The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector
OCTOBER 2017
CASE STUDY
SPECIAL REPORT
BUSINESS
Trends in washroom dispensers product focus Starts page 23
Managing change in businesses
Sustainable cleaning
Cars without drivers
Page 35
Page 42
Page 46
CONTENTS
October 2017 | Vol.25, No.5
BUSINESS
SPECIAL REPORTS
46 Driverless cars - friend or foe?
23 Dispenser downers
Hartley Milner on how self-driving cars will change our lives in many ways.
What can be done to prevent washroom dispenser failures?
31 Time to bin the bulk? Are sealed cartridge dispensers more hygienic, safer and more cost effective?
35 Agents of change How service provider Facilicom has managed change in the business.
39 The cutting edge What are the most important aspects of sustainability to implement?
49 Meeting the challenge 03 News 12 European reports
What are the most difficult floor cleaning tasks and how to manage them.
51 Tips for studded rubber How to best clean rubber studded safety flooring?
54 When only a chemical will do The industry talks of chemical-free cleaning, but is it always possible?
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Editor Michelle Marshall Features Writer Ann Laffeaty Advertisement Director Chris Godman Circulation Marie Payne
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 2017
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NEWS & EVENTS
Latest News & Events from ECJ
Reserve your place at the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards Rome! The 2017 European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards will be presented during a gala dinner in Rome on November 9, and tickets are now available. Founded by ECJ, these are the only pan-European Awards that celebrate the innovation, excellence and leadership present in our industry. And this year many of the industry’s leading professionals will attend the celebration at the Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel. For details on how to reserve your place visit www.echawards.com From over 100 entries submitted by service providers, manufacturers and distributors the judges have now selected those that will go forward as finalists in the 10 categories. 10 categories Diversey Care is the event partner. Lucart is the silver sponsor. Best use of technology by contractors in their cleaning programmes. Sponsored by Diversey Care • BeSense and CSU • How Bouygues Energies & Services use SmartView Technology to Manage the Efficiency of Cleaning Contracts • How UVC Xenon light (XENEX GERM-ZAPPING ROBOTS® Disinfection System), is used by CLECE in Hospitals to improve Cleaning Services Quality • Julius Rutherfoord & Co • University of Wolverhampton and SmartTask Commitment to and investment in training. Sponsored by Greenspeed • Birkin Services • Cleaning Dry System • Julius Rutherfoord & Co • “Markas Academy” Project
Excellence in client/contractor partnerships • Birkin Services • FBD and Derrycourt Cleaning Specialists • Julius Rutherfoord & Co • Youngflex: co creation by Albeda College and Gom Schoonhouden Distributors - excellence in added value initiatives. Sponsored by Lucart • Eko Iniciativa by Valtex • ICE Smartcall • Kenter • WE Italia Sustainability - best practice in implementing principles throughout the business. Sponsored by Werner & Mertz. • City of Ghent: Sustainable cleaning from A to Z • Going full circle Greenspeed’s circular cleaning approach • Markas best practice for sustainability: the Montichiari Hospital project • Ökologische Gebäudereinigung, Piepenbrock Workforce - excellence in employee relationships, diversity & inclusion, rewards programmes, etc Cleanology puts health, safety and wellbeing for its workforce at the top of its agenda Julius Rutherfoord & Co “Markas Academy” Project Maximum Impact, Breedweer Facilitaire Diensten Best initiative raising the profile and perception of the professional cleaning sector locally or on a wider level • Partnership and Social Awareness, Tenterden Twilight Commercial Cleaning • Azienda OspedalieroUniversitaria Maggiore della Carità di Novara: the hygiene hands game for children, the infection prevention starts from the beginning! • LIFE (Labour Intensive
Félicitations aux finalistes des Prix de propreté et d’hygiène 2017 ! Les gagnants en seront annoncés lors d’un dîner de gala à Rome le 9 novembre.
EVENTS October 18-20
October 29-November 1 2018
ISSA/INTERCLEAN Istanbul
ISSA/Interclean North America
Istanbul, Turkey www.issainterclean.com
Dallas, USA www.issainterclean.com
November 7-9
March 19-21 2019
Cleaning Middle East Pulire
The Cleaning Show
Dubai www.mectw.com
London, UK cleaningshow.co.uk
November 8-9
September 24-27 2019
Sustainable Cleaning Products Summit
CMS
Rome, Italy www.echawards.com
Berlin, Germany www.cms-berlin.com
November 9
November 18-21 2019
European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards
ISSA/Interclean North America
Rome, Italy www.echawards.com
Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com
November 14-16
October 26-29 2020
Hygienalia+Pulire
ISSA/Interclean North America
Madrid, Spain www.hygienalia-pulire.com
Chicago, USA www.issainterclean.com
May 15-18 2018
November 15-18 2021
ISSA/Interclean Amsterdam
ISSA/Interclean North America
Amsterdam, Netherlands www.issainterclean.com
Las Vegas, USA www.issainterclean.com
To have your event included in Events, contact ECJ via email at: michelle@europeancleaningjournal.com
Facility Event) - ANIP Road Show • How BESA promotes the importance of the professional cleaning sector through its ventilation hygiene training and industry standard TR19 Groundbreaking technological innovation of the year. Sponsored by ISSA/ INTERCLEAN • BeSense, CSU • Biorg • Malish Sonic Scrub • Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel Dispensing System, Essity Inspirational leader of the year. Sponsored by Truvox International • Avril McCarthy, Derrycourt Cleaning Specialists • Jan-Hein Hemke, Facilicom • Lorenzo Mattioli, ANIP • Paul Ashton, Birkin Services Greatest individual contribution to driving up standards of excellence within
Herzlichen Glückwunsch den Finalisten der European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2017! Die Gewinner werden am 9. November im Rahmen eines Galadiners bekanntgegeben.
a cleaning operation • Soo Bartholomew, Birkin Services • Avril McCarthy, Derrycourt Cleaning Specialists • Anna Sangaletti, Markas Lifetime achievement award to be selected by the judging panel. Sponsored by Ceris Burns International. Date in the diary Other sponsors include Afidamp, Brightwell Dispensers, Nilfisk and Magris. ECJ editor Michelle Marshall says: “The European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards are rapidly becoming a key date in the diary for the professional cleaning sector. As well as celebrating all that is outstanding about our industry the evening offers an ideal opportunity to meet with industry leaders in an informal and social setting.” www.ech-awards.com
Congratulazioni ai finalisti dei riconoscimenti European Cleaning & Hygiene Award 2017! I vincitori verranno annunciati durante la serata di gala che si terrà a Roma il 9 novembre.
October 2017 | ECJ | 3
NEWS Banknotes harbour thousands of bacteria, say researchers Paper money harbours thousands of germs and other microorganisms, according to a study. And common viruses can live on paper money for 10 days or more. A team of researchers spent a year collecting US dollar bills from dozens of New York City banks and swabbing them. Microorganisms of human origin including skin bacteria, oral bacteria, and even vaginal bacteria were discovered in the banknotes’ fibres. Also present were some non-human DNA from pets and indoor fungi.
No hand washing “A lot of people aren’t washing their hands and they’re at a restaurant where money is
going back and forth,” said Susan Whittier, microbiologist at New York Presbyterian and Columbia University Medical Centre. “You don’t know who’s touched it.” Common viruses such as the flu can live on paper money for 10 days or more, according to research. And banknotes may stay in circulation for between five and 15 years depending on their denomination.
Pathogenic bacteria A second study discovered the bacteria that causes acne were among the most common microorganisms on banknotes. Researchers from the University of Hong Kong collected paper bills from hospitals and metro stations as part of the study.
Il resssort d’une étude que le numéraire en papier abrite des milliers de microbes et d’autres microorganismes.
October 2017 | ECJ | 4
Around 36 per cent of the bacteria on the notes were pathogenic and capable of infecting humans. Experts have also discovered that the ability of bacteria to grow on money depends on the material the notes are made
Aus einer Studie geht hervor, dass Banknoten Tausende von Krankheitserregern und andere Mikroorganismen beherbergen.
of plus the geography of the region concerned. For example, the Hong Kong researchers found more marine bacteria on their own samples than scientists who conducted another study in central India, far from the sea.
Uno studio rivela che le banconote sono un ricettacolo di migliaia di germi e altri microorganismi.
NEWS Irish hotel staff told to clean faster to recoup wage rise Irish hotel cleaning staff are allegedly being told to clean more bedrooms per shift to compensate for an increase in the minimum wage. And they may face disciplinary action if they fail to reach their new target, according to union chiefs. Delegates at the biennial conference of Irelandís Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) in Cork learnt that staff who had previously been expected to clean 12 bedrooms per shift were now being asked to clean up to 20. It was suggested that the move was being made to help make up for the forthcoming increase in Irelandís minimum wage from
€9.25 to €9.55 in January 2018. However, unrest has been building for years over reports of an increasingly aggressive attitude to cleaners on the part of hotel managers.
Aggressive attitude Last year SIPTU organiser for hotels Joanna Ozdarska said union rules previously suggested that 12 to 14 rooms per shift should be the maximum for hotel workers. ìBut increasingly that number is rising to as many as 20 rooms,î she said. ìThe whole attitude is very aggressive towards workers: they are pushed and penalised for minor mistakes.î She added there are more nonunionised, non English-speaking
En Irlande, le personnel de nettoyage hÙtelier aurait ÈtÈ sommÈ de traiter un plus grand nombre de chambres par poste de travail afin de compenser la hausse du salaire minimum.
cleaners who were unaware of their rights and fearful of unemployment. ìThey are coming under constant pressure to clean
Als Ausgleich f¸r eine Erhˆhung des Mindestlohns wird das Reinigungspersonal in irischen Hotels angeblich aufgefordert, mehr Schlafzimmer pro Schicht zu reinigen.
more hotel rooms per shift,î she said. ìAnd since training is often absolutely minimal, this is a health and safety issue.î
A quanto pare, agli addetti ai servizi di pulizia degli hotel irlandesi viene chiesto di pulire un numero maggiore di camere per turno per compensare líaumento del minimo salariale.
October 2017 | ECJ | 5
NEWS ISSA Hygieia network announces 2017 award winners The ISSA Hygieia Network (IHN), a non-profit association dedicated to the advancement and retention of cleaning industry women, announced the winners of its third annual ISSA Hygieia Network Awards during a ceremony in Las Vegas recently. The Hygieia Member of the Year Award, which recognises a member who has made an outstanding contribution to the cleaning industry, was awarded to Michelle Mercer, senior director business development supply chain, Aramark, for her work in promoting women in the workforce and within outside organisations. The Rising Star of the Year Award, open to women aged
35 and under who have demonstrated their commitment to further the ideals and objectives of the ISSA Hygieia Network, was awarded to Michelle Munvez, vice president, Chemcraft.
Invisible heroes book The Man of the Year Award, given to a senior level man who is dedicated to promoting the advancement of women in the cleaning industry, was presented to Mark Oldaker, vice president of operations and finance - commercial cleaning, Midwest Maintenance. The Employer of the Year Award was awarded to Earth Friendly Products for promoting women in the organisation
Le réseau ISSA Hygieia (IHN), une association dédiée à la promotion des femmes travaillant dans le secteur de la propreté, a récemment tenu sa cérémonie annuelle de remise des prix.
October 2017 | ECJ | 6
and building a community of mentorship and support that has led to a dramatic increase of women in leadership positions in the company. The Eidyia Award, which recognises companies or individuals leading efforts to reduce illiteracy rates within the cleaning industry’s workforce, was presented to Professional Janitor Services of Houston.
A Special Honours Award was presented to Hao Dang Tanascos, president of HAOskeeping, for her dedication to diversity and inclusion within the industry. During the ceremony the IHN launched its new book, ‘Invisible Heroes’, which includes inspirational stories from 23 incredible women (and one man) within the cleaning industry. www.hygieianetwork.org
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The ISSA Hygieia Network (IHN), ein Verband, der der Förderung von Frauen in der Reinigungsbranche gewidmet ist, veranstaltete kürzlich seine alljährliche Preisverleihung.
La ISSA Hygieia Network (IHN), un’associazione dedicata all’avanzamento delle donne nel settore delle pulizie professionali, ha tenuto di recente la sua cerimonia annuale di riconoscimenti.
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NEWS Bleach link to lung disease? Cleaning with bleach and other common disinfectants puts people at risk of fatal lung conditions, research has suggested. A 30-year study concluded that people who use the products just once a week have a 32 per cent increased chance of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is usually associated with heavy smokers. Researchers from Harvard University and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research analysed data from a study of 55,000 US nurses that began in 1989. Subjects who were still working as nurses in 2009 but who had no history of COPD - were contacted again and their health tracked until May this year. During that period, 663 were diagnosed with the condition. The nurses’ exposure to disinfectants was evaluated via a questionnaire that took
into account their age, weight and ethnicity. Disinfectant use has previously been associated with an increased risk of respiratory problems such as asthma. However the new study is thought to be the first to identify a link between COPD and quaternary ammonium compounds (quats). “The potential adverse effects of exposure to disinfectants on COPD have received much less attention, although two recent studies in European populations showed that working as a cleaner was associated with a higher risk of COPD,” said Inserm researcher Orianne Dumas. COPD leads to a narrowing of the airways that makes it difficult to breathe. The term covers a range of conditions including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The everyday use of bleach currently carries no health guidelines but the study authors hope this will be investigated.
• Nettoyer à l’eau de javel et avec d’autres désinfectants courants expose à un risque de grave maladie pulmonaire, indiquent des recherches. • Aux États-unis, un aéroport fait désormais appel à la nanotechnologie utilisant de la lumière pour le nettoyage 24h/24 de plateaux de sécurité aéroportuaires.
October 2017 | ECJ | 8
Self-cleaning security trays
In the US, Ohio’s AkronCanton Airport has launched a nanotechnology solution that uses light to clean airport security trays 24 hours a day. It is the first airport in the world to introduce such a solution.
Nanotechnology Sponsored by Western Reserve Hospital and developed by NanoTouch Materials, new specially designed NanoSeptic mats and skins for the security trays contain mineral nanocrystals. They create a selfcleaning oxidation reaction that is stronger than bleach, continuously breaking down
• Bei der Reinigung mit Bleiche und anderen gebräuchlichen Desinfektionsmitteln setzen sich die Benutzer dem Risiko tödlicher Lungenerkrankungen aus, so ein Forschungsbericht. • Ein Flughafen in den USA hat eine Nanotechnologielösung eingeführt, bei der Schalen, die bei der Sicherheitsprüfung verwendet werden, mithilfe von Licht rund um die Uhr gereinigt werden.
organic contaminants. “Travellers’ health and happiness is a priority of ours,” said Rick McQueen, president and ceo of the Akron-Canton Airport. “Our employees pride themselves on holding high standards for the cleanliness of the airport, and there is a lot of hard work that goes into meeting those standards.”
Sticker skins Western Reserve Hospital, an independent facility, is providing the self-cleaning skins and mats as part of its commitment to community health and safety. The skins are applied like stickers to the trays’ handles, and the 1/16-inch-thick, selfcleaning mats cover the bottoms of the trays. NanoTouch Materials has supplied self-cleaning skins, mats, and other surface covers to the healthcare, commercial cleaning, education, and other industries for three years.
• Pulire con la candeggina e altri disinfettanti comuni mette le persone a rischio di malattie polmonari letali, come emerge da una ricerca. • Negli Stati Uniti d’America, un aeroporto ha lanciato una soluzione nanotecnologica che utilizza la luce per pulire i vassoi del controllo di sicurezza 24 ore al giorno.
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NEWS CMS Purus Innovation prizes
The organisers of the CMS cleaning exhibition in Berlin announced the winners of the CMS Purus Innovation Awards 2017 (PIA) on the first day of the event. There were six categories. Large Machines - Adlatus Robotics for the Adlatus CR 700 autonomous cleaning robot. Small Machines - Kenter for the iMop XXL.
Equipment - Kärcher for the EASY!Force Advanced. A special prize was also awarded in this section to Emil Deiss for its Universal Plus rubbish bags. Digital Tools and Systems Vermop Digital for System ONe. Washroom Hygiene - Ophardt Hygiene for the untouchable Cleaning Products - Wetrok for Granuline.
• La présentation du Prix de l’innovation CMS Purus 2017 a eu lieu récemment lors du salon CMS à Berlin. • Aux Pays-Bas, du papier hygiénique est recyclé afin de servir au revêtement de pistes cyclistes.
Toilet tissue paves the way Used toilet paper is being processed in the Netherlands and repurposed as cycle paths. Cellulose - the natural fibres found in toilet roll - is being separated out from toilet sludge at a Dutch wastewater treatment plant. The entrepreneurs behind the project are selling this cleaned and sterilised residue in the form of fluffy material and pellets. Toilet paper-derived cycle paths have already been constructed in the Netherlands as part of the two-year Cellvation project. It is one of a number of similar schemes around the country. Extract value from sewage has long been seen as an opportunity according to Noor Ney, head of
• Die Verleihung der CMS Purus Innovation Awards 2017 erfolgte im Rahmen der jüngst in Berlin stattgefundenen Reinigungsmesse CMS. • In den Niederlanden wird benutztes Toilettenpapier aufbereitet und als Belag von Fahrradwegen wiederverwendet.
sanitation with the Hollands Noorderkwartier water board. “Sewage isn’t only waste: it is a carrier of valuable resources such as phosphates, cellulose, energy and clean water,” she said. A preference for premium toilet paper among the Dutch is one of the reasons why the scheme works so well in the Netherlands says Carlijn Lahaye, managing director of CirTec which is one of two companies behind the project. “A lot of paper flushing through the toilet is high-quality fibre,” she says. “So you remove something that costs energy to pump around; lower the operational cost and get money for something that would otherwise be burnt as waste.”
