February/March 2023 by European Cleaning Journal

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

FEBRUARY/ MARCH 2023

SPECIAL REPORT

GREEN CLEANING

BUSINESS

European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards 2022 - more profiles of the winners

Challenges in healthcare

Finding water efficiencies

The path to Brexit for UK firms

Page 15

Page 25

Page 39

Page 45

CONTENTS

February/March 2023 | Vol.31, No.1

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORTS

45 Fresh uncertainty for UK firms

25 Cleaning challenges 2023

Hartley Milner on how swathes of EU-derived legislation looks set to be scrapped in the UK.

How is the healthcare sector tackling the hygiene demands of today?

03 News 8

29 The regulation maze A.I.S.E. news

12 EFCI news

Microban clears up the confusion around antiviral laws around the world.

31 High-tech scrubbing How widely is the advanced technology available being adopted?

15 ECHA winners

38 Bringing floors back to life Resilient floor renewal is an emerging trend in the flooring market.

18 European reports

39 Water works How does the cleaning sector limit the use of this precious commodity?

51 The Cleaning Show, London A look ahead to the cleaning exhibition taking place in March.

55 Pandemic boom Some of Japan’s specialist cleaning firms flourished during Covid-19.

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A.I.S.E. NEWS

The importance of enzymes in detergent products

A.I.S.E. is the umbrella organisation representing the European detergents and maintenance products industry. Aisling O’Kane talks about the role of enzymes in detergent products. What is an enzyme? Enzymes are proteins that act as bio-catalysts which speed up biological processes. Enzymes exist in all of nature – in microorganisms, plants, animals, as well as human bodies. Enzymes were introduced as ingredients in cleaning products in the early 1960s and are now widely used in laundry and dish detergents for their innovative and wide-ranging functionalities. Today, enzymes for detergents are produced by microorganisms via fermentation processes that use sugar and other agricultural by-products as feedstock. Enzymes work in mild conditions, which means they can function at low temperatures and mild pH. They are only required at low concentrations in cleaning products to be effective. Enzymes are also readily biodegradable, resulting in no negative environmental impact. Enzymes in cleaning Enzymes are bio-catalysts that increase the rate of chemical reactions occurring in a variety of biological processes including digestion and growth. In the detergent industry, enzymes are used to provide a higher degree of stain removal, whiteness, fabric and colour care and overall cleaning performance. These ingredients are selected based on performance and the use that

is required. Enzymes act like small selective scissors to break down stains into pieces. Typically, enzymes are carefully optimised for their respective processes – such as the removal of a specific protein, starch or fat stain. Thus, each enzyme has specificity for one type of reaction and is used in the detergent targeted at removing that type of stain. By breaking stains down into smaller pieces, these highly targeted biocatalysts help eliminate the stain by making it more easily removable by surfactants. Specific enzymes target specific stains – for example: • Proteases degrade proteinbased stains such as grass or

The role of enzymes in detergent products The industry’s commitment to safe and sustainable use

What is an enzyme? An enzyme is a catalyst which can speed up biological processes. Enzymes exist in all of nature – in microorganisms, plants, animals, as well as human bodies. Enzymes were introduced as ingredients in cleaning products in the early 1960s and are now widely used for their innovative and wide-ranging functionalities. Today, enzymes for detergents are produced by microorganisms, in fermentation processes, that have sometimes been improved by means of modern biotechnology. This fermentation process uses sugar and other agricultural products as feedstock for the microorganisms. Enzymes work at mild conditions, which means they can function at low temperatures and mild pH. In addition, enzymes are only required at low concentrations in cleaning products to be effective. Enzymes are also readily biodegradable, resulting in no negative environmental impact.

blood, giving clothes a clean appearance • Amylases break down starchbased stains such as pasta or potatoes found on dishes • Lipases target fat-based stains such as oil, which can contribute to increased appearance of staining after repeated washes

Enzymes enable significant environmental savings Washing at low temperatures At least 60 per cent of CO2 emissions from laundry and dish detergents come from the use phase - the energy consumed by the machine to heat the wash water is the largest environmental impact of washing across all life cycle stages. Washing at lower temperatures is therefore a pivotal driver to improve the overall sustainability profile

Les enzymes sont des protéines assurant des fonctions de catalyse accélérant les processus biologiques. Elles existent partout dans la nature dans des microorganismes, des plantes, des animaux, ainsi que dans le corps humain. On les introduit dans les produits de nettoyage depuis le début des années 1960.

