagement opportunity and buy them a sustainably sourced branded bottle. It’s good for a business when its people are proud of their employer for doing the right thing.

• Clean up your catering. Does your staff canteen give away disposable plastic cutlery and straws? In 2018, this ugly stuff is looking increasingly behind the times. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives, whether it’s paper straws, good old-fashioned reusable knives and forks or even compostable crockery.

Maybe your canteen could take a cue from the big coffee chains now offering a discount to customers who bring in their own reusable cup.

• Refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle. Ask yourself the following about each example of single-use plastic in your business… do

Autrefois amies flexibles de tous, les matières plastiques sont devenues l’ennemi public numéro un. On nous dit qu’il est nécessaire d’en réduire l’utilisation dans tous les domaines de nos vies afin de protéger les océans, et cela inclut le lieu de travail.

Hartley Milner explique comment les entreprises peuvent frapper dur dans la lutte contre la pollution par les matières plastiques.

October 2018 | ECJ | 42

we really need this? Could we buy a more environmentally friendly alternative or use something that contains no (or less) plastic? Could this have a useful life after fulfilling its original purpose? Can it be recycled?

• Look in every corner of your business.

You might be surprised at how wasteful some parts of your operations are.

Don’t forget to check with your brand or marketing teams to make sure there aren’t any pointless plastic giveaways being handed out at conferences or in the street.

There are plenty of branded merchandise companies now offering sustainable alternatives that might also have a longer shelf life with your target audience.

• Challenge your supply chain. Does the stuff you buy into the business come swathed in bubble wrap or nestled in polystyrene? Tell your suppliers you’re phasing out disposable plastics and challenge them to offer alternatives. State your plastic pledges in your environmental policy and publish it on your website to show you’re committed.

• Reimagine your packaging. Are you passing an unnecessary plastic burden onto your customers? Think of innovative ways to design plastic out of your packaging or find a sustainable replacement.

Evaluate and communicate • Think circular. If you find some plastic is, for now, unavoidable, make it easy for your staff and customers to recycle or return it to you for reuse. People want to do their bit, but it’s not always obvious what can be recycled and how. They’ll value your guidance and that’s good for your brand.

• Evaluate and communicate. Make a note of how much plastic waste you were creating at the beginning of your journey, set ambitious targets (could you even set a date by which your business will be singleuse plastic-free?), and keep track of your progress. Showing colleagues the impact of your efforts will keep them motivated

Einst war Plastik unser flexibler Freund, doch jetzt ist es der weltweite Staatsfeind Nummer eins. Uns wird gesagt, dass wir seine Verwendung in jedem Bereich unseres Lebens einschränken müssen, wenn wir die Meere retten wollen, und das schließt auch den Arbeitsplatz ein. Hartley Milner berichtet, wie Firmen im Kampf gegen Plastikverschmutzung einen kraftvollen Beitrag leisten können.

and create the space for you to go further.

And customers will be impressed if you can show you’re taking meaningful action against the plastic pollution crisis. Express it in inspiring ways. For example, how many tonnes of waste have you saved in a year and how many killer whales weigh the same as this?

“And if you manage to do all of that, keep going,” Cambridge urges. “Plastics aren’t the end of the story when it comes to our throwaway culture. If you can tackle single-use plastic you can tackle singleuse anything. Ultimately, no economy can prosper on a trashed planet and there are huge business opportunities in becoming leaner and treading more lightly on the Earth.”

Sustainable alternatives A light footfall in all she does was a founding principle for UK entrepreneur Emma Heathcote-James when she launched the Little Soap Company to sell her range of high-end organic products in 2008. From the start, she shunned traditional plastic shrink-wrap for her bar soap range that now comprises 90 per cent of her sales and opted instead to use recyclable cardboard packaging or biodegradable waxed paper.

Where plastic bottles are used, for her liquid hand soaps, bubble bath lotions and shower gels, Emma sources sustainable alternatives to singe-use plastic bottles that are dumped in landfill and can take up to 1,000 years to break down. And she ensured her products were free of polluting plastic microbeads long before the British government acted to ban their use in cosmetics and personal care products earlier this year.

“I have always been into organics and trying to save the planet in my own little way,” Heathcote-James said. “I am very much of the mind that businesses need to be responsible and produce their products in an eco-friendly and sustainable manner.

Using alternatives to harmful plastics can be more expensive, but it is not just about profit margins for me; it is about doing things properly. We know from feedback that customers appreciate our efforts and I am convinced our light-touch approach is contributing to our success… our sales are simply going up and up!”

Una volta la plastica era il nostro amico flessibile, ora è diventata il nemico mondiale numero uno. Ci viene detto che dobbiamo ridurne l’uso in tutti i settori della nostra vita se vogliamo salvare gli oceani, e questo include anche i luoghi di lavoro. Hartley Milner ci informa su come le imprese possono avere un valido impatto nella lotta contro l’inquinamento causato dalla plastica.

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AIR FRESHENERS

Scents and sensibilities How do air freshener manufacturers tread the fine line between gently fragrancing an environment and creating an overpowering aroma, asks Ann Laffeaty.

According to a new memoir, Apple cofounder Steve Jobs told his daughter that she “smelled like a toilet” when she visited him on his deathbed. However, this seemingly harsh-sounding criticism of Lisa Brennan-Jobs was merely a reference to the rose-scented spray she was wearing at the time.

This story illustrates the huge challenge that air freshener manufacturers face on a daily basis. They need to come up with pleasant background aromas that will be appreciated by end users - without creating smells that have negative connotations. So how do they achieve this?

SMW uses two distinct approaches says operations manager Clément Janin. “We offer a range of standard fragrances including woody, marine and citrus aromas that cover most needs for both functional fragrancing and odour control,” he said.

“Then we work with customers to understand their positioning, their clients and their image and come up with bespoke fragrances that will reinforce their brands and generate a stronger customer engagement.”