• La presentazione dei riconoscimenti CMS Purus Innovation Awards 2017 si è tenuta durante la recente fiera CMS di Berlino. • In Olanda, la carta igienica usata viene trattata e riutilizzata per le piste ciclabili.
October 2017 | ECJ | 11
UPDATE: UK Benchmarking in washrooms UK correspondent Lynn Webster reports on a new study into office washroom standards. It is essential to periodically highlight FM realities, which is what the recent Kimberly-Clark Professional UK Benchmark Report 2017 on Office Washroom Standards has done. The office washroom has been shown to be more of an issue than openly acknowledged. Surely every FM knows what is wrong with office washroom facilities in general? Surely these same FMs know what might be wrong with their own office washroom facilities, addressing these issues on a continuous basis, preventing user dissatisfaction? The report suggests otherwise. It raises several issues that need to be viewed in a more critical light. The first of these
is to consider the discrepancy between the often negative realities of user experience and FM awareness of this situation. How is user feedback and comment encouraged and collected? Smiley faces, comments books and whiteboards can only be useful as tools within a larger tool kit. Are these features used? How, and how frequently, is the resulting data examined, and by whom? Does anyone ever just ask the users what they think on a faceto-face basis? What is the FM’s experience as a user of the office washroom facilities they manage? Perception can be at the heart of user experience, and while we might need to admit we cannot please all the people all the time,
Notre correspondant au Royaume-Uni Lynn Webster fait rapport sur une nouvelle étude relative à la tenue des toilettes de bureaux.
October 2017 | ECJ | 12
we at least need to take steps to try to do just that. FMs are faced with managing these perceptions, and associated expectations, in conjunction with the realities of ensuring washroom cleanliness and hygiene. The frequency of cleaning, scheduling checks in relation to work patterns within that workplace are the FM’s responsibility; but what are user perceptions of the results? Is the cleaning specification up-to-date, adapted to take account of user feedback and benchmarking exercises? User expectations, as stated in the report, are far from unreasonable: smear-free mirrors and taps; surfaces that are wiped and free of soap; puddles of water and paper towel debris; an odour-free or gently-scented space; replenished dispensers that dispense quality products; dryers that work; dry, clean flooring free of scraps of tissue; waste and sanitary
Die britische ECJ-Korrespondentin Lynn Webster berichtet über eine neue Studie zu Waschraumstandards in Büros.
bins that are not overflowing. FMs should recognise how these expectations drive perceptions. Identifying and benchmarking against best practice models and examples is essential. Exercises of this type will be both formal and informal but FMs should bear in mind the point that individual employees are a captive audience of sorts. The average office worker doesn’t tend to have a choice when it comes to washrooms, with the opportunity to nip out to use more well-appointed facilities unlikely and undesirable! What every office worker does have though is the ability to personally benchmark, using their everyday experiences at home, out shopping, on holiday, to recognise the very minimum that they might expect at work. FMs should look to harness this approach, alongside the more formal methodologies, and improve the washroom experience for everyone.
La corrispondente del Regno Unito Lynn Webster ci informa su un nuovo studio sugli standard delle sale da toilette degli uffici.
UPDATE: FRANCE Starting from September, the AixMarseille-Provence metropolitan authority, which is responsible for street cleaning and litter collection,has been deploying a new system to improve the cleanliness of downtown Marseilles, an area of great importance for the touristic attraction and reputation of Provence. The French frequently talk of Marseilles, which is the country’s second city, as a “dirty” place, when it isn’t referred to as a “waste bin”. In order to improve this poor reputation, the local authority has decided to take some major initiatives. These past months, it has launched a billboard campaign in the streets, at bus stops and on public transport with the wording “La propreté c’est nous, le civisme c’est vous!” (Cleanliness is our business, civic-mindedness is your business). Obviously, this
campaign was directed towards some of the citizens of Marseilles who don’t show much consideration for the environment and for the issues that are caused by their behaviour. More recently, the local authority has turned to private contractors in an attempt to improve the cleanliness situation in the heart of the city. These contractors are now tasked with collecting litter in streets and carrying out the maintenance of open spaces. Thus since September 1 the centre of Marseilles, which used to be cleaned by the local authority, has been put in the care of private companies contracted by the city. “The aim here is to work under a guaranteed outcome scheme with a private service provider, now in charge of cleanliness. We shall take stock of the situation in a few weeks to assess the effectiveness of the new system. This will
Les autorités marseillaises ont décidé pour la première fois de faire appel à des entreprises privées pour nettoyer le centre-ville, rapporte notre correspondant en France Christian Bouzols.
Fighting back against litter From France, Christian Bouzols reports on a major change in policy by the local authority responsible for tackling litter in Marseille. give time for the new teams to get to grips with their job and run in,” explained a spokesman for the city. This assessment of the situation should take place in the coming weeks. During this past summer, Marseilles hasn’t been treated kindly by traders and the business community. The local authority therefore had to respond and, during this back-to-school period, the change of service provider came at a good time. Late in August, Terre de Commerces, which is the federation of shopkeepers and
Die Kommunalbehörde in Marseille hat zum ersten Mal private Auftragnehmer eingestellt, um die Stadt zu reinigen, berichtet unser Frankreich-Korrespondent Christian Bouzols.
local services providers of the Bouches-du-Rhône Département, denounced the rubbish strewn around Marseilles in a press release stating: “On Tuesday morning the centre of Marseilles is in a state of indescribable filth. Torn papers, broken bottles, litter... cover the pavements, squares and streets of our great town centre.” It was a good time to act in order to change the image of a city whose reputation in terms of cleanliness definitely needed a boost. We now waits to see if the private sector will do any better than the public sector.
Le autorità locali di Marsiglia hanno, per la prima volta, ingaggiato degli appaltatori privati per pulire la città, come ci riferisce il corrispondente francese Christian Bouzols.
October 2017 | ECJ | 13
UPDATE: GERMANY
UPDATE: NETHERLANDS
A new brilliance for concert hall
Recognising a hacker
German correspondent Alexandra Lachner reports from Hamburg’s famous new concert hall.
Netherlands correspondent Jacco Vonhof, chairman of VSR, reports on a new book about hacking and its implication for cleaning companies and suppliers.
One of the now most famous concert halls in Germany opened its doors at the beginning of the year: the Elbe Philharmonic Concert Hall in Hamburg. The new glass building reaches 110 metres into the sky. There are some 1,000 glass elements making up around 17,500 square metres of glass façade which have already had cleaned twice since the building opened. Window and façade cleaning of prestigious buildings always makes the most exacting demands: workplace safety must be guaranteed at all times; the architect wants the cleaning to be undertaken as inconspicuously as possible; and the building operators are focused on the quality of the finished work. It is the continual job of Martin Semmel, managing director of rope-based maintenance, construction and cleaning specialists 3KER RAS GROUP. “In these cases we would normally go through the inside of the building up to the roof and carry out the work while abseiling down. With the Elbe Philharmonic Concert Hall the whole thing has to be done differently for safety reasons. The industrial climbers begin on the ground in front of the building, hook themselves up, are winched upwards and then transfer to their working seat and clean on the way down.” Since the Elbe Philharmonic Concert Hall is only accessible on one side by water, a 37-metre long, seven metres deep floating pontoon was installed as a working base for the façade climbers. And Semmel, in cooperation with his colleagues in ABO Glasreinigung and the main contractor SPIE, had to be even more inventive. In order to achieve the required standard Notre correspondante en Allemagne, Alexandra Lachner, rend compte des problèmes qui se posent dans le nettoyage de la nouvelle salle de concerts Elbe Philharmonic, qui s’est ouverte à Hambourg au début de l’année.
of cleaning, the team does not use normal water. A reverse osmosis water plant is placed on the roof which demineralises the water and distributes it through four supply hoses and then eight working hoses to the climbers. “The advantage is that our workers have the hose attached to a telescopic rod which has a brush on the end. The demineralised water removes the dirt with, if necessary, the help of the brush. Removal by stripping – which would not be possible because of the partly convex panels – is not necessary, since there are no limescale marks left behind,” says Semmel. This highly effective procedure is also necessary owing to the proximity of the port of Hamburg since, during the first cleaning of the Elbe Philharmonic Concert Hall only six months after it opened, a high degree of contamination was recorded from the rust and oil particles in the air. In the normal course of work, protective tunnels or scaffolding are used to ensure the necessary safety of passers-by and visitors. Work stops when someone passes by. “With the enormous public traffic around the Elbe Concert Hall this would not have been feasible – we would never have been able to complete the work”, says Semmel. Mobile protective tunnels, eight metres wide, four metres high and 37 metres long, were consequently employed which guaranteed the required safety clearances. Martin Semmel and his team completed the mammoth project on time: with 11 workers on site, eight of whom were on the façade, the job was completed in 13 days, with one day each for preparation and clearing up.
Unser DeutschlandKorrespondentin Alexandra Lachner berichtet über die Herausforderungen, mit denen sich das Reinigungspersonal der zu Beginn des Jahres eröffneten neuen Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg konfrontiert sieht.
October 2017 | ECJ | 14
La corrispondente tedesca Alexandra Lachner ci informa sulle sfide dei servizi di pulizia per la nuova sala concerti Elbe Philharmonic Concert Hall di Amburgo che è stata aperta all’inizio di quest’anno.
Many companies and private individuals think: “I have nothing to hide. I wouldn’t be of interest to a hacker.” But research journalist Maria Genova dispensed a rude awakening for our members during our annual VSR summer party. She began by asking us all what we had stored on our computers. “Scanned passport, photos, passwords,” came the responses from the attendees. So in fact, this could be pretty interesting to a hacker. Genova explained that hackers wishing to penetrate a company will often no longer target the company itself, but work via its staff instead. “They can intercept quotes and invoices through the staff’s own private computers. They copy the invoice, replace the bank account number and receive the money.” A business may also have to deal with malware. This is where hackers demand money (generally €300-€1000) to unlock your computer or system. Phishing emails are another risk to contend with. Even just opening one of these emails could result in compromise, and clicking a link inside is certain to end in tears. Maybe you’re wondering now: “But won’t my anti-virus program protect me? I’ve got a Mac - does that make a difference? Can’t my internet provider offer protection?” None of that really helps, according to Genova, though there are some measures we can all take. At most though, these will just give the hacker a harder time of it. The best defence against a hacker is to recognise the hack attempt and attempt to prevent it. I’ll gladly share her tips with you: Notre correspondant aux Pays-Bas Jacco Vonhof examine la question du piratage informatique et ses effets sur le secteur de la propreté.
• Phishing emails. Genova says: “Hackers might send emails about a package that’s on its way, those coffee cups you ordered or an invoice from your provider that’s ready to view. There’s always someone for whom this will be relevant.” Tip 1: How do you recognise a phishing email? If you right-click on the sender, a completely different email address will often appear. Tip 2: Check the domain name. If you get an email at work from company@secure.com, then it might seem legitimate, but hold on: the domain name is wrong. Only e-mails ending in ...@ company.com are safe. • Weak or repeatedly-used passwords. If one account is hacked, they can get into them all. “A hacker might then be able to place Internet orders from your account and receive the purchase amount in their own bank account. That would make you appear to be a fraudster yourself.” Tip: choose a long password, for example a sentence like ‘thisisaniceplaceF<for Facebook>13’, while for Instagram you would use: ‘thisisaniceplaceI13’. Genova says: “Difficult to hack, but still easy to remember. Password managers can also work well.” • Banners and Wi-Fi. Banners, advertisements and public Wi-Fi networks can also be risky, so it’s important to always run software updates. And if you’re not using Facebook or YouTube for a while, it would be safer to connect to the internet via 3G or 4G. Conclusion: you don’t need to be a sitting duck; take all the obvious measures and always think things through.
Jacco Vonhof, der NiederlandeKorrespondent des ECJ, untersucht das Thema „Hacking“ und wie die Reinigungsbranche davon betroffen ist.
Il corrispondente olandese Jacco Vonhof prende in esame l’argomento degli hacker e gli effetti sul settore del cleaning.
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UPDATE: ITALY
UPDATE: SCANDINAVIA
Environmental software endorsed
The Nordic choice of saying no
Italian correspondent Anna Garbagna brings news of a new software for cleaning companies.
What does a hotel bed do in the hotel lobby? Is lying in it for six daylight hours good for anything? And what has it all got to do with cleaning? ECJ’s Scandinavian correspondent Lotte Printz explains.
Less than a year after its launch in Rome last October followed by its presentation at the Pulire exhibition in May, SOS CAM – the software which allows cleaning companies to introduce CAM (Criteri Ambientali Minimi) - Environmental Minimum Criteria - in calls for tender in the cleaning sector – was endorsed by Afidamp FAB, the association of Italian producers of machines, products and equipment for professional cleaning and environmental hygiene. The endorsement from Afidamp FAB represents a recognition of the strategic value of this tool which is essential for cleaning companies that take part in calls for tender for hospital services. Therefore it is not only about a prestigious added value for SOS CAM, but it also represents a validation of the association’s commitment in supporting the development. The software originated from an idea of its owners Punto 3, a company which specialises in the fields of green public procurement and sustainability analysis. Punto 3 developed the project and is managing it. The SOS CAM application is a calculation model which predicts and quantifies in a simple, scientific and objective way, the environmental impact associated with a cleaning service in hospital environments. The software allows simulation of each phase of the cleaning service by associating the type and frequency of operations with the dimensions of the areas. It is possible to associate a specific cleaning system with each operation by using the PAM library (an acronym meaning cleaning products, equipment and machinery) to select the best items from an environmenDans son reportage d’Italie, Anna Garbagna rend compte d’un nouveau logiciel, désigné SOS Cam, à l’intention d’entreprises de propreté.
tal and quality perspective. The software allows rapid selection of a solution with specific quantities based on the input parameters and allows the planner to download technical files, safety files and other useful documentation related to the products, equipment and machines which were suggested. So for cleaning companies it is possible to use SOS CAM to create a number of winning technical proposals for green calls for tender in a very short time. And the sector’s manufacturers can easily include them in the PAM’s library so they can be accessed easily by cleaning companies who can see the environmental impact of the service being offered. Thanks to the agreement between Afidamp FAB and Punto 3, Afidamp FAB’s members will be able to have easier access to SOS CAM’s services. The secretary general of Afidamp Stefania Verrienti declared: “We have always believed green innovation represents a driving force for the innovation of the entire cleaning sector; for this reason we have taken part in round tables organised by the Ministry of the Environment in order to define the Environmental Minimum Criteria. Now however, companies must not stop at CAM they must also make sure green innovation goes hand in hand with technological innovation.” Cesare Buffone, director of Punto 3, said the “synergy with Afidamp FAB can surely represent an element of further growth of an instrument which is essential nowadays for calls for tender in accordance with CAM which is now compulsory in Italy thanks to the new procurement code”.
Anna Garbagna berichtet aus Italien über eine neue Software namens SOS Cam, die für Reinigungsunternehmen konzipiert wurde.
October 2017 | ECJ | 16
La corrispondente dall’Italia Anna Garbagna ci informa su SOS Cam, un nuovo software progettato per le imprese di pulizia.
If you happened to check in at one of Nordic Choice’s five hotels in Drammen or Kristiansand in Norway, in Norrköping or Helsingborg in Sweden or Comfort Hotel Vesterbro in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Monday September 4, you might have thought you were dreaming. Right in the centre of their lobbies the hotels had placed a bed – and a man or woman in it. For six hours, all these men and women had to do was to lie there and talk to hotel guests passing by. Curiously. And if they did stop and curiously ask what on earth was going on, tell them that saying no to room cleaning when staying for more than one night would be a wise choice. For each six-hour bed-in Nordic Choice Hotels paid 10,000 Kroner. Money not to be kept by the people in the beds, but to be donated to UNICEF – and ultimately help children who have been exposed to human trafficking. However, the bed-in was only to draw attention to a project called Sweet Dreams Stay and the nightmare that more than 1.2 million children are experiencing every year as victims of trafficking. To make sure that some of these kids at least get a safe night’s sleep, the Nordic Choice Hotels donates another 10 Kroner (approximately 1 Pound sterling ) to UNICEF every time one of their hotel guests decide not to have their room cleaned. That’s where housekeeping fits into the equation. Nordic Choice Hotels have supported UNICEF and helped them fight trafficking for several years, but last year they committed themselves to Que fait un lit d’hôtel dans la réception d’un hôtel ? Et en quoi cela concerne-t-il le nettoyage ? Notre reporter en Scandinavie Lotte Printz y jette la lumière.
step up their support in order to help even more child victims. The Sweet Dreams bed-in and project are part of this. The decision to take this kind of corporate social responsibility was made by the hotel chain’s top management, but employees have also voted to support this particular cause. “This is a win, win, WIN situation,” Jesper Olesen, general manager at Comfort Hotel Vesterbro, Denmark, says. “Everybody supports this! We fight human trafficking, it’s better for the environment when housekeeping does not have to clean rooms every day. It saves “chemistry” and washing. And the time saved they can spend on a good spring cleaning or do other things at the hotel they don’t normally have time to do.” Hours and wages are not cut for the cleaning staff. So this “clean choice” does not affect them as such. Expenses for social and environmental responsibility activities are paid for entirely by their employer. “But as our ceo usually says,” Jesper Olesen continues: “There’s no business on a dead planet!” In connection with the launch event, Nordic Choice Hotels also collected drawings from Scandinavian children for a week. Each drawing released another donation of 10 Kroner. That came to 132,470 Kroner. An amount the chain then doubled. Hotel guests were very positive towards the whole project as well, but only time can tell how much the “no thank you to cleaning” will generate. That part of Sweet Dreams runs for some time yet.