8 | February/March 2023 | ECJ

of the washing process. Enzymes are vital contributors to this process, as they enable detergents to provide high cleaning performance at low temperatures. Innovating compact products The detergent industry globally has driven the compaction of detergent products as a strategic part of its sustainability strategy. Compaction refers to more concentrated liquid and powder products -this also reduces weight and packaging, and thus the overall environmental footprint. Compaction has been enabled through process technology innovation, eg, by employing new catalytically active performance ingredients such as enzymes, which have a high performance at low concentrations in the formula. Such innovation with enzymes has enabled significant environmental savings, while securing equivalent cleaning performance. Alternative technology to replace phosphates Phosphates and phosphonates were previously used in detergent products to remove soap scum and mineral deposits caused by hard water. In the US, phosphates were phased out of laundry detergents in the 1990s and in automatic dishwasher detergents in 2010 due to concerns of negative impacts on water systems. The EU Detergents Regulation restricted the use of phosphates and phosphonates due to concerns with excess of algae growth in water environment. The restriction in Europe resulted in the equivalent reduction of some 55,000 tonnes of

Bei Enzymen handelt es sich um Proteine, die als Biokatalysatoren biologische Prozesse beschleunigen. Sie treten überall in der Natur auf – in Mikroorganismen, Pflanzen, Tieren und dem menschlichen Körper. Enzyme wurden Anfang der 1960er Jahre als Inhaltsstoffe in Reinigungsprodukten eingeführt.

phosphorus per year across the EU. Enzymes provided the alternative technology to transition away from phosphates and phosphonates, and still maintain cleaning performance.

Use of enzymes in professional applications • Enzymes are used to clean medical devices that cannot be cleaned in normal sterilisation machines, eg, endoscopes, loosening soils on delicate pieces of equipment where mechanical action is difficult • Enzymes are necessary to remove blood stains during the laundry process particularly in hospital linens • Commercial dishwashing machines recirculate wash water for the cleaning process. When the water reservoir becomes soiled from food residue, enzymes help break down the food waste, maintaining the sump water for longer, enabling great savings in resources • Enzymes can be used to remove food soils from floors, especially in commercial kitchens, which can be destructive to grout in tiled floors, as well as a safety concern for staff in busy professional kitchens

Committed to safe and sustainable use This industry has a long history of initiatives committed to safe and sustainable use. In this area, A.I.S.E. has developed multiple tools and guidance to support companies in the safe use of enzymes in cleaning products. Globally, A.I.S.E. works in collaboration with its counterparts in the US (HCPA and ACI), as well as with AMFEP, the European association of enzymes manufacturers. For more info and links to the online material: www.aise. eu/enzymes

Gli enzimi sono proteine che agiscono da biocatalizzatori per accelerare i processi biologici. Esistono in tutta la natura, nei micro organismi, nelle piante e anche nel corpo umano. Gli enzimi sono stati introdotti come ingredienti nei prodotti di pulizia agli inizi degli anni 60 e sono ora largamente usati nei detergenti.

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NEWS

Ireland’s tobacco firms ordered to pay towards street cleaning Tobacco companies in Ireland will now have to pay part of the country’s multi-million euro street cleaning bill under new government legislation. Cigarette butts account for half of the nation’s street refuse and are “the biggest litter scourge”, according to the National Litter Pollution Monitoring System. A total of €85 million was spent by local authorities on street cleaning in 2022 including €36 million in Dublin alone. Since the start of the new year, tobacco companies have become liable for part of the clean-up costs. “It forces companies to rethink what they’re putting on the market and the costs involved,” said Ireland’s senior environment official in circular

economy materials management Bernie Kiely. “What you are doing is putting that whole-of-life cost back on the producers who put it on the market in the first place.” The levy is part of legislative changes imposed by Ireland’s environment ministry in July 2021 in a bid to comply with the European Union’s single-use plastic directive. This bans the use of plastic straws, cutlery and other disposable items.