Fragrance perception is strongly linked to culture and habit, he says. “For example, citrus notes work well in washrooms and tend to be associated with cleanliness in France,” he said. “However we always bring something extra to our fragrances and try to come up with more sophisticated aromas that we blend with odour control notes.”

SMW offers various fragrances for environments such as offices, care homes and shops. “These can evoke different feelings depending on our clients’ needs: for example, a scent can be used to create a cosy impression in a care home; an invigorat-

ing environment in an office or a soothing ambiance in a spa or a retail centre.”

According to Janin it can be difficult to avoid ‘fragrance fatigue’ whereby people fail to notice an aroma that has been present for a long time. “When this occurs, facility managers may be tempted to increase the aroma’s intensity even though visitors are satisfied with the fragrance level,” he said. “However, the aim of a fragrance is to improve the connection between the venue and its clients.

Customers should notice it but the aroma should remain in the background and never become a nuisance. It is therefore important that facilities managers only evaluate the scent intensity when first entering a room.”

SMW offers a range of fragrance diffusers from stand-alone and wall-mounted options for small areas to products that can be connected to HVAC and centralised air systems for use in larger facilities.

It is a constant challenge to come up with fragrances that eliminate malodours while fulfilling a range of other criteria says divisional manager for AM Services Nikki Phillips. “An air care solution should release a fragrance continuously while also filling a large room and working well immaterial of airflow, temperature and humidity,” she said. “It should also be compliant and safe both for people and the environment.

Aromas subjective “Coming up with new fragrances that promote positive reactions is a further challenge since aromas are very subjective. Geographical and cultural preferences make it hard to find a universal solution so we believe that offering a varied intensity is better than creating a fragrance for every taste.”

AM Services uses Fragrance Delivery Technologies’ products at its customers’ facilities and these are constantly evolving according to customer feedback, says Phillips. She adds fragrance fatigue is not usually a problem in washrooms since people only visit them for short periods.

“However in offices, the same people are continuously exposed to the same fragrance and if they cease to smell anything, they may conclude that the aircare system is not working,” she said. “Offering varying intensities and regularly changing the fragrance is an ideal solution here.”

Perfumes should be chosen to please the maximum number of people according to Prodifa’s commercial export manager Séverine Bossaert. “It is always important to find new olfactory experiences for customers and we look for originality combined with fragrance notes that are not too pronounced,” she said.

Prodifa specialises in fragrances derived from essential oils. “These allow us to offer perfumes based on citrus fruits and floral aromas that won’t be associated with sanitary use,” she said. “They also enable us to come up with fragrances that are close to body perfumery, making the end user feel comfortable without even noticing the aroma.”

According to Bossaert, fragrance fatigue is not an issue where the perfume is diffused at regular intervals, such as every 15 minutes. “If the diffusion is steady, we will retain a sense of wellness and comfort whether we are actually conscious of smelling the fragrance or not,” she said.

“Making an association between an environment and a particular smell can be a good thing – such as in olfactory marketing where we use coffee, pastry or roast chicken aromas to tempt people to eat or drink at a venue.”

The intensity of the smell should vary according to the environment, she says.

“In a hotel reception area, for example, we aim to provide a discreet perfume that will stay in the background,” she said. “The purpose is to create a sensation of wellness without necessarily knowing why.”

Prodifa offers a range of fragrances that can be diffused via dispensers with solenoid valves along with aerosol and battery products. “Our top-of-the-range perfumes have become our customers’ Continued page 46

October 2018 | ECJ | 45

AIR FRESHENERS Scents and sensibilities (continued) first choice whatever the environment – and this includes the sanitary sector - because people don’t want ‘toilet perfumes’ anymore,” she said.

Constantly coming up with new fragrances that trigger positive reactions from the public is the most interesting challenge a fragrance company has to face according to Hyprom’s marketing and communication director Dorothée Dinner.

“This is one of the keys ways in which we can stand out from the competition,” she said. “We have worked for more than 30 years in the industry to create fragrances that fit current trends.”

She says every fragrance has its own function. “For example, our green tea fragrance is popular with spa customers whereas people in retirement homes respond more readily to our more classic, fruity scents,” she said.

Ensuring the aroma remains in the background rather than overpowers a room is a matter of expertise, says Dinner. “It also requires a dispenser with programming capabilities that can adapt to the circumstances and take into account the size of the room, the frequency of delivery and the ventilation,” she adds.

Latest Hyprom products are BLO2 for washrooms and BLO2 Life for living areas.

These are said to produce a light airborne fragrant mist using no propellant gas.

Fragrance fatigue is a real issue and the only way to overcome it is to rotate fragrances, according to Dinner. “You can’t improvise when producing air care solutions: it takes time, resources and above all, passion,” she said.

The aim of washroom fragrancing solutions in the past was simply to mask unpleasant odours says Vectair’s managing director Paul Wonnacott. “However it is no longer simply about the perception of a washroom being clean and fresh – it is about the whole user experience,” he said.

“Stronger scents such as citrus, sandalwood and musk tend to be associated with washrooms since more powerful fragrances are more effective when tackling unpleasant odours.”

He said hospitals and care homes also

needed to mask unpleasant odours.

“However the patients, residents, staff and visitors in these environments are exposed to scents for longer than in a washroom where people go in and out,” he said. “So fresher scents such as eucalyptus, mint and linen are often associated with these types of facility.”

Simply attempting to mask a bad odour with a fragrance will not solve the problem, he says. “It is important air fresheners are installed in the right place and are properly programmed to avoid there being long periods without a fragrance,” said Wonnacott. “Some venues like to use air freshening dispensers that provide ‘always on’ or consistent fragrance if their venue is particularly busy, or programme extra bursts of fragrance at specific times.

“However, fragrance fatigue can be an issue in venues where people spend long periods of time such as offices or hotels.

The way to combat this is to provide a few different fragrances over time – either by changing refills, using different but complementary aircare systems or utilising a system which provides two multi-phasing fragrances in one.”

