Better to be green and clean

At a time when concern for the environment has reached an all-time high, businesses are increasingly looking for new ways to improve their environmental credentials. An area that is often overlooked is the company washroom; in recent times, however, it has become highly wasteful and damaging to the environment and should be one of the first places a company assesses in an effort to minimise its environmental impact.

Most companies looking to reduce their environmental impact tend to focus on large, lengthy projects that cost a lot of money, take a long time to implement and rarely come to fruition, but making quick, simple, cost-effective changes to their washrooms will not only help to reduce their carbon footprint but will also improve the washroom perception.

The washroom can be an indication of how clients and visitors judge the company’s outlook and first impressions do count. If the washroom is a clean and pleasant environment for both employees and visitors this creates a positive perception of the company, from both inside and out. There used to be a misconception that a green, eco-friendly washroom meant that style and hygiene would be compromised, but the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

The amount of water used to prevent the problems associated with urinals is staggering. Not only are we experiencing water shortages all over the world, but for each time water is wasted we must consider the energy that will be used in order to re-purify the water ready for human consumption.

There are also financial costs incurred. A typical urinal flushing an average of four times an hour will use 157,680 litres of water per annum. Based on the national average combined water and sewerage charge of £2.15, this single urinal will cost approximately £339 in one year.

Harmful chemicals and acids can be damaging to the environment but are still often used as standard practice in washroom cleaning regimes. Companies need to consider not only the health and safety of the workers who use these types of products, but also the damage that can be caused to the eco-system. Acids and chemicals entering into the sewerage system after being used to clean a washroom will stay in the waterways for many years, reducing the natural digestion of biological waste and affecting water quality.

There are many ways in which companies can adapt their washroom activity to prevent a negative impact on the environment. The first step would be to replace all cleaning products that contain harmful chemicals with a microbiological alternative such as the GPn range of products. GPn2 and GPn3 use friendly bacteria and enzymes to clean and unlike chemicals that evaporate within minutes, GPn2 and GPn3 continue to work 24 hours a day 365 days of the year actively seeking out the food source i.e. bad bacteria. The products contain unique stabilised bacteria and enzymes that digest organic waste, eliminating the source of bad odours such as ammonia from urine, which is generally the main cause of negative washroom perception.

To reduce water consumption, companies can implement waterless urinal systems that require only one flush per day. Over one year this dramatically reduces water consumption to 156 litres of water for each urinal and also dramatically cuts costs to 33 pence in the combined water and sewerage charge.

There are a few waterless urinal systems available that are also chemical free. The Eco-Cube system contains naturally occurring microbes that are released down the waste pipe and disrupt the processes that cause limescale to build up in drains and taps, reducing blockages and urinal maintenance requirements as well as eliminating odours. The McAlpine system is also very effective: through enzymatic metabolism it digests complex body fat matters, grease, oil, cellulose and starch that is contained in urine and delivers the friendly bacteria to the waste system thus preventing the problems normally associated with urinals.

Wasteful paper towels and unhygienic fabric hand towels can be replaced with hand dryers. Traditionally these are hugely wasteful of energy, but a new breed of hand dryer has been developed that uses air speed rather than heat to completely dry hands on both sides in 10-15 seconds. The Veltia hand dryer is twice as fast as a conventional dryer and uses far less electricity. It is also more hygienic as the lack of heat means that bacteria struggle to breed and multiply – an important factor for controlled workplaces such as kitchens, laboratories, hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.

Traditionally pharmaceutical manufacturers have not been able to use hand dryers in their washrooms as clean air can be compromised and cross contamination can occur. However recent developments that have allowed the Vetia to be created with Hygenillac™ have meant that cleanliness levels are not compromised.

A large pharmaceutical company in the UK has trialled a number of Green Planet Solutions’ eco-friendly products in its washrooms. The company’s main concern is ensuring cleanliness is of the highest standard and already has steps in place to ensure a strict cleaning regime is adhered to. If standards slip there is a major risk of cross-contamination or a lack of sterilisation that could compromise important studies or test results, which is why it is essential they have products they can rely on and trust.

Avoiding the use of aerosols that spray harmful CFC gases into the atmosphere is another positive step in reducing the impact of a washroom on the environment. Often air fresheners come in aerosol form and companies should also be thinking about the negative impact these aerosols may be having on the workers that use them, as well as the environment. Aerosol air fresheners can be replaced with a gel-based alternative such as the Bio-Gel unit that contains 30% natural oils and is fully biodegradable.

Companies that have to comply with stringent hygiene levels often rely on harmful chemical products, but unfortunately this comes at a high cost to the environment. Using a microbial product for cleaning is ultimately the most effective antibacterial agent available because it continues working after application.

The Germ Warfare range of products highlights another innovative approach to tackling bacteria as it prevents the bacteria's access to nutrients, causing them to starve and die. It has a kill rate of 99.99% over a 24-hour period and the protection will remain effective for up to 72 hours as a result of the inherently low water solubility of this new technology. The range of products includes a multi-purpose hard surface cleaner, a protective hand mousse, biocidal hand soap, antibacterial hand gel, Fabrix odour eliminator and freshener as well as kitchen and bathroom wipes.

The range contains the active ingredient Hygienilac, which has been proven and certified to kill harmful bacteria at spore level, including C Difficile, MRSA, Listeria, Salmonella and E-coli.

Using eco-friendly products brings other benefits to business: as well as boosting green credentials and saving money, it can also reduce paperwork. Under the REACH directive, companies are required to register any harmful chemicals used by workers or the company; however, this does not usually apply to eco-friendly products as they are often chemical free, such as the GPn range. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) legislation requires companies to report on the use of harmful substances so they can monitor and help control exposure, protecting the health of employees. However companies that use eco-friendly products are exempt, therefore avoiding the time-consuming process.

Becoming more environmentally friendly will benefit your business as well as the environment, but failing to start planning changes now could risk damaging your company’s reputation in the long term. It is better to be seen as a forward-thinking company committed to doing what it can to make changes than as one that’s stuck in its ways and is ignoring its responsibilities.