Data collection Producers become responsible for the entire life cycle of products under the legislation changes including end-of-use costs. Tobacco companies will initially become liable because cigarette filters are made largely

of plastics, but the legislation will later focus on fishing gear, balloons and wet wipes under extended schemes due to be established by all European Union member states.

The full size of the bill to tobacco companies will be calculated once data has been collected on the contribution made by cigarette butts to the litter toll during 2023.

‘Public bikes are riddled with germs’ – says US study

A US study of public bikes has revealed that their handlebars can harbour more than 800 times the amount of bacteria as a personal bicycle. When electric bike manufacturer Velotric carried out swab tests it discovered that a typical model used by the public

was populated with 6.5 million CFUs. This meant the bike harboured 12,000 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat. And the bacteria recorded were all gram-negative rods which are potentially deadly. In contrast, the personal bike

• Les compagnies de tabac en Irlande devront désormais supporter un partie des coûts nationaux de nettoyage des rues en vertu d’une nouvelle loi fondée sur la législation européenne. • D’après une étude américaine, les guidons des bicyclettes publiques sont capables d’abriter 800 fois plus de bactéries que les guidons de bicyclettes personnelles.

10 | February/March 2023 | ECJ

tested by Velotric was found to harbour 8,000 CFUs - all grampositive cocci capable of causing inflammatory disease. However, the testers concluded that this quantity of bacteria could be kept in check by means of an occasional wipe-down with an antiseptic cloth, whereas the public bike would need a complete clean between riders. Public electric scooters were also found to pose a potential risk to health with 700 times the amount of bacteria found on the model tested compared with the germ count on a personal scooter. Swab tests on scooters revealed that the shared model

was populated by gram-positive rods whereas the privatelyused scooter played host to less harmful bacillus.

Rarely cleaned Public bikes and scooters are often left in public places and are rarely cleaned, according to researchers. Velotric also carried out swab tests on other commuter surfaces which revealed 18 million CFUs on commonlytouched train surfaces. And buses were found to be significantly more germ-ridden with 40 million microbial CFUs clocked up - four times the amount of bacteria as on a typical kitchen sink.

There’s still time to submit your entry to the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards Visit www.echawards.com/enter

• Gemäß neuer Rechtsvorschriften müssen Tabakunternehmen in Irland jetzt einen Teil der sich auf mehrere Millionen Euro belaufenden Kosten für die Straßenreinigung des Landes übernehmen. • Eine US-amerikanische Studie offenbart, dass die Lenkstangen öffentlicher Fahrräder im Vergleich zu persönlichen Fahrrädern eine bis zu 800-fache Menge an Bakterien beherbergen können.

• In base alla nuova legislazione governativa, le imprese produttrici di tabacco in Irlanda dovranno ora pagare una parte delle spese di svariati milioni di euro sostenute dalla nazione per la pulizia delle strade. • Uno studio americano sulle biciclette pubbliche ha rivelato che sul loro manubrio il numero di batteri che possono prosperare è di 800 volte maggiore rispetto alle biciclette personali

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EFCI NEWS

New leadership for the European Federation of Cleaning Industry

The European Federation of the Cleaning Industry (EFCI) is undergoing major change, with the election of a new president and a restructuring at its Brussels office. ECJ hears from Lorenzo Mattioli about his priorities for the coming year. 2022 has been a year of profound change for EFCI, the European Cleaning and Facility Services Industry, as the association has elected a new president and renewed its structure in Brussels. We discuss with the president, Lorenzo Mattioli, his views for the sector and priorities for his mandate. Lorenzo Mattioli was nominated by EFCI general assembly in June 2022, succeeding Juan Diez de los Rios. In parallel to his European function Mattioli has been serving as president of ANIP Confindustria, the Italian association representing cleaning companies, since 2014. In this role, he has initiated the creation of a new association for the unitary representation of the different branches of the facility management industry (cleaning, food services, pest control, security, textile rental), Confindustria Servizi HCFS.