D’après les mémoires qu’elle vient de publier, la fille de Steve Jobs raconte que celui-ci lui a dit qu’elle « sentait comme des toilettes » quand elle est venue le visiter sur son lit de mort. Il faut penser qu’il faisait allusion aux fragrances diffusées dans des toilettes, Cependant ses propos n’en donnaient pas moins l’impression d’une grossière insulte. Les fabricants de désodorisants ont à affronter un problème de ce type dans la mesure où ils ont à produire des fragrances nouvelles et fraîches qui ne seront appréciées qu’en arrière-plan sans être associées à des ambiances de toilettes collectives, d’hôpitaux, de maisons de retraite, etc.

Laut der neuen Autobiographie von Steve Jobs Tochter sagte er auf dem Sterbebett liegend zu ihr, dass sie „wie eine Toilette rieche“. Er verwies damit offenbar auf ihr nach Rosen duftendes Spray, sein Kommentar hörte sich jedoch an wie eine harsche Beleidigung.

Die Hersteller von Lufterfrischern müssen ständig mit diesem Problem kämpfen – neue und wohlriechende Aromen entwickeln, die im Hintergrund angenehm wahrgenommen werden, ohne jedoch für immer mit Umgebungen wie Waschräumen, Krankenhäusern, Pflegeheimen usw. assoziiert zu werden.

October 2018 | ECJ | 46

Impact of geography Vectair’s new Professional Passive Program provides fragrancing without the need for batteries, aerosols, solvents or propellants. The range incorporates two urinal screens, a toilet bowl air freshener clip and a passive air freshener dispenser and the same fragrance can be used across all four products to provide a harmonised ambiance.

According to Wonnacott, customers will be alerted to a scent that is not too overpowering or heady on a subconscious level resulting in a positive impact. “Using a dispenser that is suitable for the room size is important, and programmable dispensers work well where fragrance output needs to be controlled,” he said.

“Scents can also become lost in large spaces such as hotel reception areas or airports. Luckily, new technological advances have helped to solve this problem.”

Designing a fragrance that is popular

with the public entails listening to customers and evaluating the latest trends, he said. “Having been in the aircare sector for more than 30 years we listen to feedback from our huge customer database which will be impacted by geographical location,” said Wonnacott.

“Different countries prefer different fragrances – for example strong, heady scents such as oudh are popular in the Middle East whereas fresh scents such as linen and lavender go down well in the US. Seasons can also determine fragrance choices with lighter scents being preferred in the summer and warmer scents in the winter.”

But to return to our original question, how do air freshener manufacturers avoid creating a fragrance that makes a room “smell like a toilet”?

The answer is to avoid the use of cheap, synthetic fragrances on the citrus, lavender, pine and floral spectrums says Prodifa’s Séverine Bossaert. “Synthetic fragrances provide a poor quality aroma and are often associated with toilets since they’re not pleasant,” she said.

AM Services Nikki Phillips has two suggestions: avoid the use of bleach cleaners and eliminate the use of overpowering air freshening systems. “Bleach has historically been associated with clean toilets, but people are beginning to perceive that a strong bleach-like fragrance often masks a dirty washroom,” she said.

“And when a fragrance is delivered in the form of a short, sharp jet of overpowering air freshener it can result in a facility ‘smelling like a toilet’. This issue can be overcome with the use of more subtle systems.”

SMW’s Clément Janin has another take on the issue: “Even in a washroom, why use a washroom-type fragrance?” he said.

“There are other strong fragrances that are also appealing and it is not simply a matter of mixing a good scent with a bad one since this could result in an overall bad smell. Instead one should add odourneutralising molecules to the fragrance to eliminate bad smells while leaving behind a pleasant one.”

Nella sua recente biografia, la figlia di Steve Jobs racconta di come il padre, durante le sue visite al suo letto di morte, la accusava di “puzzare come un bagno pubblico”. A quanto pare, lui si riferiva allo pray profumato alla rosa usato dalla figlia, ma il commento suonava molto come un crudele insulto. I produttori di fragranze per ambienti hanno costantemente a che fare con questo problema, cioè creare aromi nuovi e fragranti che vengano apprezzati nell’ambiente senza venire associati per sempre ad ambienti tipo i bagni pubblici, gli ospedali, le case di riposo ecc.

Born with EXPERIENCE Hyprom has not only a 30-year global network but is also a strong direct service company. What difference does it make when it comes to this breakthrough technology?

BLO2 (for washroom) then BLO2 Life (for living spaces) have been proven and tested for the last 3 years within our direct customers before their international launch. It helped us to correct, improve what needs to be and to ensure a perfect reliability.

No other company in the market has the same know how and objectivity on such a technology…

Whatever the name you give to it. Also, it ensures our customers that BLO2 / BLO2 Life is simple to use, easy to program and quick to service.

To be discovered at hyprom.com

Revolutionary

Smart

Caring

Incomparable

Refined

patented fragrance release technology

intuitive programmation

No propellant Low VOC

efficiency

dedicated fragrances

PRODUCTS: AIR FRESHENERS

• HYscent propose une approche exempte de produits chimiques et sûre face à la neutralisation des mauvaises odeurs.

• Les cartouches de désodorisation Oxygen-Pro contiennent une essence de fragrance pure à 100 pour cent.

• Laut eigenen Angaben bietet HYscent einen chemikalienfreien und sicheren Ansatz bei der Geruchsneutralisierung.

• Lufterfrischerpatronen OxygenPro enthalten 100prozentig reines Duftöl.

• La HYscent afferma di offrire un approccio senza prodotti chimici e sicuro alla neutralizzazione dei cattivi odori.

• Le cartucce per i profumatori per ambienti Oxygen-Pro contengono il 100 per cento di puro olio aromatico.

October 2018 | ECJ | 48

Safe fragrance HYscent claims to offer a chemically free and completely safe approach to total malodor neutralisation and environmental fragrancing. Its fragrances are made from pure essential and fragrance oils - up to 11 in each one.

The range is not only designed for use in the washroom but also in hospitals, retail, care homes, offices and sports facilities. Dispensers are said to be stylish, ergonomically designed and simple to operate.