Was macht ein Hotelbett in einer Hotelrezeption? Und was hat das mit Reinigen zu tun? Unsere SkandinavienReporterin Lotte Printz erzählt uns die Geschichte.
Cosa ci fa un letto di un hotel in una reception di un hotel? E questo cosa ha a che fare con le pulizie? La corrispondente scandinava Lotte Printz ci racconta questa storia.
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UPDATE: RUSSIA The drive for professionalism In Russia, a new sector association has been formed by the largest cleaning companies. Oleg Popov of Cristanval Cleaning reports for ECJ. In Russia this year an unprecedented event took place – the largest players of the cleaning market decided to jointly create an industry association designed to create a service market which will be more transparent, first of all in terms of pricing policy. As is well known, a very large percentage of workers in the Russian labour market are illegal immigrants, especially people from central Asia, from the countries of the former USSR. Companies that employ immigrants often fail to pay taxes in full; sometimes either the employer or the worker disobey
labour relations policies, and a lack of normal working conditions is often the case. As a result, there are many ‘dumping’ companies on the market who are not interested in anything but profit. Given the threshold of entry to the cleaning market is very low (from $15,000 to $20,000) such companies appear constantly and in large numbers. Some of them leave after a while, some remain and work on small contracts at a low price. Bigger companies that are working with large retail networks and corporate clients try to offer
Oleg Popov, de l’entreprise de propreté russe Cristanval, rend compte de la formation d’une Association nationale d’opérateurs de multi-services, un événement inédit.
October 2017 | ECJ | 18
customers the lowest price, and to keep the big contracts, try to extract maximum profit, practically without dumping, since many have to account for big risks inherent to unstable young developing markets. While working with the largest customers, the price is often dictated by the customer, based on their budget.
More tax to be collected The above situation had been developing long enough until the state decided to collect more taxes. Recently a qualitative reform of the Federal Tax Service has been carried out and the efficiency of its work has multiplied. Members of the association decided, together with the Federal Tax Service, to regulate the cleaning market and make the pricing more transparent. To do this, the amount of tax which the cleaning company should pay is calculated. The members of the association
Der beim russischen Reinigungsunternehmen Cristanval tätige Oleg Popov berichtet über die Bildung des nationalen Verbandes der Anlagenbetreiber – ein beispielloses Ereignis.
will sign the Charter of a Conscientious Taxpayer, undertaking to register all personnel in accordance with the Labour Code and to pay all the related taxes. In case of a violation, the company in question will pay a huge fine and will be excluded from the association. Companies that continue to dump will be blacklisted by the Federal Tax Service of Russia and will be subject to frequent unscheduled inspections. This work is planned to begin from January 01 2018, and the whole of 2018 will be a transitional period. This initiative has been supported by many companies in the country - they want to make the market more professional. In addition, the cleaning companies of Russia will get real capitalisation, foreign investors will be able to invest in this sector, and purchase and sale transactions will be possible.
Oleg Popov dell’impresa di pulizie russa Cristanval ci informa sulla formazione dell’associazione degli operatori di categoria “National Association of Facility Operators”, un evento senza precedenti.
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WASHROOM DISPENSERS
Dispenser downers A dispenser has one job – to provide the washroom visitor with its contents. So how can it fail? We ask manufacturers about epic dispenser fails and how these can be avoided with today’s sophisticated products.
It is hardly rocket science. All a washroom dispenser has to do is to provide visitors with access to essential soap and paper supplies. But sadly, it is not always this easy. Dispensers may jam or leak. If they are not sufficiently sturdy they may break or be vandalised. And if they are too easy to open their contents may be pilfered: too hard to access and they might be difficult to refill. A dispenser can also be good at hiding the fact it is running out of supplies. So, what are the most epic dispenser fails from the manufacturer’s point of view? Being empty, says Essity’s European product director Gilles Bétourné. “An empty dispenser is a critical failure whether it is caused by over-consumption, insufficient capacity or a difficulty in recognising when it is time to refill,” he said. “And poor functionality or jamming can lead to a washroom visitor being unable to access the product, even when the dispenser is full.” He says a weak or poorly-designed dispenser may not sustain general wear and tear. “An unsecured system could also be a problem since it may allow for pilferage while also compromising hygiene and safety,” said Bétourné. “And dispensers that are too complicated to use also represent a fail because they may cause customer frustration.” Another, more technical issue is the problem of “tabbing”, says Bétourné. “This often happens in over-filled hand towel dispensers,” he said. “The weight of the
towels in an over-stuffed unit makes it hard for washroom visitors to take out a towel from the bottom. So they inadvertently tear the towel and this results in scraps of paper littering the washroom floor and adding to the cleaning burden.” Essity claims to have solved this issue with its new Tork Peakserve Continuous Hand Towel dispenser. This delivers towels in a continuous loop which eliminates the issue of tabbing, says Bétourné. The dispenser also caters for 1,000 visitors per refill – said to be 250 per cent more than most other towel systems - to prevent the problem of run-outs. Tork dispensers are lockable to prevent pilferage and contain refill identifiers to help facilities managers choose the right refills, says Bétourné. “Most of our dispensers also have level indicators that allow staff to tell at a glance when they need refilling,” he adds. “And our Tork EasyCube system allows staff to keep a check on refill levels remotely from a smartphone or tablet and this also helps to ensure that product is always available.” Managing director of Metsä Tissue Mark Dewick believes the wrong refill represents a “fail” for a hand towel dispenser. “If the towels are too small for the dispenser they will fall out of the opening and create waste and mess on the floor,” he said. “And if they are too big they will not dispense well. Users will then have to grab clumps of towels and possibly tear them which can result in mess and cross-contamination.” Sometimes the dispenser is not the problem – it is the hand towel, he says. “This can be the case when hand towels don’t “self-present” which is what happens with C-fold towels,” said Dewick. “Another issue is when dispensers retract the hand towel so that the washroom visitor cannot access it. This can cause ‘tissue rage’ and may result in a user becoming aggressive with the device. One of our customers had to replace three dispensers in a week because of the damage caused by this issue.”
Metsä offers free dispenser inserts that enable customers to use Katrin towels in any dispenser. “These reduce or lengthen the opening to ensure the towels can be accessed properly,” says Dewick. “Our dispensers also have transparent sides so washroom staff can see immediately when a refill is required. And our new Inclusive range features contrasting colours, large push-faces and braille text to make the dispensers easy to use for everyone including children, the elderly, the disabled and the visually impaired.”
Difficult to use Dispensers that are too hard to use are a problem in general, says Dewick. “For example, touch-free units are not always intuitive and it may not be clear where to wave your hand to locate the product,” he said. “Difficulties may also arise when the dispensers have to be opened to see whether or not they need refilling. Across an area the size of a large hospital this can quickly mount up in terms of resource time and labour costs.” An over-complicated washroom dispenser is also a “fail” in the eyes of Zenith’s managing director Oliver Johnson. “The most robust dispensers tend to be the simplest of manual units,” he said. “These remove the circuitry that can add a whole new level of failure in a wet environment. Add if you add battery life and reduced intuitiveness to the mix it becomes clear why a simple dispenser solution is important.” He says easy-to-understand units allow for faster servicing and provide a better return on investment for the customer. “Where end-users waste time with more complicated devices it greatly increases the overall time staff spend in the washroom instead of working,” he said. “Another consequence of over-complicating the dispenser is that end-users will simply bypass the hand hygiene process altogether. This could lead to the spread of infectious diseases and a lower return on staff investment.” Continued page 24
October 2017 | ECJ | 23
WASHROOM DISPENSERS Dispenser downers (continued) A jammed sanitary bin cover represents a major dispenser fail according to Kennedy Hygiene’s international marketing manager Violeta Belogaska. “This will prevent visitors from disposing of the waste which will make the toilet cubicle look unsightly,” she said. “If the soap pump is damaged or the cartridge is broken too, this will cause the soap to drip. And if the wrong paper towels are inserted it will result in too many being released in one go.” Other problems can occur when a dispenser is easy to pilfer from or hard to refill, she says. “And a dispenser not made from a robust material will break easily and have to be replaced regularly which will increase the cost of maintaining the washrooms,” she adds. Kennedy offers lockable dispensers made from durable ABS as well as wellfunctioning sanitary bins in manual, pedal and no-touch versions, says Belogaska. All Kennedy units are designed to be easy to use and quick to service.
Personal preference A dispenser will fail if the washroom visitor is not encouraged to use it, says Jangro operations director Joanne Gilliard. “The main job of a dispenser is to ensure everyone leaves the washroom with clean hands which means all dispensers need to be accessible and easy to use,” she said. “But this may not occur if one standard model is used throughout because everyone has a personal preference. “Children in particular can be intimidated or confused when using washroom dispensers and this can have an impact on hand hygiene compliance and contribute to the spread of infections around a facility.” Jangro offers manual and touch-free units as well as dispensers that are expressly designed to be user-friendly for children. “The Jangronaut hand washing characters on some of our washroom dispenser units are central to our education resources,” said Gilliard. Soap dispensers will fail if they clog, spill or take too long to refill says GOJO’s managing director Mike Sullivan. “Nozzles can easily clog which leads to complaints that the soap has run out,” he said. “And if Un distributeur possède une seule fonction administrer son contenu aux usagers de toilettes. Alors comment peut-il y manquer ? Un distributeur peut causer des problèmes s’il se bloque, s’il fuit ou s’il se laisse facilement vandaliser. Des problèmes surviendront également si l’appareil s’ouvre trop facilement, permettant le chapardage de son contenu, ou s’il se recharge trop difficilement, occasionnant de fréquentes pannes sèches. Nous interrogeons des fabricant sur des cas insignes de défaillance de distributeur et sur la manière de les éviter sur les produits actuels.
October 2017 | ECJ | 24
parts wear out or break they will need to be replaced. “But most issues occur where bulk soap refills are used – the type that involves the soap being poured from a jug into a dispenser reservoir.” He says these types of systems can lead to product contamination. “This is because the soap is open to the environment,” said Sullivan. “Once the dispenser has become contaminated the bacteria will re-grow, even after cleaning with bleach. And time and effort is needed to pour the soap and clean up any spills, drips or stains which makes refillable bulk soap dispensers both messy and labour-intensive.” GOJO products come in factory-sealed cartridges, he says. “This means the soap is never open to the environment and the units are quick and easy to replace,” said Sullivan. “Each cartridge comes with a fresh pump and nozzle to prevent clogging. And newer systems feature large sight windows to make it easier to see when a refill is required.” Run-outs, leaks and installation problems are among the main fails with soap and air freshener dispensers according to Vectair president Paul Wonnacott. “A common problem is batteries go flat and service people forget to replace them,” he said. “Refill leaks are often unavoidable, perhaps if a user has pushed the dispenser but taken their hand away in the meantime. And poor refill quality can be to blame when units fail to dispense properly. So it is important companies don’t scrimp on cheaper refills that aren’t up to the job.” He says issues can also arise when a dispenser is difficult to install. “If it is not installed properly it may not function correctly,” he said. “Vandalism is always an issue too and washroom dispensers are subject to all sorts of damage. There have been cases where batteries have been stolen from dispensers or even whole units have been taken down from the wall.” Badly-designed dispensers cause particular problems, he said. “Some lowcost options use poorly-made electronics which can lead to the display not functionEin Spender hat eine Aufgabe: den Waschraumbenutzern seinen Inhalt bereitstellen. Was kann schiefgehen? Spender können zu einem Problem werden, wenn sie klemmen, undicht sind oder leicht mutwillig beschädigt werden können. Des Weiteren können Probleme entstehen, wenn sie zu leicht zu öffnen sind, sodass der Inhalt entwendet werden kann, oder wenn das Nachfüllen zu schwierig ist, sodass sie häufig leer sind. Wir befragen Hersteller nach denkwürdigen Spenderausfällen und wie diese mit den gegenwärtigen Produkten vermieden werden können.
ing,” said Wonnacott. “Non-lockable dispensers may easily be vandalised or stolen while poor quality batteries will need to be replaced within months. “And dispenser covers made from poor materials will be harder to service while frequent leaks may cause these covers and the inner components to break or crack and this could damage the dispenser beyond repair.”
Robust and durable Vectair dispensers feature drip trays and alarms to warn customers of product runouts, he says. An optional display shows the number of days remaining before a refill needs replacing while the auto reset feature recognises when a new refill is inserted. And installation videos and instruction manuals allow for easy set-up, according to Wonnacott. So how will washroom dispensers evolve to make them even more functional and user-friendly in the future? They will become more hygienic while reducing the risk of run-outs, says Kennedy’s Violeta Belogaska. And dispensers will become more robust and durable due to advances in electronics, adds Wonnacott. “Battery life is also improving and good batteries can now last for three years or more before needing to be replaced,” he says. Essity’s Gilles Bétourné says increased functionality and more efficient maintenance are two of the current hot topics. “The idea of connectivity and data at your fingertips is a general trend that is definitely reaching into the washroom,” he said. And Metsä’s Dewick agrees technology will have a significant impact in the coming years. “This will include mobile communications that provide information on how often the dispensers are used, how much stock is left, forecasting usage and triggering stock ordering,” he said. “There are questions over how much people are willing to pay for this type of technology in such a low product value environment. But Metsä is testing similar technology and keeping abreast of the introduction of these next-generation devices.” I dispenser hanno una funzione, erogare il loro contenuto agli utenti. Quindi come può fallire nel suo compito? I dispenser possono essere un problema se si bloccano, se perdono o se sono facili da vandalizzare. Inoltre sorgono altri problemi se i dispenser sono facili da aprire e il loro contenuto può essere rubato, oppure sono troppo difficili da riempire e quindi rimangono frequentemente vuoti. Chiediamo ai produttori quali sono stati i fallimenti epici e come posso essere evitati con i prodotti di oggi.
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PRODUCTS: WASHROOM DISPENSERS
• Destiné à réduire les files d’attente devant les toilettes et à alléger la tâche des nettoyeurs, Essity propose la serviette continue Tork PearkServe pour le séchage des mains. • Le distributeur de savon Modular Touch Free est la dernière adjonction à la gamme de Brightwell Dispensers. • Nouveauté de la société Jangro, la gamme Jangronauts de distributeurs pour l’hygiène des mains est conçue pour les enfants. • Parmi les gammes CWS est proposée la gamme ParadiseLine Stainless Steel en acier inoxydable brossé exempte de joints et à surface non poreuse pour la facilité du nettoyage. • Les distributeurs Unicorn Hygienics sont proposés en finis blanc, argenté, noir et chromé. • L’Autocut de MP Hygiene est un distributeur qui, par découpage, débite des feuilles individuelles à partir d’un rouleau. • Das Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel von Essity wurde konzipiert, um Warteschlangen in Waschräumen zu reduzieren und die vom Reinigungspersonal benötigte Zeit zu verkürzen. • Beim Seifenspender Modular Touch Free handelt es sich um die neueste Ergänzung der Produktreihe von Brightwell Dispensers. • Neu von Jangro ist die Produktreihe Jangronauts mit Handhygienespendern, die speziell für Kinder konzipiert wurden. • Eine der Produktreihen von CWS ist ParadiseLine Stainless Steel in gebürstetem Edelstahl, die die Reinigung erleichtert, da sie keine Verbindungen und eine porenfreie Oberfläche aufweist. • Alle Spender von Unicorn Hygienics sind mit weißem, silbernem, schwarzem und Chromfinish erhältlich. • Der Autocut von MP Hygiene ist ein Papierhandtuch-Rollenspender, der das Papier schneidet und somit eine blattweise Ausgabe bietet. • Il prodotto Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel della Essity è progettato per ridurre le code nelle sale da toilette e per far risparmiare tempo agli addetti alle pulizie. • Il dispenser di sapone Modular Touch Free è il nuovo prodotto della gamma di dispenser della Brightwell Dispensers. • La novità della Jangro è Jangronauts, la gamma di dispenser per l’igiene delle mani progettata per i bambini. • Fra le gamme della CWS c’è la linea ParadiseLine Stainless Steel in acciaio inossidabile satinato senza giunture e con superficie non porosa per facilitarne la pulizia. • Tutti i dispenser della Unicorn Hygienics sono disponibili nelle finiture in bianco, argento, nero e cromato. • Autocut della MP Hygiene è un dispenser di asciugamani a rotolo che taglia la carta per erogare un foglio per volta.