An essential function, lacking the necessary recognition As we could all directly experience, during the pandemic the role and impact of cleaning in our lives has become visible, probably for the first time, on a societal and collective scale. However, now that the

emergency has subsided, our companies and their staff have become rather invisible, a sort of commodity that we all give for granted, but that is never really valued for what it does. Yet, our sector remains one of the pillars on which the wellbeing of our communities is granted and the continuity of our economic activities is granted, on a daily basis. The ‘red thread’ that will inspire his presidency, Mattioli explains, is precisely this – exposing the centrality of the work provided and give the companies and people the visibility they deserve. At EU level a discussion was launched with EFCI’s union counterpart, UNIEuropa, on this specific point, agreeing on a declaration on daytime cleaning that focuses on the need to make the work of cleaners more visible (in addition to greener, more attractive, better work-life balance), but there is still a lot more to do to. “I have always attributed a lot of importance to industrial relations, and to the necessity to develop constructive, positive and non-confrontational relations with union organizations”, adds Mattioli. “As EFCI is a recognised EU social partner, I am determined to make the most of the opportunities social dialogue at EU level offers to accompany the evolution of legislation in a way that benefits all its actors, companies and workers alike”.

A variety of policy domains relevant for the sector The list of policy areas in which the cleaning and facility sectors have a say is wide, ranging from labour shortages and technological development to work-life balance and attractiveness, from the impact of greening on the sector to the specific dimension of the

La Fédération européenne du nettoyage industriel (FENI) connait actuellement des changements importants, marqués par l’élection d’un nouveau président et par la restructuration de son siège à Bruxelles. ECJ s’entretient en exclusivité avec Lorenzo Mattioli au sujet de ses priorité pour l’année à venir.

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• EFCI president Lorenzo Mattioli (left) with director general Matteo Matarazzo.

integration of newcomers into the labour force, a distinctive feature of the cleaning sector in all EU countries. “Being employed by our companies means for a lot of people signing their first formal labour contract, entering the regular job market and enjoying labour rights in a way that lays the foundations for a successful integration into society”, points out Lorenzo Mattioli. “We need to modify policy makers’ and stakeholders’ perception of the sector, to put in the right perspective the societal role it provides, the increase of its technological dimension and the many structural transformations it is undergoing - including its shift towards a more structural interconnection with the wider branch of facility management.”

Increasing the representativeness of the association in Brussels To achieve these goals, EFCI will have to adopt new working approaches and enlarge its scope. According to its president, EFCI has to attract new member organisations, to include a wider range of countries, bringing to the Brussels scenario the variety and complexity of the industry in Europe. And to increase its attractiveness and capacity to provide services to its affiliates,

Der Europäische Dachverband der Reinigungsbranche EFCI erlebt umfangreiche Änderungen in der Form der Wahl eines neuen Vorsitzende und der Umstrukturierung des Brüsseler Büros. Das ECJ führt ein exklusives Gespräch mit Lorenzo Mattioli über seine Prioritäten für das kommende Jahr.

a stronger engagement in public advocacy is to be enforced. “We have redefined our internal structures and organisation, and with the nomination of our new director general we are implementing our new course,” Mattioli concludes. “Reaching out more regularly and intensely to both policy makers and partners, in Brussels and in the member states, is my first operational priority – something we have already put in motion”, concluded Mattioli.

New director general Since December EFCI has had a new director general, Matteo Matarazzo is an Italian national and started his career in EU affairs in 2010 working for the European Commission. With a long experience in EU social affairs, he has worked as the director of a EU social partner organisation representing the managerial workforce prior to joining EFCI. “I am very excited to be working for the EU cleaning and facilities industry, a sector that is much more relevant to the EU economy than public opinion usually thinks. I look forward to putting all my skills and enthusiasm to the service of the industry and its stakeholders,” commented Mattarazzo. www.efci.eu

La federazione European Federation of the Cleaning Industry (EFCI) sta subendo grandi cambiamenti con l’elezione di un nuovo presidente e la riorganizzazione del suo ufficio di Bruxelles. ECJ a colloquio esclusivo con Lorenzo Mattioli che parla delle sue priorità per l’anno a venire.