New to the range is Stealth, a commercial fragrance diffuser with six refills ports and seven

fan speeds for use in large and challenging spaces. www.hyscent.co.uk

Precise dose

The Oxygen-Pro air freshening system from Fragrance Delivery Technologies uses Oxy-Gen Powered Technology to deliver a precise dose of fragrance and proprietary odour neutraliser, Neutra-lox, continuously for the duration of the cartridge life.

There are two fragrance cartridge sizes. The Regular cartridge size works for 30 days and is the most suitable choice to replace aerosols, gels, spray or other passive systems.

With the Grande cartridge the dispenser can be programmed

for 30 days (strong fragrance intensity), 60 days (normal fragrance intensity) or 90 days (light fragrance intensity). This product is designed to help service companies reduce their labour costs.

With no added solvents and no alcohols, the Oxygen-Pro cartridges contain 100 per cent pure fragrance oil.

For facilities that require specific malodour eliminators without any fragrance, or a very low fragrance, Neutra-lox and Kleer cartridges are available. www.oxygenpowered.com

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PRODUCTS: AIR FRESHENERS

Clip and go Ecoshell is the latest non-aerosol air freshener from Vectair Systems, using its ‘clip and go, clip and throw’ technology. Powered by natural airflow, the shell design provides a large surface area for optimum scent delivery, with curved vents and internal slats for better distribution of fragrance.

conditioning vent says Vectair, as it further propels fragrance into the atmosphere. It can also be attached to a floor fan.

And it can be fitted quickly to almost any surface using either a clip or a sticky pad. Once it has been installed, the user simply replaces the dispenser with a brand new version using the same fixing.

Three fragrances are available. www.vectairsystems.com

No aerosol

Its stylish design means it can be used in a variety of different locations and in different ways, including hotel bedrooms, offices, washrooms and homes.

Ecoshell is particularly effective when placed onto or near to an air

As an alternative to aerosolbased systems Hyprom developed the BLO2 washroom fragrancing system, and BLO2 Life for living spaces.

Thanks to piezo technology fragrance is literally blown through a micro particles mist, which makes it stay airborne for longer says Hyprom. The company also claims it is environmentally conscious.

No propellant gas means no pollution, health threats or risk of explosion and there are no

• Ecoshell est le dernier désodorisant sans aérosol de Vectair Systems, car il utilise les courants d’air natureles.

• Hyprom a mis au point les diffuseurs d’ambiance BLO2 et BLO2 Life appuyant la prise de conscience environnementale.

• Unicorn Hygienics s’est déjà mise dans l’atmosphère de fin d’année en proposant une gamme de fragrances de Noël pour ses diffuseurs.

special transportation or storage requirements. Ten fragrances are available - five formulated to cover malodours and five designed to create a pleasant ambience in living spaces. www.hyprom.com

Festive aromas Unicorn Hygienics is getting into the festive mood already with the creation of a washroom fragrance range for Christmas.

There are new fragrance refills in Mulled Wine, Cinnamon, Spiced Apple and Cranberry and Orange. www.unicorn-hygienics.com

• Bei Ecoshell handelt es sich um den neuesten Lufterfrischer ohne Aerosol von Vectair Systems – er arbeitet mit natürlichem Luftstrom.

• Hyprom hat die umweltbewussten Beduftungssysteme BLO2 und BLO2 Life entwickelt.

• Bei Unicorn Hygienics kommt Feststimmung auf dank der Schaffung einer Produktreihe mit Weihnachtsdüften für seine Spender.

• Ecoshell è il nuovissimo profumatore per ambienti non aerosol prodotto dalla Vectair Systems che sfrutta il naturale flusso dell’aria.

• La Hyprom ha sviluppato i sistemi ecologici di fragranze BLO2 e BLO2 Life.

• La Unicorn Hygienics sta entrando nell’atmosfera festiva con la creazione di una gamma natalizia di fragranze per i suoi dispenser.

October 2018 | ECJ | 49

PRODUCTS: AIR FRESHENERS

• JVD, le nouveau diffuseur d’ambiance de la société Yaliss, produit une fragrance délicate et de longue durée.

• Airplus Ellipse est un diffuseur d’ambiance sans pile monté sur la porte de cabines de WC. • Le diffuseur d’ambiance Air Power, de la société Proandre, est conçu pour les grandes superficies.

• Der neue Spender Yaliss von JVD wurde entwickelt, um kontinuierliche und langanhaltende zarte Beduftung zu bieten.

• Bei Airplus Ellipse handelt es sich um einen batterielosen Lufterfrischer zur Befestigung an Türen in Waschraumkabinen.

• Der konzentrierte Duftspender Air Power von Proandre wurde für große Bereiche konzipiert.

• Il nuovo dispenser Yaliss della JVD è progettato per offrire una fragranza delicata costante e a lunga durata.

• Airplus Ellipse è un profumatore per ambienti senza batteria, montato sulle porte dei cubicoli dei bagni pubblici.

• Il dispenser di fragranze concentrate Air Power della Proandre è progettato per aree di grandi dimensioni.

October 2018 | ECJ | 50

Double wall

Concentrated

JVD says its Yaliss fragrance dispenser offers a constant and long-lasting delicate fragrance.

It does this through the use of a double wall cartridge.

The first wall is waterproof, allowing optimal preservation of the fragrance says JVD, while the second is microporous in order to enable progressive diffusion.

And Yaliss is made with recyclable materials, no gas and reduced packaging.

Between one and two months of constant diffusion are guaranteed thanks to the integrated fan, and there are four programming modes and two speeds.

Four fragrances are available. www.jvd.fr

Recently launched by Proandre is the Air Power concentrated fragrance air freshener, designed for use in large areas. Its diffuser nozzle means the fragrance is extracted in tiny particles so it stays longer in suspension and attaches better to any surface.