October 2017 | ECJ | 26
For stadiums Designed to significantly reduce washroom queues and free up cleaners’ time in high-traffic venues is the new Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel from Essity. Tork PeakServe is particularly suitable for use in the washrooms of large stadiums, concert
halls and other high traffic venues such as airports and transport hubs. Part of the Tork Elevation range, the Tork PeakServe dispenser houses 2,130 towels 250 per cent more than a folded towel dispenser. This means that up to 600 more washroom visitors can be served with a towel before the unit needs to be refilled. Hand towels in the system are compressed during production to make them twice as compact as standard towels. Besides offering the benefit of an extra high capacity dispenser, this also means less space is required to keep the towels in storage facilities and on cleaning trolleys. www.tork.co.uk/peakserve
Hands off Soon to be launched is the Modular Touch Free soap dispenser, the latest addition to Brightwell Dispensers’ Modular range of soap and paper dispensers. The unit dispenses up to one ml of liquid and 0.5 ml of foam, meaning less waste and longer lasting refills. Pumps and containers are interchangeable and the refillable reservoir holds 1.2 litres of liquid soap.
The range can also be customised to suit corporate colours and branding with different colour windows and logo printing. www.brightwell.co.uk
Hygiene heroes With the launch of its Jangronauts line of washroom dispensers Jangro is encouraging good hand hygiene in children by making the units accessible and user-friendly. Jangro created the Jangronauts – four hand-washing hero characters – with the aim of teaching children about the vital importance of hand hygiene in a fun, interactive and educational way. The characters feature on a range of washroom dispenser
joints and is non-porous, making it hygienic, dirt-repellent and easy to clean. Its robust construction makes the stainless steel range particularly suitable for use in areas with high visitor volumes - it encompasses dispensers for foam soap, liquid soap, toilet paper, cotton hand towels and paper towels, hygiene boxes and their accessories, fragrance dispensers, toilet seat cleaners, toilet brushes and waste bins. The cotton hand towel dispensers feature a two-chamber system with a contamination barrier ensuring fresh and used portions of towel are stored separately as well as retraction technology, which pulls the portion of towel and the end of the roll back in after use. www.cws-boco.com
Many finishes
units, and are also the stars of a variety of education resources designed to make using dispenser units fun, familiar and second-nature for children. The recently expanded Jangronauts soap dispenser range includes a manual model (BK038 FMX) and a touch-free model (BK039 TFX), available with colourful backboards and a range of soaps, including fragrancefree foam hand wash, and mild antimicrobial hand wash. www.jangronauts.co.uk
All Unicorn Hygienics’ dispensers are available in the same finishes to keep consistency in the washroom - white, silver, black and chrome. Microair and Puress can also be matched, as can Puresan and Sanair cleaners and deodorisers, along with vending machines. www.unicorn-hygienics.com
Automatic cut
Simple elegance
For those who prefer simple elegance in the washroom CWSboco developed the ParadiseLine Stainless Steel range made of brushed stainless steel. The units’ surface is ground with no
MP Hygiene developed a mechanism to achieve a 235 mm perforation in rolls of hand towel in order to dispense them sheet by sheet. Autocut, it says, offers easy refilling and large capacity while being secured by a key on both sides. For optimum hygiene users only touch the paper they use and there is no contact with the dispenser. Installation and maintenance is said to be easy and all parts are replaceable. www.mphygiene.com
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PRODUCTS: WASHROOM DISPENSERS
• Vectair Systems est sur le point d’assurer la carobneutralité complète de ses produits de soin d’ambiance V-Air solid. • San Jamar lance différents produits tout en augmentant sa famille de distributeurs Summit. • Le dernier distributeur de serviettes en papier à retrait central Kennedy Hygiene est l’Easyroll Ellipse. • Vectair Systems macht die Herstellung des aerosolfreien Luftpflegeproduktes V-Air Solid vollkommen kohlenstoffneutral. • San Jamar wird einige neue Produkte vorstellen und die Spenderfamilie Summit erweitern. • Der neueste Papierhandtuchspender mit Mittelzug von Kennedy Hygiene Products ist der Easyroll Ellipse. • La Vectair Systems sta per rendere a emissione di carbonio totalmente nulla il suo prodotto non-aerosol per la cura dell’ambiente V-Air Solid. • La San Jamar presenta dei nuovi lanci e inoltre ha aggiunto altri prodotti alla linea di dispenser Summit. • Il più nuovo dispenser di asciugamani in carta della Kennedy Hygiene Products è Easyroll Ellipse.
October 2017 | ECJ | 28
Carbon neutral
New additions
Vectair Systems’ environmentally friendly and non-aerosol air care product V-Air SOLID was approved as meeting the Carbon Footprint Standard in July and the company has taken the next step for it to become completely carbon neutral by offsetting its carbon footprint. Carbon offsetting is a way to reduce emissions by funding an equivalent carbon dioxide saving elsewhere – helping to combat global climate change as well as caring for local communities. Vectair has offset the carbon emissions from V-Air SOLID’s life cycle by making a cash contribution towards projects in various regions of the world. www.vectairsystems.com
San Jamar has recently developed some new washroom products, as well as adding models to its Summit range. Simplicity Essence is a new hands-free mechanical roll towel dispenser designed to dispense and mechanically cut most types of roll towel to consistent 25 cm sheets and giving 15 per cent more hand dries per roll. No batteries are required. Also new is the recessed roll towel dispenser, which is available in two dispenser types (Smart System and Tear-N-Dry), two finishes (stainless steel and black) and for two paper widths (15 and 20 cm). Other additions to the Summit family are the Versatwin Tissue and Rely Manual Soap dispenser. www.sanjamar.com
Next edition of ECJ - November
Centre pull unit
The latest paper dispenser from Kennedy Hygiene Products is the Easyroll Ellipse, a centre pull unit aimed at hospitality, food preparation and kitchen areas. It can accommodate any centre pull paper roll with a diameter of 210 mm and width of 230 mm. The dispenser comes with a translucent cover for easy inspection of paper level and can be secured with the standard Kennedy key or converted for keyless opening. www.kennedy-hygiene.co.uk
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WASHROOM DISPENSERS
Time to bin the bulk? Refillable soap dispensers are still a popular choice for organisations across many sectors, but they could be spreading more bacteria than they prevent. Paul Jakeway, marketing director at skin care expert Deb, looks at why sealed cartridge dispensers could offer a safer, more hygienic and more cost-effective solution.
What is truly worrying is that using bulk dispensers can leave hands with 25 times more bacteria than before they were washed.
For anyone who can remember the times before bulk, the introduction of refillable soap dispensers seemed like a major leap forward. From school toilets to hospital wash stations, they were the ideal alternative to bars of soap and bottles of lotion. There was more than one good reason for this optimism. We could say goodbye to the mess and expense of bar soaps (especially when they went missing), as well as many of the hand-hygiene issues involved in so many people using the same bar of soap. Refillable dispensers quickly became the number one choice for facilities managers across every sector. But the decision (often driven by budget considerations) to switch to these bulk systems did not focus closely enough on an issue many are only now beginning to realise is a serious problem: bacterial contamination. So, why are refillable soap dispensers such a problem? The answer is: because they are ‘open’. Not being sealed containers, they are highly vulnerable to contamination — whether from bacteria and mould in the immediate environment, or from the hands of people handling and refilling the dispensers. Another issue is the fact that ‘topping off’ the dispensers is a widely used practice. This sees people refill them before they are completely empty — creating the risk that the old soap can contaminate the new soap with germs and bacteria. Even cleaning the equipment frequently, using aggressive products like bleach, does not necessarily solve the issue. There is still a high risk of recontamination, due to biofilms – microorganisms that stick to each other and adhere to surfaces . You might wonder if this is as big an issue as it sounds, but it would be wrong to underestimate its seriousness. One study found a quarter of bulk dispensers to be excessively contaminated. Another discovered at least 17 different types of bacteria in soaps that came from bulk dispensers . What is truly worrying is that
using bulk dispensers can leave hands with 25 times more bacteria than before they were washed . Perhaps most shockingly, experts have also linked the use of bulk dispensers to infection outbreaks in healthcare institutions. They might be easy to refill and inexpensive, but they are clearly not the most hygienic and safest choice. So, it is most definitely time to bin the bulk. But what to replace it with? The good news is that better hand washing solutions are now widely available. One such alternative is the use of sealed dispenser systems. These work in a similar way to bulk dispensers, but are refilled by inserting a sealed soap cartridge instead of simply pouring the soap into an open container. This means there is no contact between the soap and the environment before it comes into contact with the users’ hands — reducing the risk of contamination to a minimum.
Soap contamination Research supports the ‘closed’ approach to dispensers. The study ‘Bacterial Hand Contamination and Transfer after Use of Contaminated Bulk-Soap-Refillable Dispensers’ concluded that “extrinsic contamination of hand soap can be eliminated or considerably reduced through the use of sealed-soap-dispensing systems”. Beyond the reduction of bacterial contamination, there are a number of reasons to replace bulk dispensers with sealed ones. For starters, sealed dispensers are quicker and easier to change — not to mention cleaner, when they avoid the messy refilling process involved with bulk. Sealed dispensers also need minimal maintenance and cleaning — saving both time and money. Even more economical is the fact sealed cartridge dispensers allow the replacement of lotion-based products with highly effective foam soaps. Users need less foam soap for washing their hands compared to lotion soap, with a standard one-litre foam cartridge providing more Continued page 32
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WASHROOM DISPENSERS Time to bin the bulk? (continued)
than 1,400 hand washes. The use of foam soaps can reduce water consumption by up to 45 per cent , which contributes to significant water and energy savings — as well as being more environmentally friendly. Many foam products also carry the European Union Ecolabel Certificate, meaning they are accredited for having a reduced impact on the environment. And when you use less product, you reduce the amount of packaging waste you create.
More durable Another useful element of sealed dispensers is they are more durable than their bulk counterparts. Thanks to the frequent opening of dispensers and the cleaning requirements involved, bulk systems can break easily. Conversely, sealed cartridge dispensers avoid this issue, and are built to last. Some manufacturers even offer a
Les distributeurs de savon rechargeables demeurent toujours le premier choix de nombreuses organisations, cependant ils sont susceptibles de répandre plus de bactéries que celles dont ils empêchent la propagation, affirme Paul Jakeway, de la société Deb. Il explique pourquoi les distributeurs à cartouche scellée offre une solutions plus sûr, hygiénique et rentable.
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lifetime guarantee on their products. For organisations that want to add to their brand identity in an unusual location, some sealed dispenser manufacturers offer the ability to customise the equipment. This means companies can add their logo or a block of text to the dispensers — highlighting their brand or encouraging better hand hygiene. And on the topic of hand hygiene, sealed dispensers can have a major impact on improving compliance with hand washing procedures. People are far more likely to wash their hands with soap — and reduce the risk of spreading bacteria — if the equipment is clean, easy-to-use and doesn’t make a mess when dispensing the product. Hand hygiene compliance can be improved even further with training and education to complement the sealed dispens-
ers, showing users when to use them and what technique to use. Organisations also have the ability to choose the right product for each environment in their workplaces — simply swapping cartridges to the most appropriate product.
Nachfüllbare Seifenspender sind bei Organisationen in vielen Branchen noch immer sehr beliebt, doch möglicherweise tragen sie mehr zur Verbreitung von Bakterien bei als dies zu verhindern, sagt der bei Deb tätige Paul Jakeway. Er erläutert, warum Spender mit versiegelten Kartuschen eine sicherere, hygienischere und kostengünstigere Lösung bieten könnten.
I dispenser di sapone ricaricabili sono ancora una scelta diffusa per le organizzazioni in numerosi settori. Ma questi dispenser potrebbero diffondere più batteri di quanti ne prevengono, afferma Paul Jakeway della Deb e spiega il motivo per cui i dispenser con le cartuccie sigillate sono in grado di offrire una soluzione più sicura, più igienica e più efficace sul piano dei costi.
Safer and more hygienic In summary, it really is time to bin the bulk. Sealed dispensers are safer, more hygienic and drastically reduce the risk of bacterial contamination — not to mention the spread of infection. They minimise water use and waste, improve hand hygiene in the workplace and have a much lower impact on the environment — all while saving time and money. There is simply no reason to retain your outdated bulk dispenser systems — sealed cartridge dispensers are the future. www.debgroup.com
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Agents of change Change is a difficult, but essential, part of any prosperous business. Where new ideas come from, how they are communicated and crucially how they are implemented can be important factors in making new initiatives a success. Jan-Hein Hemke, managing director at soft FM service provider and contract cleaners Facilicom, has given his managers the chance to play their part by becoming ‘agents’ in a special mission.
Change can be accepted as a process that everyone has been involved in and welcomed for the opportunities it offers, not just feared for the potential threats.
Whether we like it or not change is all around us; just ask a taxi driver or hotelier facing down new, disruptive competition from Uber or AirBnB. No industry is exempt from change, especially with the IT revolution currently underway. When looking to make proactive changes in a business, there are a number of ways to gather ideas. Perhaps the most commonly tried (if not always the most commonly used) is the staff suggestion box. We have those, but wanted to go much further todrive change in an effective way that would gain widespread support.
Mission possible ‘Your mission, should you choose to accept it…’ goes the famous line in the Mission Impossible TV show and films. We decided to take a leaf out of that book by inviting some of our managers to become agents in ‘Accept Mission’ an online innovation software. Those who chose to accept were formed into teams and were given daily tasks gathering data and looking at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) around our organisation. We felt that embedding this mission as part of people’s everyday working lives would be the most effective way to really capture the essence of the business rather than working in a more abstract way in a training workshop, for instance. It also means we gather a lot more data about how well our policies and practices are working. This way we can ensure we are delivering the best service possible. Before the introduction of ‘Accept Mission’, SWOT analyses were created by the same small group each year. Now instead of around five people, more than 50 people with different positions and backgrounds are involved, making the result that much stronger. Because ‘Accept Mission’ is an online tool with both desktop and ‘app’ capability it removes the physical constraints with the brainstorming or decision-making process. There is no longer a need to get everyone in the
same place at the same time. Being online also means ‘agents’ work undercover so they aren’t limited by hierarchy or political influences within the organisation, which they may otherwise be if in a physical meeting, meaning a wider range of ideas can be suggested and evaluated. ‘Accept Mission’ is not a costly initiative to implement. In fact, it brings time and cost savings as there is no need to physically meet. It can be used for just 15 minutes a day. Since ‘Accept Mission’ began in February 2017, 22 UK agents have participated in the programme, contributing a total of approximately 200 ideas. These have been incorporated into the business SWOT analysis.
Making work a game To be successful in business you generally need a competitive edge, and we are able to harness this through ‘Accept Mission’. There is internal competition within teams to see who the most successful agent is, between the teams to see who can produce the most ideas, and also between the different parts of the group. Since the mission launched, Facilicom UK has the highest rating; 80 per cent of its ideas have been scored at over 65 by the Innovation Board compared to an average 50 per cent in the other companies. This ‘gamification’ of the SWOT process has introduced a whole new approach and a raft of new ideas. By making it a game, Accept Mission has enabled us to involve a large group of employees from all divisions of Facilicom. Those people signed up as agents receive a mission email, which they can choose to accept or reject depending on their priorities. They then choose an undercover ID from a range of options including James Bond, and perhaps more surprisingly Yoda! After that they receive a briefing and can add their ideas, as well as commenting and voting on other people’s. At the end of the process the ideas and Continued page 36
October 2017 | ECJ | 35
CHANGE MANAGEMENT Agents of change (continued) participants are ranked, making it clearer which ideas are more workable. There is a clock ticking and agents always know what their score or experience rate is for each mission. In all objectives or missions everyone gets an update on what the score is of their team or as an individual agent. The best ideas will automatically be listed at the top of the scoreboard. Ultimately this approach benefits the whole group and of course, our clients, as innovations and improvements are constantly being considered and delivered.
Beyond borders The mission extends beyond the UK, with other companies in the Facilicom Group (The Netherlands and Belgium) participating and all the ideas are considered by the group Innovation Board. This board was established to create a structure for innovation across the Facilicom Group and allow ideas to be quickly put into practice and brought to market. The board – which includes several ‘decision makers/influencers’ from all businesses within Facilicom Group – meets on a monthly basis. The primary focus of this group is not to come up with crazy, creative ideas. On the contrary, the main objective is to create a cultural organisational environment in which innovation can flourish. The board provides a ‘system’ for the innovation process, and creates the right preconditions to adapt innovation into the organisation (which is a challenge considering the basic focus of process optimisation). Accept Mission is a great way to create a lot of ideas in a short period of time.
Change in the DNA An example of the innovation produced by this approach is www.directschoon.nl (directclean) a business solely created for smaller organisations which just want to deal with their cleaning online. They can use the website to request cleaning personnel and give feedback on their progress, as well as paying invoices, for example. The website means they can manage it all by themselves. It created a whole different market channel for our business. Le changement n’est pas facile mais est incontournable pour le succès d’une entreprise. L’origine de nouvelles idées, leurs modes de communication et, surtout, la manière dont elles sont mises en œuvre peuvent représenter d’importants facteurs de réussite pour toute initiative nouvelle. Jan-Hein Hemke, administrateur délégué du prestataire de services Facilicom, écrit pour ECJ.