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EUROPEAN CLEANING & HYGIENE AWARDS

Shining a spotlight With the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions that resulted from lockdowns across the world, the world finally appreciated just how valuable people working in the cleaning sector were. They played a pivotal role in maintaining vital services and were at last no longer a mere commodity accessory to daily life. Paolo Valente of ANIP tells us more. “The appearance on the market of sudden operators in the sanitation sector made it necessary to distinguish those professional companies in the sector – with their extensive knowledge of cleaning and hygiene – from those that only wanted to profit from the public health emergency.” Hence the campaign ‘In Good Hands’ was created. Valente continues: “’In Good Hands proved to be a winning strategy, above all because of its perfect timing at those most difficult times of the pandemic. When we talk about labour intensive, we mean a world of companies that have their strength in human capital. People who are on the front line, and who too often remain out of the media spotlight. There are no TV series, movies, books, songs celebrating their hard work. “Exactly for that reason, the ‘In Good Hands’ campaign promoted news and innovations from the world of the labour intensive cleaning sector, highlighting that the workers were crucial in allowing the continuation of fundamental activities for the stability of the country, even where the risk of contagion was high.” So ‘In Good Hands’ was acknowledging and valuing those ‘silent heroes’ and bringing to the public consciousness the efforts of the cleaning staff, hand in hand with healthcare personnel. In fact Pope Francis

and the president of the Italian Republic both gave their public thanks to the cleaning sector workers. Another important aspect of the campaign was in offering clarification and advice to the general public – this served both to strengthen the positive sentiment towards the industry and combat misinformation around the principles of sanitation. ‘In Good Hands’ also emphasised the need for workers to work with adequate protection (masks and gloves) and at a later stage it underlined the need for cleaning staff to be vaccinated as a priority. Valente explains: “The storytelling was based on the concept a silent army of men and women were literally fighting with their bare hands, those ‘good hands’ companies want to guarantee to those in need. In hospital wards, offices, factories, on public transport, on the streets – they found themselves facing enormous risks in carrying out their job.” He continues: “‘In Good Hands’, therefore, resulted in a substantial media campaign based on press releases that had the merit first of all of raising the problem of the lack of attention the government structure responsible for managing the emergency was showing. Not only towards the staff involved in healthcare, but also the entire school sector which suffered greatly due to the governmental choices that did not facilitate the use of specialised operators in professional cleaning.” It was Paolo Valente, as ANIP Confindustria’s head of communication and media relations, who brought together the team that would coordinate the ‘In Good Hands’ campaign. “I was fortunate in that I worked with some outstanding profes-

One of the key roles of trade association ANIP Confindustria in Italy is to promote cleaning and its associated services. During the Covid-19 pandemic it launched a campaign to highlight the key role played by the sector, called In Good Hands. A deserving winner of the European Cleaning & Hygiene Award for Raising the Profile of the Cleaning Sector. sionals - including Francesco Nicodemo of Yeast Consulting whose involvement enabled us to significantly raise the level of our communication.” As the campaign grew, ‘In Good Hands’ was so successful that word spread outside Italy and momentum grew across Europe. Trade associations were impressed with the hard-hitting message created by ANIP and wanted to adopt it too. So the European Cleaning and Facility Services Industry (EFCI) – the European representative body for the professional cleaning sector – translated it and relaunched it as a pan-European initiative, #InGoodHands. Subsequently, the slogan #HelpingEuropeReopen was added, emphasising the importance of the sector in the restart phase after the pandemic. The words ‘In Good Hands’ also bring to life the commitment shown by those companies in the cleaning sector to guaranteeing safety in the reopening phase following the pandemic. The vital role they play in caring for people and spaces continues every day and the campaign has a long-lasting effect says Valente.