Seven fragrances are available for use in many different areas. www.proandre.com

No batteries The Airplus Ellipse is a batteryfree, door-mounted air freshener solution for washroom cubicles. Developed by Kennedy Hygiene Products it boasts ease

of service with easy loading and activation of the refill - the cartridge has been designed to activate inside the dispenser using the action created by closing the cover.

The built-in wick technology allows a gradual and constant fragrance release over a 60day period and five fragrances are available.

Airplus comes in four finishes - standard white and three premium versions: designer grey, chrome and satin. kennedy-hygiene.com

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MATTING

Intelligent matting ECJ speaks to Lee Fox, sales and marketing director of matting specialist Kleen-Tex, about the key role mats play in commercial buildings.

Mats are often perceived as a mundane purchase, something for people to wipe their feet on to keep the worst of the dirt at bay. But an intelligent choice and positioning of matting can do much more than that. It can transform the appearance of entrance ways, help reduce cleaning costs, reduce health and safety risks and help minimise bacteria in a building.

It is thought that up to 90 per cent of dirt enters a building on the soles of people’s shoes. Wheelchairs, too, can bring in dirt on their tyres. For many businesses the obvious way of preventing dirt entering is to buy a mat. The problem is, there is often very little thought put into that purchase and into the environment in which it is expected to operate.

To make matting work effectively it’s necessary to ask some key questions about the type of dirt it is expected to trap. For example, entering via a gravelled walkway will produce far more debris than a concrete footpath. The weather should also be an important consideration. Mats need to withstand far more moisture in wet weather, but factor in ice and snow, when grit may have been laid outside to prevent slips, and the mat then must contend with additional debris which can overwhelm it.

It is known that 1,000 people can bring in up to 100 grams of dirt. Factor in wet weather and that figure increases tenfold.

Removing that dirt is time-consuming and costly – around €900 a kilo.

Often companies adopt ‘one size fits all’, with supermarkets selecting the same kind of mat as a corner shop. Another common mistake is to fail the change the mat regularly, allowing it to be become clogged, saturated and unfit for purpose.

Sales and marketing director of mat

specialist Kleen-Tex Lee Fox says choosing the right kind of mat for the right job is critical to performance, longevity and effectiveness. “An entrance flooring system should scrap, wipe and retain moisture. If the area is large enough, mats designed for each specific purpose can be laid so that by the time people step onto the floor their footwear is clean and dry,” he explained. This same logic can be applied internally, for example, moving from a factory production line to an office, or in domestic locations, moving from a kitchen to a living room.

There are many types of entrance systems including grilles, ribbed, impregnated, disposable, textile, leakage and spillage controlled, and random looped.

Their surface materials can be used separately or in various combinations, depending on space and requirements.

These include natural fibres such as wool, cotton and coir (coconut matting), manmade fibres such as nylon, polypropylene, viscose and polyester and other materials such as natural and synthetic rubber, paper, polyvinyl chloride and other plastics.

Retaining systems can be recessed or surface mounted.

“It is worth spending time researching the best options for a particular building, based on footfall and overall surface area,” advised Fox. “Wherever possible, we advocate using a three mat system where the first mat removes grit and heavy soiling, the second mat removes grit and moisture and the third mat takes up the residual grit and moisture. By the time people step onto the floor their shoes are practically dirt free which brings all kinds of benefits.

“Firstly, floors remain dry, which minimises the risk of slipping. Excess debris which could cause falls or trips is eliminated. This in turn reduces how often the floor is cleaned, impacting positively on cleaning costs. Finally, it has an impact on the appearance of building, helping to create a good first impression.”

Matting length also has a dramatic ef-

fect on the effectiveness of dirt and water removal. Ideally, a minimum of six metres of matting is required to optimise performance, as each foot should come into contact with the mat at least three times.

Figures based on a 10-metre runner estimate that approximately 37 per cent of all dirt is trapped in the first two metres, 52 per cent in the first four metres, 71 per cent in the first six metres and 86 per cent in the first eight metres. “A matting length of nine metres will effectively remove 99 per cent of dirt and moisture,” said Fox. Where matting is positioned is also critical to its performance. Mats should be positioned to cover all the routes people use to enter a building and be the correct size to provide adequate cover of the whole of the entrance way.

Having a proper cleaning and maintenance programme is as important as choosing a matting system that is fit for purpose. A well cleaned system will remove and capture dirt and moisture, but if cleaning is inadequate the mat will quickly become ineffective. “Reputable mat suppliers will provide details of the cleaning methods required and the timescales recommended for carrying them out,” said Fox. Different cleaning methods will apply, depending on what matting system has been selected, from daily vacuuming, to carpet extraction and pressure washing.

“Not only will regular cleaning keep entrance ways looking good, it will also extend the life of the product by reducing the abrasive and rotting effect of dirt and moisture. If you have invested in a wellthought-out matting system it’s common sense to look after it properly,” added Fox. “It’s also worth remembering that, as with almost every product, quality really does count. By investing in the best materials your budget can stretch to, you will get the benefits in longevity and performance,” he advised.

Whilst entrance matting is used in virtually all buildings, mats can also be used elsewhere to transform the appearance Continued page 52

October 2018 | ECJ | 51

MATTING Intelligent matting (continued) of a building and enhance the wellbeing of those who work in it.

Specialist mats are a valuable asset in areas where safety and hygiene are critical, such as hospitals, catering establishments, swimming pools and spas. Mats which deflect moisture and dirt are highly effective in reducing spread of bacteria, whilst sticky mats are very popular for reducing contamination in highly sensitive environments such as laboratories. These mats are available in modular formats, to enable a bespoke system to be laid for maximum effectiveness.

Whilst many jobs, such as production line operatives, chefs and hairdressers, have always involved long periods of standing, modern desk-based workforces are now being encouraged to stand more at work, too. Sitting has been classed as the new smoking when it comes to On pense souvent qu’un paillasson est un article banal dont le seul but est de permettre aux visiteurs de se frotter les semelles et de protéger un immeuble contre les grosses salissures.