October 2017 | ECJ | 36
Some people embrace change and many others fear it. However, by incentivising a wide number of people to develop innovations, making them clearly relevant to day-to-day work and ensuring they can be implemented quickly, change can become embedded in a company’s DNA. When this happens, change is accepted as a process that everyone has been involved in, and welcomed for the opportunities it offers, not just feared for the potential threats – something that many people might previously have seen as Mission Impossible! www.facilicom.co.uk
Facilicom Innovation Board The Facilicom Innovation Board (FIB) was established to facilitate innovation for Facilicom as a whole, and create an innovative climate with which Facilicom can boost its growth and achieve its goals. These goals apply to both current and new clients. The FIB reports to the board of directors. The FIB meets on a monthly basis and consists of senior management representatives from each Facilicom division and the Facilicom Group. Its tasks: • Facilitate the realisation of good ideas • Stimulate innovation within each division • Spot and share lessons learned and interesting innovations for other divisions • Improve the way innovations are handled. The implementation of innovation starts with a clear innovation strategy. The FIB has determined this innovation strategy based on the business strategy and has decided which strategic domains to focus on. Each division is responsible for the management and execution of its innovations. Only innovations that apply to three divisions or more are being guided by the FIB itself.
Veränderung ist ein schwieriger aber wesentlicher Teil eines erfolgreichen Unternehmens. Wo neue Ideen herkommen, wie sie kommuniziert werden und, ausschlaggebend, wie sie umgesetzt werden, können wichtige Faktoren sein, damit neue Initiativen von Erfolg gekrönt sind. Jan-Hein Hemke, Managing Director beim Dienstleister Facilicom, schreibt für das ECJ.
I cambiamenti sono una parte difficile ma essenziale di qualsiasi attività prosperosa. Da dove arrivano le nuove idee, come vengono comunicate e soprattutto come vengono messe in pratica possono essere fattori importanti nel trasformare le nuove iniziative in successi. Jan-Hein Hemke, direttore generale del fornitore di servizi Facilicom scrive per ECJ.
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SUSTAINABLE CLEANING
The cutting edge Sustainable cleaning is often considered to be more or less synonymous with cuts. But should cuts in everything from emissions and waste to energy and water be at the forefront of any sustainable cleaning policy or are there other, equally important factors to consider?
Energy, water, emissions, waste, the use of raw materials – all of them need to be cut back as far as possible according to many cleaning sector companies’ sustainability policies. But sustainability is all about balance. And where cuts are made, some rebuilding work needs to occur in the form of community programmes, staff relations and positive supply chain policies. So, do cuts remain a crucial part of sustainability? The importance or otherwise of cuts is largely up to an individual company’s stakeholders according to Diversey’s regional sustainability director Ed Roberts. “In major organisations the chief stakeholders are usually asked what aspects of sustainability are most important for the company and what matters to them most individually,” he said. “This can generate a list of, say, 100 focus areas. The dozen or so areas that feature most prominently in the stakeholders’ responses then form the basis of the company’s policy.” He says an organisation’s priorities will depend on the type of company concerned. “For example, animal welfare might not figure very prominently in a hotel chain’s sustainability policy but it would be high on the list for a large supermarket or a fast-food burger chain,” he said. “Similarly, transport would be more of a focus area for a courier company or an online retailer than for companies with
fewer deliveries.” However he adds that cuts in water, energy and waste production are the bedrocks of most sustainability policies. Diversey’s own Better Way for Life Plan includes a goal to reduce the company’s energy intensity by 25 per cent. “We also aim to cut the greenhouse gas and water intensity of our business by the same figure and divert 100 per cent of our product and process waste from landfill,” said Roberts. Diversey seeks to ensure all suppliers and operations attain optimal ethical supply chain standards and that all raw materials meet the company’s responsible materials criteria. And Diversey also pledges to expand food security for global populations and improve lives in the communities in which it operates.
Wider approach Kärcher also has a programme of sustainability “cuts” says head of sustainability management Andreas Mayer. “One target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020,” he said. “We use 2012 as our baseline year and by last year we had already achieved half this target. We are also targeting a 10 per cent cut in energy consumption by 2020 and we plan to reduce our use of blister packaging by 50 per cent. “Cuts should be a key focus of any sustainability policy because they lead to an efficient use of resources. However in my view, sustainability should not only focus on efficiency but should take a wider approach.” Kärcher aims to reduce its business activity resources in general. “For example, we want to ensure that all our sales packaging comes from sustainable forestry by 2020,” said Mayer. “We also need to look at behavioural change since people’s willingness to contribute to recycling schemes is important. And the social aspect of sustainability is becoming an increasing issue for customers.” He agrees with Roberts that the most important sustainability “cut” depends on
the company concerned. “We have identified manufacturing and product use as the key stages of our products’ life cycle and have set ambitious targets for both stages,” he said. “Sustainability is a major focus for us and is increasingly becoming a focus for many of our customers.” Cuts in waste, energy and chemical use are all central to cleaning services business Julius Rutherfoord’s sustainability policy says operations director Chris Parkes. “We have a zero waste to landfill policy and recycle around 105 kg of material each year,” he said. “This results in CO2 savings of more than 152 tonnes. “We also use low-flow, low-energy systems at our London headquarters and have an atrium glass roof which reduces our dependency on artificial light. And the solar panels at our head office produce more than 9,000 kWH of renewable electricity a year.” Julius Rutherfoord also reduces chemical use where possible, says Parkes. “This includes the use of microfibre cloths, diamond cleaning pads and pure water systems operated with carefully controlled water usage,” he said. “We believe that cutting down on chemical use benefits the environment while producing a high standard of cleaning and bringing health and safety advantages to cleaning operatives and facility users.” But like other companies he believes sustainability to be about efficiency as well as cuts. “We advocate the use of modern, efficient cleaning equipment for our clients such as the latest eco models instead of yesterday’s sluggish, outdated machines,” he says. “And we use selfdosing, reusable bottles which not only reduce the amount of packaging waste but also result in more efficient ordering. This helps to minimise product waste while cutting down on transport emissions.” Sustainability is less about cuts and more about circularity of resources for Cromwell Polythene says managing director James Lee. “It is about ensuring Continued page 40
October 2017 | ECJ | 39
SUSTAINABLE CLEANING The cutting edge (continued) resources remain in the economy for as long as possible through a first, second and third life,” he said. Plastic producers are under huge pressure to cut the amount of plastic waste in the environment, he says. “We have a closed-loop sustainability strategy that not only sees recycled materials incorporated where possible into the products we produce, but also encourages the return of post-industrial and post-consumer plastics to the production cycle for reprocessing,” said Lee.
Away from landfill “Where recycling is not practical, waste from plastic packaging at the end of its useful life is diverted away from landfill sites and used to help power our towns and cities.” Ecolab’s vice-president of corporate sustainability Emilio Tenuta says his company aims to conserve 300 billion gallons of water annually by 2030. “This will be from across our own and our customers’ premises,” he said. “In 2016 we helped customers save 161 billion gallons of water which is equivalent to the annual drinking water needs of more than 558 million people.” He claims Ecolab’s Apex warewashing programme cuts water and energy use since it reduces the need to rewash items. Ecolab aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 10 per cent by 2020 against a 2015 baseline. Reducing water use is one of the most important “cuts” in any sustainability policy, says Tenuta. “In 2016 the World Economic Forum named water as a top business risk,” he said. “By 2030, 70 per cent of the global economy will be affected by water scarcity.” However, he believes that sustainability requires a holistic approach rather than simply focusing on cuts. “We strive to operate in a way that enhances three key elements: the well-being of the natural environment; social benefits for people; and generating economic value,” he said. Ecolab donated 142 tons of cleaning and sanitising products in support of disaster relief in 2016 and has ongoing projects in youth and education, civic and community Le nettoyage durable a trait avant à des réductions de coûts et de consommation. En prônant leurs politiques de durabilité, les entreprises affirment viser une réduction tout horizon, en allant des coûts d’utilisation aux déchets d’exploitation, des émissions vers l’environnement à la consommation d’eau. Mais, peut-on se demander, ces réductions de coûts et de consommation sont-elles ce qui compte le plus pour la durabilité ? Celle-ci n’irait-elle pas plus loin ? Quels sont les autres éléments (hygiène et sécurité, prise en charge de la communauté, etc.) à revêtir une importance égale à la réduction des déchets et de l’énergie - et pourquoi ?
October 2017 | ECJ | 40
development, arts and culture, environment and conservation. “Focusing simultaneously on social, environmental and economic performance is good for society and good for business,” said Tenuta. Werner and Mertz is cutting down its CO2 emissions according to international business development manager for communications and sustainability Maresa Schmid. “Since 2014 we have been using up to 100 per cent eco-electricity and certified natural gas at both our production sites,” she said. “As a result both these sites recorded zero CO2 emissions in 2015. “Since we decided to keep our packaging production in-house we have also eliminated around 1,700 truck trips that would have been necessary for the delivery of containers. This has led to a cut in CO2 emissions of around 600 tons per year.” The company has recorded significant energy cuts in recent years as well, she says. “By installing high-speed doors at the gates of our drum storage plants we have reduced the building’s heating consumption by around 12 per cent.” Schmid adds employees are given incentives to use low-emission solutions for their commute. ”Job bicycles are offered at an attractive leasing rate and the free charging of electrical cars is available at our Mainz headquarters,” she said. “And we have implemented new regulations on customer visits and route-planning to reduce distances travelled, emissions and travel time.”
Doing the right thing Rather than centring its sustainability policy on cuts, the Werner and Mertz approach is about “doing the right thing”, says Schmid. “This means ensuring efficiency while eliminating any harmful consequences,” she said. “For example, we are pursuing a state-of-the-art water stewardship policy within our value stream. And we are a driver behind the Recyclate initiative, an innovation that promotes closed cycles for plastic packaging and works towards stemming the flood of plastic litter. Beim Thema „Nachhaltiges Reinigen“ dreht sich alles um Verringerungen. Firmen behaupten, dass mithilfe ihrer nachhaltigen Grundsätze überall von Kosten und Abfall über Emissionen zu Wasserverbrauch Verringerungen möglich sind. Aber handelt es sich bei solchen Verringerungen um den wichtigsten Teil eines nachhaltigen Reinigungssystems oder geht es darüber hinaus? Welche anderen Elemente (Gesundheit und Sicherheit, Sorge um die Gemeinschaft usw.) sind ebenso wichtig wie die Verringerung von Abfall und Energieverbrauch und warum?
“We see plastic as a valuable resource that should not end up in our oceans and as a result our packaging bottles are sourced from the public waste collection system.” Schmid agrees with other companies that sustainability is about more than just cuts. “These mainly reduce the negative impacts on the environment while ensuring that our quality of life can potentially be shared by all future generations,” she said. “But as far as we are concerned, sustainability should be a balanced approach to long-term social, environmental and economic objectives. “And the social aspect focuses on balancing the needs of the individual - or the company’s employees - with the needs of the group, or wider society.” Diversey’s Ed Roberts concurs that balance is all-important in any sustainability policy. “Even the most environmentallyfriendly of organisations needs to make money and take a socially responsible approach,” he said. “Companies have always needed to be sustainable in order to survive, but the world’s sustainability values have evolved. In the 1700s, for example, all a company needed to do in order to survive was to make money. But in the 1800s we became much more socially aware and new labour protection laws came into being. As a result it became more important to take care of the workforce and the companies that did so were more successful. “Then at some point in the 1900s, environmental stewardship came into focus which meant companies now had to help to protect the environment in order to survive. This became the ‘third leg’ of sustainability – the ‘planet’ aspect if you like - and any organisation that consistently failed in one or more of these three pillars of sustainability became was to failure.” So will this continue to be the case in the future? Sustainability is still evolving, according to Roberts. “Sustainability does not die as a concept - it merely gets added to,” he said. “Will a fourth pillar be added and if so, what will it be and when? We’ll have to wait and see.” Il cleaning sostenibile è tutta una questione di tagli. Le imprese affermano che le loro politiche di sostenibilità possono aiutare a ridurre qualsiasi cosa, dai costi agli sprechi, dalle emissioni all’uso dell’acqua. Ma sono questi tagli la parte più importante di ogni sistema di cleaning sostenibile oppure si va oltre tutto ciò? Quali altri elementi (salute e sicurezza, salvaguardia della comunità ecc.) sono ugualmente importanti per la riduzione di sprechi ed energia e perchè?
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PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABLE CLEANING
• Hagleitner a mis au point le système de dosage chimique intégral 2GO, caractérisé par une grande précision de dosage. • Tous les aspirateurs Kärcher fonctionnant à sec sont désormais limités à une puissance maximale de 850 W. • Pollet a introduit la gamme Caps de recharges de 20 ml pour pulvérisateurs à produits chimiques concentrés. • Filmop poursuit ses investissements en produits écodurables recyclables à 100 pour cent et détenteurs de diverses certifications. • Tennant affirme que son système Orbio peut remplacer les produits chimiques conventionnels pour le nettoyage et la désinfection. • De l’avis de l’European Tissue Symposijm (ETS), l’industrie du papier de soie compte parmi les premiers praticiens de la durabilité. • Hagleitner hat das integrierte Chemikaliendosiersystem 2GO entwickelt, das nach eigenen Angaben äußert präzise arbeitet. • Alle Trockenstaubsauger von Kärcher arbeiten jetzt mit maximal 850 Watt. • Pollet hat die Produktreihe Caps vorgestellt – 20 ml Nachfülleinheiten für Sprühgeräte, die konzentrierte Reinigungsprodukte enthalten. • Filmop setzt seine Investitionen in ökologisch nachhaltiges Produktdesign mit vollständig recyclingfähigen Produkten und verschiedenen Zertifizierungen fort. • Laut Tennant kann sein Orbio System herkömmliche Chemikalien für die Reinigung und Desinfektion ersetzen. • Laut European Tissue Symposium (ETS) nimmt die Hygienepapierindustrie eine führende Position bei nachhaltigen Initiativen ein.
• La Hagleitner ha sviluppato il sistema di dosaggio di prodotti chimici integrato 2GO e che afferma essere altamente accurato. • Tutti gli aspirapolveri della Kärcher funzionano ora con un massimo di 850 watt. • La Pollet ha lanciato la gamma Caps, unità di ricarica da 20ml contenenti prodotti di pulizia concentrati da avvitare sugli erogatori spray • La Filmop continua ad investire nel design di prodotti ecosostenibili con il 100 per cento di prodotti riciclabili e numerose certificazioni. • La Tennant afferma che il suo sistema Orbio è in grado di rimpiazzare i prodotti chimici convenzionali per pulizie e disinfezione. • A detta dell’European Tissue Symposium (ETS) il settore della carta è uno dei leader delle iniziative di ecosostenibilità.
October 2017 | ECJ | 42
Most precise Hagleitner says the key feature of its new integral 2GO chemical dispensing system is its precise dosing of detergent which is then mixed with the necessary quantity of water.
long periods of effortless use, as well as safety. The handle is made of antistatic plastic with soft grip for improved handling. The suction hose has a bayonet lock for fast connection to the machine, while accessories are easily connected to the telescopic lance or suction hose with a new clip system. New for all machines are yellow power cords. www.karcher.com
the life cycle environmental impact of products. The company continues to invest in eco-sustainable product design, 100 per cent recyclable products, environmental certifications and recycled raw materials with it PSV-Plastic Second Life certification. www.filmop.com
No chemical
Concentrates The precisely adjustable dosing - thanks to the specially developed magnetic dosing pump - means no product waste, and the concentration level can be set by authorised personnel according to individual needs. The system accommodates up to six units of concentrated detergent - each 2.6-litre multiFILL cartridge provides up to 1,300 litres of ready-to-use solution. Bottles, buckets or machines can be filled up. Operation is designed to be easy thanks to the clear touchscreen display, while the closed system means employees do not need to have any contact with detergent. www.hagleitner.com
Less is more
Pollet’s latest development is the Cap’s range, 20 ml refill units for sprays containing concentrated products. Screwing a Cap’s onto a spray will release the concentrated product and generate a ready to use solution. Reusing sprays saves on plastic and saves on CO2 emissions thanks to transport reduction, says Pollet. Over-consumption is also avoided as the product quantity is fixed for each dilution. And the operator does not come into contact with the cleaning chemical. The range encompasses six products covering all cleaning operations, and the Cap’s are 100 per cent recyclable. www.pollet.eu
New goal
All Kärcher vacuum cleaners now operate at a maximum of 800 to 850 watts. And the eco!efficiency models require only 500 watts. Reduced energy consumption along with high suction power is possible because Kärcher has made numerous design improvements. More efficient turbines are used; and nozzles, hoses and telescopic lances are designed for optimum airflow. Other improvements focus on convenience and ergonomics for
Filmop’s latest sustainability achievement is the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its Alpha trolley with top-down pre-soaking system. EPD is a verified and registered document that communicates transparent and comparable information about
Tennant says its Orbio On-Site Generation (OSG) system is replacing conventional, multicoloured and scented daily-use chemicals with a multi-purpose cleaner and a general purpose disinfectant generated on-site. OSG technologies turn tap water and salt into cleaning solution. The system, Tennant says, streamlines training, improves health and safety, and sustainability and cuts costs. Generating cleaning solution on site reduces weekly or monthly purchasing, shipping and disposal of packaged chemicals. It also eliminates exposure to chemicals. www.orbio.com
Renewable European Tissue Symposium (ETS) members represent around 90 per cent of total European tissue production. It says the industry is one of the leaders in sustainability initiatives. Paper is natural, biodegradable, and recyclable - it comes from a renewable resource and is produced in a sustainable manner. ETS members work towards the goal of leaving the smallest possible footprint and with trees as the raw material they can ensure they regrow and regenerate. Recycling also plays an important role, with around 50 per cent of all tissue paper produced coming from recycling. www.europeantissue.com
PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABLE CLEANING
Wider use
Quick & Easy has been developed. All products carry a QR code on their labels that link to training videos for different application areas and further product information directly at the point of use. www.wmprof.com
Build your own Werner & Mertz Professional has developed the new generation of its Quick & Easy mobile chemical dosing system. It is now available for disinfection, making it suitable for healthcare and food industries. The five ‘green-Effective’ cleaning concentrates cover universal and power cleaning for sanitary, kitchen and surfaces. The multipurpose disinfectant cleaner APESIN multi Quick & Easy is versatile in use on all water resistant surfaces in institutional areas like public facilities, offices or gyms but also suitable for nursing homes, doctors’ surgeries and care homes. To disinfect food processing areas, APESIN kitchen
Fimap’s scrubber dryer Maxima is available as a scrubbing, scrubbing-sweeping or orbital machine, that can be arranged in basic, Pro or Plus versions. You can build your own machine choose the model, the instrument panel and then complete it with the accessories and technologies that suit your needs. The machine comes with
features designed to reduce consumption and waste, and to recycle water. With Fimap Solution Saver (FSS), users can adjust the flow of water and chemicals as needed, increasing dosage when necessary and saving water and detergent where possible. www.fimap.com
• Werner & Mertz applique l’approche Vert-Efficace dans la formulation et le conditionnement de ses solutions de nettoyage. • La nouvelle technologie Maxima pour machines de plancher réalisée par Fimap s’assortit de différents outils visant à réduire la consommation et les déchets. • Trilogy est le cadre de balayage humide proposé par TTS, muni de deux faces planes parallèles et utilisable sur les deux cotés.