February/March 2023 | ECJ | 15

EUROPEAN CLEANING & HYGIENE AWARDS

Skills for life For cleaning services business and social enterprise Breedweer, the key objective is to bring as many people as possible into employment. The commitment it demonstrates won it the 2022 European Cleaning & Hygiene Award for Investment in Training. Social enterprise cleaning services company Breedweer is based in the Netherlands and headed up by Jack Stuifbergen, a man with a vision of making a true social impact with his business. This is a company that is not just about cleaning and facilities services. Stuifbergen is spreading a wider message around the business community and the wider world – that message centres on diversity, inclusion and offering opportunities to all. Breedweer employees come from all sections of society and many of them come from difficult backgrounds. Stuifbergen explains: “At Breedweer, everyone matters. It is important to say that our main goal is to bring as many people as possible from a vulnerable position into employment, where they are able to support themselves independently.” How does the process work in practice? “All our employees are offered a personal development plan, in which we map out what an employee needs,” says Stuifbergen. “This can be development in the field of language (low literacy is a major problem in cleaning), but also the development of professional skills (for example, specialisations).

16 | February/March 2023 | ECJ

“The most important thing we want to offer our people is development to MBO level (minimum level 1). With this programme we are able to give staff a recognised MBO diploma, where they have a skill for life, whatever they choose to do. So every person can become what they always wanted to be. How cool is that?!” Every single person, at every level of Breedweer, is offered the opportunity to develop through the company’s academy. “In this way we continually progress our people and hopefully bind them to our organisation. More importantly, we get happy employees,” Stuifbergen adds. The implementation phase for a new employee with a client starts by taking the time necessary to train and educate. All employees get the recognised IBL course which teaches them everything they need to know about contract agreements, work methods and the use of materials and machines. Because up to 60 per cent of cleaners in the Netherlands have a low literacy level, all work manuals include icons and pictures, and Breedweer also works hard to help them achieve a higher level of reading and writing. “As we work with people from disadvantaged groups, a different approach is necessary to get and keep them on the right track,” Stuifbergen says. “Therefore we have a ‘buddy’ system - they help our employees from disadvantaged groups. We also have extra start-up guidance in the first weeks. ‘Buddies’ take care of instructing, giving extra information and helping adjustment in the workplace. So for our clients we can guarantee a perfect cleaning result right from the start.” A core belief throughout the Breedweer

business is that everybody has a talent, and development of each individual’s particular talent is one of its main goals. That’s why each employee has their own plan and that plan is reviewed and updated during performance appraisals. “We give everyone the opportunity to participate in the labour market again, regardless of skin colour, age, origin, religion or disability. Our teachers are busy every day educating our employees to help them reach their potential. We are proud of what we do and proud that we give substance to broader sustainable development goals whereby prosperity at the broadest level is the ultimate objective.” Clients too appreciate the ethics of Breedweer’s business. “What we see is that our customers specifically choose us because of the impact we make,” continues Stuifbergen. “After all, we don’t sell cleaning services, instead we’re always promoting our social impact. Customers specifically ask about the impact we are making on development of people so it is clearly a priority for them. And we often receive comments such as ‘It’s great that you’re doing this, it’s great you are giving people this opportunity, and it’s impressive that your people are so well trained’.” Stuifbergen decided to get involved in the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards because he would like other companies in the professional cleaning sector to make similar commitments to offering their employees such important opportunities in personal development. “We would like to put development on the map across the sector,” he says. “Winning the ECH Award is great recognition for us, for what we do every day.”

LATEST: NORWAY

Daytime cleaning project launches Initiators of a new project in Norway hope to attract more people to the sector, reports Lotte Printz. “It’s hard for this sector to attract people and we believe that part of it is down to the fact it is hard to combine a job as a cleaner with family life; bringing children to school and pastime activities and picking them up afterwards. And joining clubs and organisations yourself,” Trine Wiig, union secretary of the Norwegian Union of General Workers (including 6,000 cleaning operatives), explains in a press release. As a result, the Norwegian Union of General Workers and its counterparts in NHO (the central organisation for service and trade) are going to launch a new project funded by Hf-fondet (a fund jointly administered by NHO and LO, the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions). One of the main objectives of the 4.6 million Kroner project is to make cleaning a daytime job.