Toutefois, les effets d’un choix et d’un positionnement appropriés de paillassons peuvent être bien plus étendus car ils peuvent se traduire par une réduction des frais de propreté, une diminution du risque de chutes, et même une minimisation de la présence de bactéries dans un immeuble.

October 2018 | ECJ | 52

shortening life expectancy as sedentary lifestyles are blamed for a host of health issues, from obesity to diabetes. However, standing for long periods on hard floors can put pressure on joints and muscles causing back issues, so to prevent this, specialist anti-fatigue mats promote wellbeing whilst standing.

With advances in print technology it is now possible to create matting that is bespoke for a particular business, a complementary floor covering to match the overall décor of the building. It’s worth remembering, too, that the floor is one of the most overlooked areas when it comes to getting across an important message.

“Most people look down when entering a building, so where better to place a message for them to notice,” said Fox. This can be anything from a welcoming message to a company logo. “More and Matten werden häufig als banale Anschaffung betrachtet, etwas, an dem die Leute ihre Füße abwischen, um den schlimmsten Schmutz fernzuhalten. Doch durch eine intelligente Wahl und Platzierung können Matten einen wesentlich größeren Beitrag liefern: drastische Verringerung der Reinigungskosten, Reduzierung des Potentials für Ausrutschen und Stolpern, und sie können sogar dabei helfen, Bakterien in einem Gebäude zu minimieren.

more companies are recognising that the floor is the largest untapped advertising space other than the sky and are beginning to have bespoke messages printed onto their mats. “Some are using them to help with advertising and promotional campaigns, placing strategic messages about their company and its offering,” he added.

It is the thought the earliest form of matting was used thousands of years ago in the form of rush matting, as apparently even humans living in the most primitive conditions did what they could to keep external dirt at bay.

We’ve come a long way since then, and today’s mat technology provides endless possibilities for products to protect more than the floor. Very similar technology is now used for bar mats in pubs and bars and no doubt other applications will be recognised in the future.

Gli zerbini sono spesso percepiti come acquisti ordinari, un oggetto che le persone usano per pulircisi le scarpe per eliminare la maggior parte dello sporco. Ma una scelta intelligente e la collocazione degli zerbini possono fare molto di più abbattendo i costi delle pulizie, riducendo le possibilità di cadute e scivolate, persino aiutando a ridurre i batteri presenti in un edificio.

BATTERIES

The myths about lithium Battery Service Hub (BSH) is an independent provider of battery and charger solutions to a number of industrial markets. Director Andy Riddle looks at why lithium ion technology has been slow to be adopted by the cleaning sector.

While it is proving to be successful in a number of mobile applications, lithium ion has been slow to emerge into the cleaning industry. It is widely available for small equipment such as vacuum cleaners and small scrubber dryers and it is clear to see its advantages - especially for applications such as daytime cleaning even though conventional battery technology offers the advantages of cableless cleaning. It is the fast charging capability of lithium batteries and or the ability to have a “plug and play” replacement battery that are the key benefits.

Maintenance free batteries such as AGM or gel have long been the choice of cleaning equipment manufacturers, equipment suppliers and cleaning contractors although flooded or wet cell batteries are still used in a number of machines.

But why not lithium?

One reason could be the cost of a lithium battery versus its wet or sealed lead alternative. However, has the user considered the advantages of lithium over existing technology and could it reduce their costs in the long term? More recently lead crystal has also been promoted as an alternative to lithium because of a price advantage but do customers understand that technology and if it offers any benefits for their equipment, or more importantly the application it is being used for?

One key area that is always promoted as an advantage of both lead crystal and lithium is cycle life – the number of times the battery can be recharged – over and above conventional batteries. This life varies, depending on the supplier’s claims,

from between 800 to as much 5,000 cycles but where do these results come from and why do they vary so much?

Given the industry standard cycle life of a battery discharged to 80 per cent of its capacity is as follows: wet flat plate 500 cycles, wet tubular blocs 1,200 cycles, wet two- volt cells 1,500 cycles, sealed AGM 500 cycles, gel 700 cycles. Why is there so much disparity when it comes to lead crystal and lithium?

Firstly lead crystal technology has been proven by a number of manufacturers that have carried out “tear downs” of a battery to be no more than a sealed gel bloc that offers no real advantages over a standard sealed bloc. That is not to say the technology does not work as it can be found in many fast release applications, however, it is widely viewed that it offers no advantages over existing sealed technology in deep cycle applications such as cleaning or industrial equipment.

Perhaps understanding lithium a little closer may explain some of the disparity of claims with regards to cycle life. The two main lithium chemistries offered are lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (LiNiMnCoO2 or NMC).

LiFePO4 is best suited to portable and stationary equipment needing high load currents and endurance ie, starter battery.

Its characteristics are viewed as one of the more stable lithium ion chemistries but not ideal for deep cycle applications such as industrial or cleaning equipment.

LiNiMnCoO2 or NMC due to its more commercial viability, stability and characteristics is fast becoming the preferred battery technology for electric vehicles and applications that require frequent cycling-charging such as AGV’s (automatically guided vehicles) electric bikes, etc so the specification of these batteries would suggest it suits cleaning equipment well.

Lithium NMC has now become the standard technology offered by BSH to new and existing customers to suit a number of industrial applications and

comes in a number of configurations with programmable CAN bus communication. The blocs are paired with the correct charger with the correct lithium charging profile to ensure the battery is protected.

LiFePO4 and NMC have been used for a number of years but NMC has fast become the preferred choice of many car manufacturers and there is an emerging market from this industry and others that is offering what is termed as “secondary“ cells. The cells used to make up the battery once deemed they have reached the end of their life, possibly due to lack of performance as a battery pack, then find their way into other markets where they can be reconfigured for new applications such as renewable energy in the case for LiFePO4 as this technology is best suited for this or in the case of NMC battery packs for industrial applications.