Complete Trilogy
• Werner & Mertz führt den Ansatz green-Effective bei der Formulierung und Verpackung seiner Reinigungslösungen fort. • Die neue Bodenreinigungsmaschine Maxima von Fimap ist mit verschiedenen Werkzeugen ausgestattet, die zur Verbrauchs- und Abfallverringerung beitragen sollen. • Bei Trilogy handelt es sich um einen Mopprahmen von TTS mit zwei parallelen, flachen Flächen, die beidseitig eingesetzt werden können.
Trilogy is the mop frame from TTS with two parallel and flat faces that can be used on both sides - doubling the surface square metres and halving the quantity of mops needed it says. TriPress is the new wringer that completes the system. TTS says it can wring out mops in half the time, making it suitable for use in wide and difficult to clean areas. And for practicality in use the handles come with a security lock that makes it easy to carry buckets full of water. www.ttsystem.com
• La Werner & Mertz segue l’approccio green-Effective nel formulare e confezionare le sue soluzioni di pulizia. • La nuova tecnologia della macchina per pavimenti Maxima della Fimap è dotata di numerosi strumenti per ridurre il consumo e gli sprechi. • Trilogy è il telaio mop prodotto dalla TTS con due lati piatti paralleli che può essere utilizzato da entrambi i lati.
October 2017 | ECJ | 43
PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABLE CLEANING
• Parmi d’autres lancements de produits éco-durables, IPC aligne l’aspirateur LP 1/12 ECO. • Le VTVe est un nouvel aspirateur à cuve signé Truvox et à classement énergétique A. • L’organisation Woolsafe a introduit une norme de certification européenne pour les détergents destinés au nettoyage de moquettes et garnissages. • Unter den neu vorgestellten, ökologisch nachhaltigen Produkten von IPC befindet sich der Staubsauger LP 1/12 ECO. • Der VTVe ist ein neuer KesselTrockensauger von Truvox mit Energieeffizienzklasse A. • Die Woolsafe Organisation hat eine europäische Zertifizierungsnorm für Reinigungsprodukte für Teppiche, Teppichböden und Polstermöbel entwickelt. • Fra i nuovi lanci di prodotti ecosostenibili della IPC, c’è l’aspirapolvere LP 1/12 ECO. • VTVe è un nuovo aspirapolvere a cilindro della Truvox con classificazione energetica A. • La Woolsafe Organisation ha sviluppato una norma europea riguardante i detergenti per moquette e stoffe d’arredamento.
October 2017 | ECJ | 44
All-round IPC says it aims to design all new products with an eco-sustainable approach in mind. Its LP 1/12 Eco, for example, is a small vacuum cleaner that complies with latest EU legislation - boasting high productivity, less energy consumption and cost savings. It is made with up to 75 per cent recycled plastic thanks to the company’s Black is Green technology which is already used on IPC trolleys. Steam offers cleaning without chemicals and the company has developed the SG-08 steamer - this boasts unlimited work-
ing time because water can be added to the water tank while the machine is working. And the APC system on IPC’s scrubber dryers is said to double the productivity of the machine on a single tank. www.ipcworldwide.com
Efficiency Energy efficiency has been a key driver in the development of Truvox’s two new vacuum cleaners the VTVe and VBPIIe. The VTVe is a tub vacuum with an A energy rating and threestage HEPA 13 filtration. Weighing six kg this compact machine has a small footprint and is easy to move between floors - its capacity is 11.5 litres. Slots at the rear of the VTVe ensure crevice and brush tools are conveniently stowed, while a tidy cable wrap on top prevents tangling. The improved back-pack vacuum VBPIIe also has an A
energy rating and is designed for smaller and constricted areas. An ergonomic back support and harness supports the five kg machine and provides breathing space around the body. www.truvox.com
Greener clean The WoolSafe Organisation has teamed up with Enco Global Testing Services (EGTS) to develop an environmental testing protocol and certification standard for carpet (and upholstery) cleaning detergents for the European market. The Enco Environmental Standards, EGTS 1502 (for liquid formulations) and 1503 (for dry compound formulations) incorporate the latest European cleaning chemical formulation practices and legislation. Several products have now met all the requirements and carry the EnviroSeal certification mark. www.enviroseal.eu
BUSINESS: SELF-DRIVING CARS
Driverless cars - friend or foe?
Self-driving cars are set to become a huge game-changer in our lives, and not only by silencing once and for all the incessant earbashing we receive from backseat drivers! But should we welcome or fear their arrival, asks Hartley Milner. Wresting the steering wheel from the grasp of us fallible mortals will make the world a far safer place, so the argument goes. About 1.25 million people die as a result of traffic accidents each year and more than 90 per cent of these involve human error, according to the World Health Organisation. In Europe, the death toll is 40,000 with 1.5 million people injured every year. Globally, road crashes cost national economies around three per cent of annual gross domestic product. No more stressful white-knuckle driving experiences mean we will be able to use of our journey times more productively or for leisure pursuits, perhaps by catching up with office work, reading more, playing computer games, watching an in-cab movie or taking a power nap. One study claims cybercar technology will free up
October 2017 | ECJ | 46
more than 250 million hours per year of consumer commuting time in the world’s most congested cities. Congestion of our communities will be greatly reduced, we are told. Automated vehicles will be able to communicate with each other and the roadside infrastructure, allowing them to identify optimum routes and so spread demand for limited road space. This will also bring environmental benefits by reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions. The race to develop driverless vehicles got under way in the United States with Google, taxi-hailing firm Uber and electric car manufacturer Tesla taking an early lead in producing prototypes and testing them on public roads. Now these innovators are finding themselves up against giant carmakers such as Ford, Volvo, MercedesBenz, Toyota and BMW… all competing to have commercially viable autonomous vehicles rolling off the production line within the next decade or so. The prize they are all chasing is a share of a revenue stream likely to be worth $800 bn a year by 2035, rising to
$7 trillion 15 years later, according to a study commissioned by US technology corporation Intel. The passenger economy, as Intel is calling it, will see consumers and businesses turn away from vehicle ownership. Instead, we will take out vehicle leasing contracts or hire ‘mobility services’ as and when required directly from automakers. Manufacturers will gradually phase out vehicle sales altogether and become fleet operators. Having been a little slow off the grid, European governments are fast getting up to speed part-funding research into the rapidly emerging technology in partnership with auto manufacturers. The UK government has pledged more than €121 million in a bid to become a world leader in the development and testing of intelligent mobility solutions and low carbon projects. Earlier this year a converted electric Nissan car, guided by radar, lasers and cameras, took to London’s roads in the Japanese manufacturer’s first European trials. A small self-driving truck spent 10 days this summer delivering food
BUSINESS: SELF-DRIVING CARS and snacks to customers of online supermarket Ocado in south-east London. The electric cargo pod is being developed by Oxford-based Oxbotica, which hopes to have it ready for commercial launch as early as 2019. Road tests of autonomous buses and hailable taxis are also taking place. And in 2018 a controversial truck platooning pilot is due to get under way on Britain’s motorways with up to three lorries travelling in automated convoys controlled by a driver in the lead vehicle. Last year the Netherlands organised a European Truck Platooning Challenge in which six convoys comprising two or three semi-automated ‘smart’ trucks completed the world’s first cross-border trial between cities. Similar tests have been carried out successfully in the US. However, motoring organisation the AA has warned plans to trial platooning on Britain’s congested motorways with convoys longer than half a football pitch could pose a significant risk to motorists. “We have some of the busiest motorways in Europe with many more exits and entries. Platooning may work on the miles of deserted freeways in Arizona or Nevada but this is not America,” said AA president Edmund King.
Accident waiting to happen? “A platoon of just three HGVs can obscure road signs from drivers in the outside lanes and potentially make access to entries or exits difficult for other drivers. On new motorways, that do not have hard shoulders, lay-bys are every 1.5 miles. A driver in trouble may encounter difficulties trying to get into a lay-by if it is blocked by a platoon of trucks going past.” And accidents have happened during driverless vehicle trials, despite rigorous regulation. The driver of a Tesla car operating in autopilot mode was killed in a collision with a truck in 2016. Also last year, a self-driving vehicle operated by Google was involved in a crash with a bus while attempting to navigate around an obstacle. And earlier this year a selfdriving car being trialled by Uber was in an accident with a vehicle that failed to give it right of way at an intersection. Investigations showed that human error was to blame for all but the Google
Les voitures auto-conductrices pourraient s’avérer de grands changeurs de donne dans nos vie, écrit Hartley Milner. Décharger des humains faillibles du maniement d’un volant devrait en principe sécuriser les déplacement en voiture. Toutefois, convient-il de saluer ou de redouter leur arrivée ?
incident, for which the tech company admitted “some responsibility”, citing a software failure. A more long-term concern is the impact on jobs across the global transport industry. The Intel report – prepared by Strategy Analytics – acknowledges that jobs will be “dramatically reduced” as drivers are replaced in passenger vehicles and trucks. Other studies claim that as many as 300 million driver-related jobs may go worldwide over the next 20 years. In the US alone, there are nearly 3.5 million truckers, while the number employed in logistics globally is estimated at more than 8.7 million.
Impact on jobs A huge number of supporting roles will also vanish, including traffic analysts, traffic controllers, driving instructors, vehicle licensing and registration officials, car sales people and car rental agents. Police forces around the world will be drastically reduced, as fewer officers will be needed to respond to road accidents and enforce traffic laws. But the Intel report predicts a massive wave of job creation as existing businesses expand to seize opportunities within the driverless vehicle market and specialist mobility providers emerge offering new services across a plethora of industries such as hospitality, touring and leisure. Intel is even advancing the idea of ‘experience pods’ that not only carry passengers to their destination but also offer services like mobile beauty treatments and healthcare en route. “It is easy to envisage an electric Uber delivering people and goods on a nearly around-the-clock-schedule as needed,” the report says. “It is also realistic to expect that trucks transporting goods between distribution centres and retail outlets will be able to run on an almost 24-hours a day, seven days a week schedule. These high-utilisation rates will spawn a very active secondary market for used pilotless vehicles as companies replace and refresh their fleets.” Businesses operating in the passenger economy will need to spend a greater proportion of their revenue on IT support and technical solutions to ensure they stay competitive. Those that are slow to
Selbstfahrende Autos werden eine bahnbrechende Technologie zu unseren Lebzeiten, schreibt Hartley Milner. Indem das Lenkrad den fehlbaren Menschen aus der Hand genommen wird, wird die Welt vermeintlich ein sichererer Ort. Aber sollten wir ihre Ankunft begrüßen oder fürchten?
respond to the explosive change brought about by the new technology face failure or even extinction, the report warns. “Companies must start thinking about their autonomous strategy now,” said Intel ceo Brian Krzanich. “Less than a decade ago, no one was talking about the potential of a soon-to-emerge app or sharing economy because no one saw it coming. “This is why we started the conversation around the passenger economy early, to wake people up to the opportunity streams that will emerge when cars become the most powerful mobile data generating devices we use and people swap driving for riding.” However, surveys in the States show that the majority of people are jittery about the technology, not being wholly convinced it will be as safe as claimed. Software reliability was a concern for Brits in a recent survey undertaken by motorists’ association the RAC. Of the 2,194 people questioned, 46 per cent gave software failure as their main concern, 27 per cent cited losing control over their vehicle as their biggest fear and for 10 per cent it was cyber attacks leading to remote theft or corruption of data. Only five per cent of motorists thought the UK government should be prioritising financial support for the development of driverless vehicle technology in the current economic climate. However, around 31 per cent of respondents felt the biggest benefit of autonomous vehicles would come from making journeys safer by eradicating driver error. And 16 per cent thought there would be environmental benefits by reducing emissions and optimising fuel economy, as well as a reduction in stress and driver conflicts such as road rage. “Very understandably, motorists have a range of questions and concerns about driverless cars. There is clearly some widespread scepticism about the technology becoming prevalent and some concerns over reliability which are no doubt based on motorists’ everyday experiences of computers and the lack of resilience of the software they use,” said RAC chief engineer David Bizley.
Le macchine auto-guidanti sono destinate a dare una grande svolta alle nostre vite, come scrive Hartley Milner. Togliere il volante dalle mani degli uomini fallibili, a quanto pare renderà il mondo un posto più sicuro. Ma dovremmo dare loro il benvenuto o avere paura per questo loro arrivo?
October 2017 | ECJ | 47
A must have for stairs and baseboards, this brush helps improve the hygiene of high traffic areas by reducing dirt and bacteria travelling through a building. This unique 140mm deep brush cleans the uprise and the step simultaneously while the multi length brush filaments give an exceptional deep clean with full contact to all hard floors including uneven and textured surfaces.
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CARE OF HARD FLOORS
Meeting the challenge What types of floors pose the toughest challenges for cleaners? And what makes them particularly difficult to clean? Ann Laffeaty finds out.
Floor cleaning is a task unlike any other. Floors can be made of anything from concrete to wood and marble to linoleum. And the material used to make the floor will have a major impact on the cleaning regime. Floors are also in constant use – and will often bear the brunt of ongoing abuse from heavy wheeled traffic, footwear or soil on the shoes. But what types of floors cause the biggest cleaning and maintenance challenges, and why? The location of a floor has a significant effect on the cleaning and maintenance task according to Nilfisk’s group product floorcare manager Anders Sandstrom. “The closer it is to the entrance, the more debris and dirt will be walked on to the floor,” he said. “The wear and tear will therefore increase and the level of cleaning will need to be stepped up. And a sufficient number of dirt and water traps will be required in order to limit the amount of dirt, debris and water that is brought in.” The cleaning challenge is also influenced by the choice of flooring material and the way in which the floor is cleaned and protected, he said. “Other factors to consider are the amount of daily traffic and the floor’s location and size along with the type of dirt it attracts, the frequency of cleaning and the presence of furniture and other obstacles.” “The desired look of the floor is also im-
portant since it can be a real challenge in high-traffic areas to produce a floor with a high shine,” added Sandstrom. He says different environments require different floor cleaning solutions. “For example, in a supermarket there will be limited access to the floor area and most cleaning will need to be carried out outside of opening hours, perhaps in a limited amount of time,” he said. “Foot traffic in hospitals and airports tends to continue 24/7 so the cleaning here will need to be done while the floors are still in use, and this may require safety precautions. And in an office there may be several different types of floor in one building which means that different tools may be required for cleaning and maintenance. So every environment has its challenges.” Among the company’s latest products is the Nilfisk SC250 walk-behind scrubber dryer designed for use in shops, schools, restaurants, cafes, bakeries and fast food chains. This is said to combine a compact size with low noise levels which makes it suitable for daytime cleaning. For larger areas such as production sites, warehouses, supermarkets, airports and car parks the company offers the Nilfisk SC6000 ride-on scrubber dryer. Hako’s application technology trainer and consultant Klaus Serfezi agrees the location of a floor tends to dictate the cleaning and maintenance challenge. And he adds there are huge variations between the floor cleaning requirements in each environment.
Different properties “Whether it is in a hospital, a production hall, a warehouse or a logistics centre the floor will have different properties and experience varying levels of soiling,” he said. “There will also be specific hygiene standards that will need to be considered, particularly when cleaning the floors in a hospital or food factory. “For example, in a hospital or nursing home there will generally be linoleum or PVC flooring which will attract a relatively
low level of soiling. Here it will be particularly important to provide non-slippery floors for maximum safety. In a warehouse or production hall, on the other hand, the type and level of soiling will be different and there will be other issues to contend with such as rubber abrasion marks left by forklifts, for example.”
Choose equipment carefully He says airport terminal buildings, supermarkets and offices also have their own challenges along with different types of dirt. “This means that in each case, the cleaning equipment needs to be carefully chosen to meet the requirements at hand,” he said. According to Serfezi, one type of floor is not necessarily harder to clean than any other. “However, problems arise when floors with microporous surfaces are not treated properly,” he adds. “There is no one-size-fits-all solution - different types of dirt require different types of cleaning. “In addition, time is generally still an important factor in the cleaning industry even when machines are used to do the job. Unfortunately it is often the case that the time required to provide professional cleaning is not sufficiently considered or inadequate cleaning equipment is used in order to cut costs.” IPC’s business development manager Adriano Mariano agrees microporous tile floors can be among the most problematical to clean. “This is because water can penetrate into the pores of the stone and either cause discolouration or loosen the tiles and damage the subfloor,” he said. “Restoration can be quite expensive here depending on the extent of the damage.” He claims a good cleaning and maintenance regime can help to avoid any such issues. “Field tests have shown scrubber dryers equipped with advanced cleaning programmes plus special pads and the right chemicals can obtain effective results,” he said. IPC’s CT81 machine is equipped with Advanced Productivity Control technology, Continued page 50
October 2017 | ECJ | 49
CARE OF HARD FLOORS Meeting the challenge (continued) says Mariano. “This allows the operator to control the water flow and prevent excess water from being used,” he said. The company also makes microfibre floor mops that are said to be capable of dusting and mopping in one pass. Prochem Europe’s sales executive Stuart Macmillan shares the general opinion that the location of a floor tends to dictate the cleaning challenge. “The nearer the floor is to the building entrance, the more foot traffic soiling and contamination is likely to enter the building,” he said. “This is why it is vitally important good quality entrance matting is in position and is vacuumed regularly. And on a hard floor, it is also important to dust mop frequently in order to reduce the level of grit and prevent wear and scratching.” He says another factor that can have an impact on cleaning is the weather. “In Europe the weather plays a major factor in floor maintenance whether on a carpet or hard floor,” he said. “Rain, snow, ice and ice gritting can all cause major damage. We cannot do anything about the weather but we can control its impact by means of proper maintenance and cleaning, particularly at entrance locations.”
Type of contamination The floor cleaning challenge depends on footfall and the type of contamination, he says. “I would say hospitals floors tend to be the most challenging because here you have the added impact of stretcher wheels and body fluids coupled with the need for strict hygiene control,” he said. “And hospitals, supermarkets and airports have the added challenges of tyre marks from stretchers, trolleys and baggage respectively.” The floors in schools can also present a problem, he says. “Here there will be a constant variety of soiling from sports fields, weather, food and chewing gum,” he explains. “Kitchens will have spillages of grease and oil which will be difficult to clean during operational times. However, this problem can be minimised using the correct cleaning products and procedures.” According to Truvox International sales and marketing director Gordon McVean it is the intensity of traffic that dictates the floor cleaning challenge rather than the
Le nettoyage de planchers est une tâche qui se distingue de toute autre. Un plancher peut être fait en une immense gamme de matières, allant du béton au bois, et du marbre au linoléum. Et ces matières auront un impact considérable sur le régime de nettoyage. Quels sont les types de plancher à présenter le plus de difficultés aux agents de nettoyage ? Et quels sont les facteurs qui contribuent à cette difficulté ?
October 2017 | ECJ | 50
nature of the building. “For example, the extensive use of trolleys in airports, hospitals and supermarkets may cause scuffing on hard floors while the high degree of foot traffic will be another challenge,” he said. “Some responsive cleaning is likely to be required during the day and it will be essential to minimise disruption and avoid slip risks to pedestrians from wet floors. “Cordless battery powered machines come into their own in these situations, as do one-pass scrubber dryers that have the ability to wash, mop, scrub and dry floors rapidly.” Every building and application has its challenges - but all are surmountable using the right equipment, according to McVean. “The greater challenge for cleaning teams is assembling the right balance of mechanical cleaning capabilities so that the operation is both efficient and costeffective,” he said. “This will be determined by a range of factors including the scale of the facility, the floor type, the area of flooring, the size of the cleaning team and the budget.” Some floor types demand special care, he adds. “Gym and dance floors, for example, tend to have a wood laminate finish and these sustain intensive use and scuffing,” he said. “However, these types of floors need to be cleaned with minimal wetting to reduce the risk of moisture
that may penetrate the joints and lead to premature failure. “Safety flooring, which is increasingly common in the healthcare sector, poses another challenge that defeats some traditional cleaning methods. This is particularly the case in hospitals that specify taurine-based cleaning solutions in place of potentially harmful chemicals. This makes it all the more important to agitate the floor to remove soils without abrading the surface. Similarly, tiled floors in kitchens and washrooms risk allowing a build-up of bacteria and soil in the grout lines.” He says a scrubber dryer with cylindrical brushes is the answer in such environments. The Truvox floorcare range includes the Multiwash Pump/Battery; the Multiwash scrubber dryer and the Orbis range of single-disc rotaries. The cleaning challenge may also be greater where regular maintenance has been neglected, according to McVean. “Here the soiling may have been allowed to penetrate into the surface beneath the failing protective seal,” he explains. “More frequent cleaning will need to take place in order to ensure the floor maintains a presentable appearance. This is why a sound maintenance regime in line with the flooring manufacturer’s recommendations is fundamental.”
Bodenreinigung ist mit keiner anderen Aufgabe zu vergleichen. Böden können aus Beton, Holz, Marmor oder Linoleum gefertigt sein. Und das Material, aus dem der Boden gefertigt ist, hat starke Auswirkungen auf das Reinigungsregime. Welche Bodentypen stellen das Reinigungspersonal vor die größten Herausforderungen? Und warum sind diese besonders schwer zu reinigen?
Il lavaggio dei pavimenti è un lavoro diverso da qualsiasi altro. I pavimenti possono essere di diversi materiali, dal cemento al legno e dal marmo al linoleum. E i materiali utilizzati per i pavimenti hanno un forte impatto sul regime di pulizia. Quali sono i tipi di pavimenti che rappresentano le sfide più difficili per gli addetti alle pulizie? E cosa li rende particolarmente difficili da pulire?
CARE OF HARD FLOORS Brushtec is an industrial and municipal brush manufacturer. Here its designer Barry Cracket discusses how to clean and maintain studded rubber flooring.
Tips for studded rubber
The first thing you need to do before you can clean your floor properly is to remove any loose dirt or debris particles clinging to the surface. These are often blown inside or trailed in from outdoors, and can cause damage to the finish on the surface if left. Disposing of these particles is fairly straightforward, as they can simply be swept or vacuumed quickly. At the same time, if your flooring is studded or has grooves, dirt and debris can accumulate in the contours where a regular brush or vacuum can’t pick up properly. To clean this type of surface, you will need to invest in a specialist brush that will attach to the floor cleaner. Look for one that has two lengths of bristles — short to clean the raised
sections and long to reach deeper grooves. Use the correct cleaning products. Rubber flooring can still pick up stains, despite its reputation for being low maintenance. When this occurs, you should avoid cleaning products that are highly acidic or alkaline, as these will damage the surface. You should also steer clear of agents that have turpentine in them, as well as concentrated strippers and degreasers. Instead, opt for one that has a neutral pH. Watch out for plywood subfloors. As rubber does not absorb spilled liquids, they will pool or run across the surface for an easy clean-up. However, you need to be careful if you know there is a plywood subfloor beneath the flooring layer, as liquids can seep through the small gaps between tiles and sections. This can
Dans le cadre de notre rapport spécial sur le soin de sols durs, le frabricant de brosses Brushtec offre des conseils sur le nettoyage et l’entretien de sols en caoutchouc pastillé.
Im Rahmen des Sonderberichts zur Pflege von Hartböden in dieser Ausgabe erteilt der britische Hersteller Brushtec Ratschläge zur Reinigung und Pflege von Gummiböden mit Noppen.
cause rot or mould to set in, which can cause even more damage in the long term. Installing a barrier underlayment will prevent moisture from infiltrating any wood below. Add extra protection in busy areas. In areas you know regularly experience high levels of footfall, it can really be worth the time adding an extra layer of protection. Though rubber is durable, you can extend its lifespan by applying a metallised emulsion, which will help to safeguard the surface. Before using a product like this, ensure that the flooring is completely dry and clean, then spread on two coats with drying time allowed between each one. You may need to close off the area for a while when this process is being carried out. www.brushtec.com L’azienda produttrice di spazzole Brushtec offre consulenza sul come fare la manutenzione e la pulizia di pavimenti in gomma a rilievo nell’ambito della sezione speciale di questa edizione sulla cura dei pavimenti duri.
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PRODUCTS: CARE OF HARD FLOORS
• Comac a remanié la conception de son autolaveuse à conducteur autoporté C130 pour la rendre plus confortable, ergonomique et conviviale. • Les solutions de nettoyage de sols durs Maxx Magic 2 et Maxx Indur2 d’Ecolab fonctionnent sont efficaces sur des surfaces résistant à l’eau. • La RCM Combo est une balayeuse/ autolaveuse combinée capable de nettoyer par passes uniques. • Longlife Matt, proposé par green care Professional, est un revêtement durable de plancher à effet dépolissant. • Le système de balayage humide de Chicopee combine des têtes à emploi de courte durée et un outil léger. • ISAL, un spécialiste des balayeuses, a lancé la machine industrielle 110 et la balayeuse de voierie 6000 Euro 6. • Les laveuses de plancher à batterie Sport de la société Tomcat se distinguent par leur compacité et leur autonomie.
• Comac hat die AufsitzScheuersaugmaschine C130 neu gestaltet, um sie komfortabler, ergonomischer und benutzerfreundlicher zu machen. • Die Hartboden-Reinigungslösungen Maxx Magic 2 und Maxx Indur2 von Ecolab sind effizient auf wasserbeständigen Oberflächen. • Bei der RCM Combo handelt es sich um eine kombinierte Kehr- und Scheuersaugmaschine, die, so heißt es, in nur einem Gang reinigt. • Bei Longlife Matt von green care Professional handelt es sich um eine nachhaltige Bodenbeschichtung, die Böden einen Matteffekt verleiht. • Das Mikrofasermopp-System von Chicopee verbindet Moppköpfe für den kurzzeitigen Einsatz mit einem leichten Werkzeug. • ISAL, der Spezialist für Kehrmaschinen, hat die gewerbliche Maschine 110 und die Straßenkehrmaschine 6000 Euro 6 vorgestellt. • Die Scheuersaugmaschine Sport von Tomcat bietet eine kompakte Größe und eine gute Akkubetriebsdauer.
• La Comac ha riprogettato la sua lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo C130 per renderla più comoda, ergonomica e facile da usare. • Le soluzioni per la pulizia dei pavimenti duri Maxx Magic 2 e Maxx Indur2 della Ecolab sono efficaci sulle superfici resistenti all’acqua. • RCM Combo è una lavasciuga pavimenti/ spazzatrice combinata che vanta di pulire in un’unica passata. • Longlife Matt della Green Care Professional è un trattamento sostenibile per i pavimenti che dona loro un effetto opaco. • Il sistema mop in microfibra della Chicopee abbina dei mop di durata limitata con una struttura leggera. • La ISAL, specializzata in spazzatrici, ha lanciato la macchina industriale 110 e la spazzatrice stradale 6000 Euro 6. • La lavapavimenti Sport della Tomcat vanta una dimensione compatta e una buona autonomia della batteria.
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Modern version Comac has updated its C130 ride-on scrubber dryer with a modern look and more technology. There are now three types of engine: battery-powered with five hours of runtime; diesel; and the bi-fuel version which runs on a combination of petrol and LPG. The instrument panel now features a full colour touchscreen display for controlling functions, including the working programmes Eco, Standard and Plus. Each uses different amounts of water, detergent and pressure.
There are two scrubbing and sweeping actions. The scrubbing brush head consists of four disc brushes, with variable pressure of up to 180 kg. It can also be shifted sideways to reach the dirt that settles up against walls or underneath shelving. www.comac.it
Super wetting Ecolab says its Maxx Magic 2 and Maxx Indur2 hard floor cleaners with super wetting technology are efficient on water resistant surfaces, simple and easy to use. The surfactants reduce surface tension to allow the water and product to get into full contact with surfaces and into any gaps (grout, uneven or porous tiles) and lift the dirt away. Super wetting products increase the maintenance cleaning intervals and offer an optimum cleaning result especially on porous surfaces. The water based polymer dispersions MAXX Lodan2 and
MAXX Care2 are resistant to alcohol based surface and skin disinfectants, making them suitable for use in hospitals and care homes. MAXX Lodan2 achieves a glossy look, while MAXX Care2 provides a silk-matt finish. www.ecolab.com
Just one pass The Combo from RCM is a combined ride-on scrubbingsweeping machine boasting a driving position right at the front to allow the operator the best view for cleaning. The company says it can sweep, wash and dry in just one pass. Two large roller counterrotating brushes collect bulky and heavy debris, retaining dust in the filter. Meanwhile it also washes and dries using the same brushes together with a robust squeegee. This model can clean up to 16,550 square metres an hour and has a cleaning width of 1655 mm. www.rcm.it
Matt finish Longlife matt by green care Professional (Werner & Mertz) is a sustainable floor coating that gives floors a matt finish. It is designed for healthcare facilities and nursing homes, where the matt appearance and proven slip-resistance (in accordance with DIN 18032) is required. The formulation also boasts resistance to disinfectants and is suitable for use on plastic flooring such as PVC, linoleum and other special materials. There are no (eco)toxicological polluting ingredients such as zinc, TBEP and fluorinated levelling agents and perfumes. www.wmprof.com
Discard mops Chicopee’s Microfibre Mopping System is designed to deliver a consistent clean without the need for laundering, as mops are
discarded after use. Made from 100 per cent splittable microfibre the mops trap dust, dirt and germs within their fibres, reducing the danger of spreading bacteria. Mop heads are attached quickly and easily to the mopping tool, says Chicopee, which has a built-in trigger-operated reservoir of cleaning fluid. www.chicopee.com/en-eu
Two new models This year ISAL has launched two new sweepers - the 110 and the 6000 Euro 6. The 110 it says, combines manoeuverability, reliability and efficiency. New features include ergonomic driver control with comfortable steering wheel. Suitable for use in industrial environments indoors and outdoors, there are two versions - electric with batteries and petrol. The Isal 6000 Euro 6 is a road sweeper for urban and suburban areas, ports, airports and large industrial areas. www.isalsweepers.com
Sport scrubber Tomcat says its Sport floor scrubber offers small size with adequate battery packs and scrub deck sizes for optimum run time and productivity. Designed for cleaning in schools, healthcare, sports arenas, supermarkets, retail and automotive the machine features heavy steel construction, 100 per cent stainless fasteners and polyurethane rollers. www.tomcatequip.com
PRODUCTS: CARE OF HARD FLOORS
Easy clicks
Squeegees and brush head are lowered manually with a handle or foot pedal. www.karcher.com
Four in one
The Click’M C flat mop system is the latest addition to Greenspeed’s range. Said to make floor cleaning as easy and hygienic as possible, 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 comparable with three different Greenspeed microfibre mops - the Twist Mop, the Allround Mop and the Basic Mop. www.greenspeed.eu
Ride-on With the ride-on scrubber dryer BD 50/70 R Bp Pack Classic Kärcher claims to be combining the advantages of two ranges. With its small turning circle and low weight it is as easy to manoeuvre and transport as walk-behind models - while its high power and many features make for efficient cleaning. The turning circle is 1.6 metres and this model weighs in at between 114 and 194 kg. For the
operator it boasts a clear view of the area to be cleaned, while an extensive selection is available for manual cleaning. All control elements are easy to reach from the comfortable driver’s seat while the colour coding on the control unit and self-explanatory symbols follow an intuitive operating concept.
According to IPC its new CT51 scrubber dryer is not just a battery powered scrubber dryer, it is four machines in one thanks to interchangeable brush heads. This means the machine can be transformed in four easy steps into a single 50-55 cm disc, a twin 60 cm disc, a twin 70 cm disc, or a 55 cm roller.
The LCD graphic display shows information including battery life, operator programme, water flow level, brush pressure, maximum speed and alarm messages. www.ipcworldwide.com
Safety floors For the cleaning of safety flooring, SYR has developed Powr-Mop Lite which combines the cleaning ability of microfibre with oscillation technology to grab and remove dirt and grime. Powr-Mop Lite (PML) does not rely on the ‘figure of eight’ mopping technique but allows the operator to walk forward. Working at 3,500 mini-scrubs per minute, its multi-directional cleaning gets into the ‘troughs’ of safety flooring, which is notoriously difficult to clean.
The tool’s microfibre pads have over six million split end fibres, each getting into the minute crevices of safety flooring where dirt has built up says SYR. And the microfibre head is attached by magnets so can be fixed either length or width ways. PML is powered by a rechargeable battery that can be plugged into a smartphone - it can clean up to 400 square metres from one charge. www.syrclean.com
Pink pad Diamond floor cleaning technology specialist Twister Group has developed Twister Pink, a pad specifically designed for high traffic areas with an extra demand for high gloss. The new pad for daily use joins the rest of the High Traffic family, which now consists of TwisterT Pink, TwisterT Blue and TwisterT Orange. Twister says it offers up to 30 per cent higher gloss in heavy traffic areas compared with other daily cleaning pads. It also boasts longer lifespan of both pad and floor compared to chemical-based methods.