Not recyclable Whilst this could be seen as an advantage from an environmental view, unlike lead acid, lithium in any form is not recyclable currently and is very expensive to dispose of. This reuse of secondary lithium cells also brings us back to the cycle life claims. Lithium battery packs are generally made up of a number of cells equal to 3.6 volts per cell which are connected together to then produce the required voltage ie, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 80 volts and capacity.

When a single cell is new the cycle life could be expected to be very much higher than that of a secondary cell, however there are a number of parameters that can determine the cycle life and these are but not limited to: • The state and age of the cells being used • How the cells are connected inside the battery pack • The conditions the new battery will be used in • The type of equipment being used • Average discharge current • Charge current • Cycles per day Continued page 54

October 2018 | ECJ | 53

BATTERIES The myths about lithium (continued) • Cycle per year.

Another area that should be considered when reviewing batteries that have been produced using secondary cells is to understand the underlying risks and performance issues that often arise from such battery packs.

One last vital area is that lithium batteries require a BMS (Battery Management System) to ensure the cells are being charged and discharged evenly in order not to damage the battery. Unlike conventional batteries, if a lithium battery is over discharged it is unlikely that it could be recovered. Therefore, the BMS is essential in protecting the battery and is a critical part of the battery pack configuration.

What are the advantages of using the right lithium technology?

• Fast charging • Opportunity charging - charge in a coffee Pour tirer la meilleure performance d’une machine de nettoyage, il importe de comprendre les facteurs qui entrent en jeu pour assurer la meilleure performance d’une batterie. ECJ examine les différentes technologies qui existent en matière de batteries ainsi que le rôle vital d’une bonne maintenance et d’une méthode de recharge appropriée pour leur vie utile et fiabilité.

October 2018 | ECJ | 54

break or lunch time without damaging the lifetime of the battery • Longer run times with less capacity • Battery can be discharged to 100 per cent unlike lead acid where maximum recommended is 80 per cent • A high charging efficiency means that almost all the energy that is delivered by the charger will actually be stored in the battery, which in turn should result in lower charging costs • Light weight – 24volt 40ah battery 8.6kg compared to equivalent two x 12volt 50ah sealed blocs with a combined weight of 30kg • Easily interchangeable So what should be considered when deciding if lithium will benefit your application? Firstly we would recommend that the battery being offered is configured using NMC cell technology. Does the ability Um die maximale Leistung aus Reinigungsmaschinen herauszuholen, ist es wichtig zu verstehen, was sich nachteilig auf den optimalen Betrieb der Batterie auswirken kann. Das ECJ betrachtet die gegenwärtig verfügbaren Batterietechnologien und warum richtige Pflege und richtiges Laden so wichtig sind für ihre Lebensdauer und Zuverlässigkeit.

to charge the battery when not in use for short periods of time (opportunity charging*) or fully charge within one to three hours offer the operation an advantage? *Opportunity charging (short periods of charge of both sealed and wet batteries) shortens their life leading to less runtime and early replacement.

Could using lithium, due to its ability to be recharged faster, reduce the number of machines required in a facility? Potentially reducing labour costs or allowing the rescheduling of cleaning times as conventional batteries take 10-12 hours to recharge assuming the process is not interrupted.

Lithium batteries can be retrospectively fitted into most industrial machines that exist in the market today including scrubber dryers and sweepers with very few, if any, modifications required.

Per ottenere la massima efficienza con le macchine per le pulizie, è importante capire cosa interferisce con la capacità delle batterie di funzionare al meglio. ECJ prende in esame le varie tecnologie di batterie disponibili al momento e come la manutenzione e la ricarica corrette siano così importanti per la loro durata di vita e la loro affidabilità.

PRODUCTS: BATTERIES

Lead carbon New from Battery Supplies is a range of lead carbon batteries.

The negative plates of these batteries are made of lead and carbon and thus combine the advantages of classic lead-acid batteries with those of a supercapacitor, says the company.

The addition of carbon ensures they have a higher charge acceptance and therefore a shorter charging time.

Battery Supplies says the new batteries also supply more power, are more resistant to extremely low temperatures and offer a longer lifespan - up to 1,300 cycles.

In addition the company offers a battery balancer which keeps sets of batteries in balance and optimises their life. www.batterysupplies.be

gateway offering users insight into the their battery fleet. The development has been made possible by latest sensor technology and analytics software which interprets and presents the data. www.enersys.com recharges or changes, and maximise productivity.

The new device, in combination with the Xinx cloud-based battery operations management system, is now an active IoT

Energy system Hoppecke Industrial Batteries has developed a new lowmaintenance lead-acid traction energy system for use in appli-

The winners of the 2018 European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards will be announced on November 15 in Berlin

cations where currents are high in relation to battery capacity. trak | systemizer dynamics is suited to heavy duty applications and boasts optimum power density and high cycle stability. High voltage level guarantees superior efficiency says Hoppecke. www.hoppecke.co.uk

Wireless device EnerSys has launched its latest wireless monitoring device for motive power batteries - Wi-iQ 3 - designed to optimise battery management, reduce the number of battery • La société Battery Supplies a lancé une gamme de batteries au plomb-carbone dont elle affirme que l’équilibre est garanti en tout temps.

• EnerSys a introduit une nouveau dispositif de surveillance sans fil de batteries motrices, le Wi-iQ 3.

• Hoppecke Industrial Batteries a développé un nouveau concept de batterie acide-plomb de traction à entretien minime.

• Neu von Battery Supplies ist eine Produktreihe mit Blei-KohlenstoffBatterien, die nach eigenen Angaben jederzeit ausgeglichen sind.

• EnerSys hat ein neues drahtloses Überwachungsgerät für Fahrzeugbatterien vorgestellt: Wi-iQ 3.

• Hoppecke Industrial Batteries hat ein neues wartungsarmes BleiSäure-Traktionsbatteriekonzept entwickelt.

• La novità della Battery Supplies è una gamma di batterie piombo– carbonio che vantano di mantenere costantemente l’equilibrio.

• La EnerSys ha lanciato un nuovo dispositivo wireless di monitoraggio per le batterie per trazione elettrica, il Wi-iQ 3.