And for every Twister Pink used in cleaning an average of 20 litres of floor cleaning chemical is saved says the company. www.twisterpad.com
Pad app Wecoline’s floor pad app is designed to offer advice on which pad will deliver the cleanest and best result on different types of floor. The user answers questions about the type of floor, what kind of dirt, which type of machine and the desired result. They then receive professional advice, supported by short videos about the correct use of the pad on the floor. www.wecoline.com/app
• Comme produit nouveau, Greenspeed propose le système à tampon plat magnétique Click’M C, conçu pour un nettoyage confortable et efficace. • L’autolaveuse autoportée Kärcher BD 50/70 Bp Pack Classic se signale par son faible poids et rayon de braquage. • La CT51 est la nouvelle autolaveuse à batterie de la société IPC et que celle-ci présente comme réunissant les fonctionnalités de quatre machines. • La Powr-Mop Lite est une nouvelle machine, développée par SYR, pour le nettoyage de planchers de sécurité. • Le groupe Twister, spécialisé des tampons diamantés pour le nettoyage de sols, a développé le tampon Twister Pink pour les zones de forte circulation. • Wecovi a lancé l’application Wecoline pour le nettoyage de planchers, qui indique le type de tampon à utiliser face à chaque situation.
• Neu von Greenspeed ist das magnetische Flachmoppsystem Click’M C, das im Hinblick auf komfortables und wirkungsvolles Reinigen konzipiert wurde. • Laut Angaben von Kärcher bietet die Aufsitz-Scheuersaugmaschine BD 50/70 Bp Pack Classic einen kleinen Wendekreis und ein geringes Gewicht. • CT51 ist die neue akkubetriebene Scheuersaugmaschine von IPC, die laut eigenen Angaben vier Maschinen in einer vereint. • Powr-Mop Lite ist eine neue Maschine, die von SYR zur Reinigung von Sicherheitsbodenbelägen entwickelt wurde. • Twister Group, Spezialist für Diamantbodenreinigungstechnologie, hat die Bodenpads Twister Pink für stark frequentierte Bereiche entwickelt. • Wecovi hat die Boden-App Wecoline vorgestellt. Sie hilft bei der Entscheidung, welche Pads für welche Anwendung geeignet sind.
• La novità della Greenspeed è il sistema mop piatto e magnetico Click’M C, progettato per le pulizie efficienti e comode. • La Kärcher afferma che la sua lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo BD 50/70 Bp Pack Classic ha un piccolo raggio di sterzata ed è leggera. • CT51 è la nuova lavasciuga pavimenti alimentata a batteria prodotta dalla IPC che vanta di essere quattro macchine in una. • Powr-Mop Lite è una nuova macchina per la pulizia dei pavimenti di sicurezza sviluppata dalla SYR. • La Twister Group, specializzata nella tecnologia della pulizia dei pavimenti al diamante ha sviluppato il disco per pavimenti Twister Pink per le aree molto trafficate. • La Wecovi ha lanciato l’applicazione “ Wecoline floor app” che consiste in una guida per scegliere quale disco è il più adatto per ogni tipo di lavoro.
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CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS
When only a chemical will do Chemical-free cleaning is becoming more popular all the time as customers increasingly seek sustainable solutions, writes Ann Laffeaty. But are there still some situations in which only a chemical will do?
Chemical-free cleaning is a growing trend. An increasing number of companies are offering systems that use alternatives such as steam, deionised water, UV light, microfibre or water at high pressure in place of detergents or disinfectants. The aim is to reduce the impact of cleaning on public health and the environment. But are there any cases in which a chemical-free solution would simply not be up to the job? Car cleaning is one task where chemicals usually provide a better performance according to Nilfisk product management director Andrew Caddick. “Traffic pollution can be very sticky,” he said. “Chemical products also tend to be required for cleaning surfaces and units in the food industry and in the agricultural sector.” The company is currently carrying out research into the optimal way of removing substances such as grease and oils from surfaces using a mixture of high pressure and chemicals. “During this process we have discovered cold water combined with chemicals can be just as effective as using hot water at high pressure,” he said. Alternatives to chemicals are becoming increasingly popular in some sectors, according to Caddick. “Steam is becoming widely used in hospitals, for example, as well as in general cleaning,” he said. “I also I know of an airline meals supplier that uses steam to clean its food preparation surfaces.
October 2017 | ECJ | 54
“But while steam will kill the bacteria, you also need to physically remove it - and this requires some vacuum action. And although steam works well in relatively small areas it would take days to clean, say, a large bottling plant in this way.” Caddick recently visited a large brewery in Switzerland to observe the company’s cleaning techniques. “Despite the fairly draconian laws relating to chemical use in Switzerland, the brewery was using a mixture of detergents and high pressure to clean its bottling equipment,” he said. “There is still a huge requirement for chemicals in many sectors - particularly for disinfectant purposes. And there are also many applications where a detergent has to be a factor. Think about when you need to clean a substance such as egg or engine oil from your hands, for example: you will find that soap and a sponge works much more effectively than hot water alone.” He adds that chemicals will penetrate beneath biofilms and break up the soiling. “Otherwise you would need to use hot water plus some mechanical action. “I don’t think we have come up with a better solution than chemicals and at Nilfisk our detergent sales have remained constant. So the general aim is to make chemicals as efficient as possible in order to reduce consumption while also keeping up with legislation.”
Stricter legilsation And legislation is becoming stricter all the time, says Caddick. “We need to look ahead and assess how the position is likely to change in the future,” he said. “In Europe there are particularly strict rules on what you can and can’t put into detergents. So it is up to the chemical manufacturers to come up with the best possible solutions - and it is up to us to put them into our product ranges.” Kärcher trainer Sebastian Nann believes the majority of cleaning challenges can be tackled without the use of chemicals. “Most of the type of soiling found in administrative and office buildings is water
soluble which means it can be removed without adding a cleaning agent,” he points out. “To a certain degree, too, even oily and greasy stains may be removed using a high pressure washer or a steam cleaner operated at sufficiently high temperatures. This will also help to reduce the quantity of germs. “However chemicals must be used instead when mineral-based stains are encountered or where a complete disinfection is required.” He says the four factors crucial to cleaning success are mechanical effect, temperature, cleaning agent and time. “Generally it can be said that when a particularly high level of mechanical intervention is required – either due to the type of soiling or its concentration - the operation itself would cause damage to the surface or material to be cleaned,” he said. “So the use of cleaning agents would be recommended in these cases.” According to Nann, customers are becoming increasingly environmentallyaware and this has been one of the driving factors behind a general reduction in the use of chemicals. “Of course there are other negative factors associated with the use of cleaning agents such as safety, cost and the complicated removal of dirt residues,” he said. Healthcare environmental hygiene specialist Michael Rollins agrees there are some situations in which a chemical intervention is essential. “In healthcare for example, high-level disinfection is required on the type of reusable instruments that come into direct contact with the patient,” he said. “Areas that have been contaminated by a known or suspected infection also require thorough chemical cleaning and disinfection. “And in emergency situations where infectious outbreaks occur, any cleaning programme needs to include chemical decontamination. Here a hydrogen peroxide vapour is specified to eliminate residual environmental contamination of surfaces
CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS and the air.” He says high level chemical disinfection is required in laboratories and in the pharmaceutical industry. “In the food industry too, regular surface cleaning and disinfection are essential to prevent the contamination of food,” he adds. According to Rollins the trend towards chemical-free cleaning has become more pronounced over the past decade. “However, in the healthcare sector this trend is regularly interrupted by high-profile outbreaks of infections or viruses,” he said. “This leads to a return to safety and the intense chemical disinfection of all surfaces regardless of whether or not this process is needed.”
Neutralising odours Chemical intervention is usually the best solution in closed environments and on less accessible surfaces such as sink drains and waste pipes, he says. “The biofilm build-up here will require aggressive chemical action to ‘dissolve’ or emulsify the residue in order to allow flush-cleaning,” said Rollins. “Biofilms are particularly challenging since mature biofilms will disperse bacteria to spread and contaminate the accessible environment.” Neutralising odours is another example of the type of task that can be difficult to tackle without any chemical intervention, he says. “Again, odour is caused by bacteria that have been allowed to build up due to the porosity of the surface or the inaccessibility within drains and pipes,” he said. “Also, certain microorganisms in spore form such as Clostridium difficile may be dispersed over a wide area via direct contact or via droplets in the air and will remain viable in the environment for extended periods of time. The standard procedure here would involve a robust cleaning programme of all exposed areas using chlorine at 1000 ppm.” However, chemical use also has its drawbacks, he adds. “For example, it can negatively impact the short and longterm safety of the user and cause damage to surfaces, sensitivity to odour and potentially lead to antimicrobial resistance,” Des entreprises sont toujours plus nombreuses à proposer des systèmes de nettoyage exempts de produits chimiques et faisant plutôt appel à de la vapeur, à de l’eau désionisée, à des tissus en microfibre et à de l’eau sous pression. Toutefois, existe-t-il des situations où seul un produit chimique est capable d’accomplir la tâche ? Quelles sont les situations où l’hygiène et la sécurité seraient compromises en évitant l’usage de produits chimiques, et où les systèmes n’utilisant que de l’eau ne seraient pas à la hauteur ?
he said. According to Rollins, one French healthcare facility has dramatically reduced its use of chemicals in response to all these negative factors. Toulon University Hospital has adopted a programme of microfibre cleaning using water alone in most parts of the building while chemical use is restricted to those areas where a suspected or confirmed infection has occurred. “Research has evidenced satisfactory surface decontamination using water alone in its various forms such as dry steam vapour, ultrasonic immersion or in conjunction with a microfibre cloth,” he adds. Chemicals are the only viable option for oil removal according to AM Services operations director Chris Condliff. “Extracting oil from stone or concrete surfaces always requires the use of chemicals to achieve a high quality finish,” he said. “And if the oil has been allowed to soak in, biochemical cleaning is required to attempt to draw the oil to the surface.” The use of steam or water at high pressure might go some way towards removing the oil from the surface as well as from the pores of the stone, concedes Condliff. “However, this would leave unsightly residual staining,” he said. “Oil is quick to penetrate porous surfaces and where this has occurred it usually needs to be chemi-
cally dissolved so that the source of the stain can be drawn back out.” Despite the limitations of non-chemical solutions, a growing number of customers are turning to them according to Condliff. “Some are worried about introducing new chemicals because - quite rightly - there is an obligation to monitor what is going down the drains and what is being used on site,” he said. “There has also been a decline in the number of customer requests for the use of substances such as hydrochloric acid over the past 10 years. “People are now looking more towards bio-remedial products that are safer to use and cause less harm to the environment. However, while these chemicals may reduce the risk factor they are also more expensive to use. So in my opinion, there will always be a need for the use of certain chemicals.” Michael Rollins agrees with this view, particularly where healthcare is concerned. “As new pathogens are detected we are reminded that we live in a global world where microorganisms can emerge and cause unexpected and severe outbreaks,” he said. “This typically results in a conservative approach to decontamination and a greater reliance on chemical disinfection.” And Nilfisk’s Andrew Caddick concurs. “You can’t really get around it - detergents are part of the cleaning cycle,” he said.
Eine zunehmende Anzahl von Unternehmen bietet chemikalienfreie Reinigungssysteme, die mit Dampf, deionisiertem Wasser, Mikrofasertüchern und Hochdruckwasser arbeiten. Aber gibt es noch Situationen, in denen nur ein chemisches Reinigungsmittel die zu erledigende Aufgabe bewältigen kann? Wann würde die Vermeidung von chemischen Reinigungsmitteln die Gesundheit und Sicherheit gefährden, und wann sind Reinwassersysteme der Aufgabe einfach nicht gewachsen?
Un numero sempre maggiore di imprese offre ora dei sistemi di pulizia senza utilizzo di prodotti chimici che comportano l’uso di vapore, acqua deionizzata, panni in microfibra e acqua ad alte pressioni. Ma esistono ancora delle situazioni dove solo un prodotto chimico può raggiungere l’obiettivo? Ma quando evitare l’uso di prodotti chimici rischia di compromettere la salute e la sicurezza e quando i sistemi ad acqua pura semplicemente non sono adatti al lavoro?
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PRODUCTS: CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS
• BASF offre à ses clients industriels des solutions chimiques susceptibles d’appuyer leurs processus d’économie circulaire. • Greenspeed s’est donné l’objectif de produire des agents de lavage et de nettoyage exerçant le minimum d’impact sur l’environnement. • Les pulvérisateurs à mousse de Solo sont dotés des buses brevetées varioFOAM • Ayant lancé le Granuline, Wetrok aligne une gamme de trois produits de nettoyage sous forme de granules. • Le système de multi-lavage Centralised de CM2W assure une dosage précis et la télégestion en temps réel. • Birchmeier propose une gamme de pulvérisateurs et de générateurs de mousse industriels.
• Die BASF teilt mit, dass ihre chemischen Lösungen Industriekunden bei deren kreislaufwirtschaftlicher Strategie unterstützen. • Greenspeed hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, seine Wasch- und Reinigungsmittel mit möglichst geringer Auswirkung auf die Umwelt zu produzieren. • Die Schaumsprühgeräte von Solo sind mit den patentierten varioFOAM-Düsen ausgestattet. • Wetrok stellt Granuline vor und bietet damit eine Produktfamilie von drei Reinigungsprodukten, die ausschließlich auf Granulat basieren. • Das zentralisierte Multiwaschmaschinensystem von CM2W bietet präzise Dosierung und Remote-Echtzeitverwaltung. • Birchmeier bietet eine Produktreihe gewerblicher Sprayund Schaumgeräte.
• La BASF afferma che le sue soluzioni chimiche sostengono i clienti del settore nella loro strategia di economia circolare. • L’obiettivo della Greenspeed è quello di produrre prodotti di pulizia e di lavaggio che abbiano il minimo impatto ambientale • I nebulizzatori di schiuma della Solo sono dotati degli ugelli brevettati varioFOAM. • Con il lancio di Granuline, la Wetrok propone una linea di tre prodotti per le pulizie interamente a base di granuli. • Il sistema multi lavaggio Centralised della CM2W vanta un dosaggio preciso e la gestione remota in tempo reale. • La Birchmeier propone una gamma di spray industriali e unità di erogazione di schiuma.
October 2017 | ECJ | 56
Circular strategy
out the range mean 20 per cent less packaging than conventional formulas and detergents are fully degradable it says. Kitchen cleaning products contain no perfume and are safe for cleaning waterproof surfaces. www.greenspeed.eu
Patented nozzle BASF Home Care and I&I Solutions aims to support its industry customers in their circular economy strategy. Examples include high-performing raw materials such as 100 per cent renewable, palm kernel-based Glucopon grades. Another BASF solution, modified starch-based Polyquart Ecoclean, provides an ‘easyto-clean-again effect’ that helps save resources and is readily biodegradable. The company says it also has options available to formulate cleaning products in line with EU Ecolabel requirements in a way that reduces waste throughout their lifecycle. And it encourages formulations designed to prolong the lifetime of cleaned surfaces. www.homecare-and-i-and-i. basf.com
Minimum impact Greenspeed says its objective is to make its chemical solutions sustainable and responsible. The company offers ecological washing and cleaning agents which have a minimum impact on the environment during their entire life cycle.
The company also tests and measures the biodegradability of the whole product, ensuring minimum toxicity for aquatic organisms. It also sources renewable ingredients from as close to home as possible. For its interior and kitchen cleaners Greenspeed has been awarded the Cradle to Cradle Gold-level certificate. Highly concentrated products through-
For applying foam detergents on vertical surfaces Solo has two sprayer models featuring a patented nozzle, varioFOAM. This allows the operator to adjust the foam quality on a large, easy-tohandle dial (even with gloves).
Foam moisture can also be adjusted continuously without having to change components. The two hand-held pressure sprayers 301-FA and 301-FB have a nominal capacity of 1.25 litres - the 301-FA with its FKM seals is suitable for acidic, oil and solvent containing media while the 301-FB is equipped with EPDM seals and therefore suitable for use with alkaline and alcoholic cleaning agents and disinfectants. www.solo.global
dissolve immediately in cold water and Wetrok claims there are significant savings to be had in terms of storage space. Granusan and Granusurf have good foaming properties, making them suitable for manual foam cleaning says Wetrok. 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. www.wetrok.com
Remote control CM2W has developed hardware solutions and software management platforms that allow remote monitoring and control of dosing equipment. They are already in use in industrial washing machines dishwashers and venturi systems. The mobile interface allows real time access to machines. Boasting precise dosing, remote real time programming and monitoring plus cost efficiency is the centralised multiwashing dosing system. This solution also alerts customers when any problems arise. www.cm2w.net
Resistant gasket
Granule based New from Wetrok is a family of patented cleaning products based entirely on granules Granuline. All products in the range are 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
Birchmeier’s industrial sprayers and foaming units feature special gaskets that are resistant to alkaline and acid chemicals. The range varies from small 0.5-litre trigger sprayers up to 100-litre stainless steel foaming units. All 0.5-litre and 1.25-litre sprayers and foaming units are made with a flexible suction hose for optimum residual spray drainage. Products are colour-coded: red for acidic spray and foaming agents and blue for alkaline spray and foaming solutions. www.birchmeier.com
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