• La Hoppecke Industrial Batteries ha sviluppato un nuovo concetto di batteria di trazione al piombo–acido a bassa manutenzione.

October 2018 | ECJ | 55

NEW PRODUCT REVIEW

• Essity a amélioré son distributeur de papier Tork Reflex au moyen d’un embout tournant permettant à l’utilisateur d’arracher le papier en un seul mouvement.

• Vikan a lancé un racloir en nylon capable d’enlever des substances tenaces hors de surfaces très chaudes et très froides.

• Trident est le plus récent système distributeur de blanchisserie signé Dema Engineering.

• Kimberly-Clark Professional a lancé un site Internet sur le thème de « La vérité écœurante des sécheurs à jet ».

• Le nettoyant de surface Buz Mark Ex G 559 de Buzil est maintenant conditionné en bouteilles vaporisatrices prêtes à l’emploi.

• HydraMaster a mis au point un support polyvalent de lances de nettoyage de tapis pour le rangement de ses lances Evolution à bord de fourgons de nettoyeurs de tapis.

• Essity hat den Papierspender Tork Reflex mit einer rotierenden Tülle modernisiert, damit Benutzer das Papier in einer Bewegung abreißen können.

• Vikan hat einen Schaber aus Nylon vorgestellt, mit dem hartnäckige Substanzen sowohl von sehr heißen als auch sehr kalten Oberflächen entfernt werden können.

• Bei Trident handelt es sich um das neueste intelligente Waschmittelspendersystem von Dema Engineering.

• Kimberly-Clark Professional hat eine Website zum Thema “Die eklige Wahrheit über HeißluftDüsentrockner” vorgestellt.

• Der Oberflächenreiniger Buz Mark Ex G 559 von Buzil ist jetzt in einer gebrauchsfertigen Sprühflasche erhältlich.

• HydraMaster hat ein Mehrzweck-Regal/eine Halterung zur Aufbewahrung der EvolutionSaugrohre in den Lieferwagen von Teppichreinigern entwickelt.

• La Essity ha potenziato il suo dispenser di carta Tork Reflex con un erogatore rotante che permette all’utente di strappare la carta con un solo gesto.

• La Vikan ha lanciato un raschietto in nylon che pulisce dalle superfici molto calde e molto fredde le sostanze tenaci.

• Trident è il nuovo sistema dispenser smart per lavanderie prodotto dalla Dema Engineering.

• La Kimberly-Clark Professional ha lanciato un sito web sul tema ‘La verità disgustosa sugli asciugamani a getto d’aria’.

• Il detergente per superfici Buz Mark Ex G 559 della Buzil è ora disponibile in un flacone spray pronto all’uso.

• La HydraMaster ha sviluppato un rastrelliera multiuso per appendere gli accessori adatta per i furgoni del lavaggio delle moquette e ideale per le bocchette Evolution.

October 2018 | ECJ | 56

Rotating nozzle An upgrade to the Tork Reflex paper dispenser is set to improve cleaning efficiency in a wide range of environments, says manufacturer Essity.

The unit now features a rotating nozzle which allows the user to quickly tear off a length of paper in one fluid motion and from any angle. This speeds up access to paper, making the task of cleaning both faster and more efficient the company says.

The new nozzle also enables the operative to access the paper using one hand for added convenience. And the fact the product is dispensed in single sheets reduces consumption.

Tork Reflex is particularly suitable for use in food preparation environments since the paper is completely sealed in its hygienic casing before use. It also works well in other environments including industrial, educational, retail and healthcare facilities.

Following the latest upgrade, Tork Reflex is now available in the Tork Performance line of dispensers which come in turquoise/white and white/white housings. www.tork.co.uk/reflex

food contact regulations.

The new tool enables users to clean food products from hot surfaces, such as hot plates or inside ovens, with no risk of melting. It also withstands very cold temperatures, facilitating cleaning inside walk-in freezers and other cold environments. www.vikan.com

Smart laundry Trident is Dema Engineering’s latest laundry dispenser, designed for on-premise and commercial applications. The unit features a platform with Bluetooth technology for use with smart devices, enabling access to real time data, service reports and reminders.

The Pro-Access controls up to eight pump stands with two flushes or 10 pumps without flushes. Coming soon are new features including multimachine capability, pump expansion modules and integrated sensor technology. www.demaeng.com

Hand drying

Buzil’s surface and epoxy cleaner Buz Mark Ex G 559 is now available in a ready-to-use spray bottle.

This product is designed to remove water-insoluble soiling such as marker and ballpoint pen marks, writing ink, stamping ink and label residue. With its moderate pH it can be used on solvent-resistant materials such as tables, keyboards, doors and whiteboards as well as alkalisensitive materials. www.buzil.de

Wand holder For operators using HydraMaster truckmount cleaning equipment, HydraMaster has developed the Evolution MultiPurpose Wand Rack and Holder for organising Evolution wands.

Paper producer Kimberly-Clark Professional has launched a new website called The Disgusting Truth which it says highlights the disadvantages of using a jet air dryer when drying hands.

Nylon scraper New from Vikan is a nylon scraper for the cleaning of stubborn substances from surfaces from below freezing to as high as 175°C. Developed for use in the food and beverage industry the Nylon Scraper comes in five colours and is compliant with EU

In a bottle

The company says the site features the science supporting its concerns about building a more hygienic washroom environment, quoting figures from studies that jet air dryers increase the bacteria on fingers by up to 42 per cent and their surfaces can harbour up to 48 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. www.disgustingtruth.co.uk

HydraMaster says the new rack gives a more professional look to the van while also improving organisation and efficiency. Made in black ABS corrosion resistant plastic, the rack comes in two sizes. The auto-secure tensioner ‘locks’ the wand in place so it will not fall out, even when making sudden stops or turning sharp corners.

The rack can be mounted either to the side of the van or the roof. www.hydramaster.com

Don’t miss the Cleaning in the Digital World supplement with the November edition of ECJ

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