Raise the status Cleaning during the day rather than late in the afternoon, at night or even in the early hours of the day also sends a signal that this an important job, and thus helps raise the status of the trade, the initiators argue. The cleaning profession and the individual cleaner enjoyed a higher status during the pandemic, but now it seems to be on its way past this peak, the project is welcomed by cleaning operatives themselves. In fact, they think it’s about time the working hours of cleaners are back on the agenda. “Daytime jobs were something we already discussed at the beginning of the millennium. In

fact, we managed to land it even then, but this routine has gradually been rolled back by cleaning companies and customers alike since then”, lead union steward for the cleaners at ISS, Irene Skuggen Olsen points out. If the attempt to change working hours of cleaning operatives pulls through, it might prove to yield other good results. As ECJ wrote back in October 2015, cleaners working nights in Norway are especially prone to vitamin D deficiency due to little sun exposure, particularly during autumn and winter when the hours of daylight are few in this northern part of Europe. Changing the working hours is only one of the project highlights though. Information sharing between the parties, organising more union stewards who are key if changes are to be made successfully within the companies as well as strengthening cooperation in general are other essential elements. As an example, Trine Wiig hopes the project will breathe life to monthly meetings between union stewards and company management and generally inspire a more open dialogue when companies are planning new initiatives. The project has been in the pipeline for quite some time, but was stalled due to the pandemic. So, Wiig is pleased it can finally go ahead. A conference on March 15 kicks off the project that is planned to run for two-anda-half years, thus ending on September 15 2025.

There’s still time to submit your entry to the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards so do it now! Be part of the gala dinner on October 5 in Dublin. Visit www.echawards.com/enter Dans son reportage de Norvège, Lotte Printz rend compte d’une initiative récente visant à ce que le travail de propreté ne se fasse que de jour.

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Lotte Printz berichtet aus Norwegen über eine Initiative, deren Ziel es ist, das Reinigen zu Tagarbeit zu machen.

Dalla Norvegia, Lotte Printz ci parla di una nuova iniziativa volta a rendere le pulizie un lavoro diurno.

LATEST: GERMANY

Setting a course for the future The German association BIV organised a conference for young entrepreneurs, Katja Scholz reports. Setting the course for the future of association work – this was the aim when 50 entrepreneurs from the contract cleaning trade met in Berlin for two days at the launch of the conference of young entrepreneurs. Organised by the Federal Association of Contract Cleaners (BIV), the event was attended by proprietors and managing directors up to the age of 45. “With this conference, which was the prelude to a whole series of events, we wanted to offer committed young entrepreneurs the opportunity to find out about guild and association work, and to build up a network of contacts. At the same time, it was important for us to discover what motivates them and what they would regard as important for any future voluntary involvement,” said Wolfgang Molitor, BIV managing director. “I sense among young people an enthusiasm for volunteering as well as an interest in working for the associations.” A political discussion evening with members of the German Bundestag was also included in the programme. The young entrepreneurs were able to exchange views in confidence with politicians from three parties and from various committees. The political discussion, moderated by BIV board member Tanja Čujić-Koch and Wolfgang Molitor, concentrated mainly on the themes of free collective bargaining, training and the future of work. “ Just as, for example, company succession planning must be addressed in good time, the same also applies to the work of the associations. I was especially pleased to note the keenness of young entrepreneurs to represent the interests of their own trade and their ability to express this to the politicians,” continued Molitor. “Doing voluntary work is important for young entrepreneurs but L’association allemande de la propreté professionnelle, BIV, a récemment organisé une conférence à l’intention de jeunes entrepreneurs. Katja Scholz en donne des précisions.

this has to fit in with family and leisure time and the need for a healthy work-life balance.” Magdalena Collenbusch, director of Weisbender Building Services, was one of the participants at the young entrepreneurs’ conference and is still enthusing about it. “I found the exchange of views with other young entrepreneurs and the networking opportunities particularly valuable, since the average age profile within the guilds is usually very high. The political discussion enabled the conference to cover more diverse themes and introduced new perspectives.” As far as her trade colleague Marc-A Eickholz, director of the Niederberger Management Group was concerned, the conference achieved its objectives. “I noticed that colleagues from other companies have to cope with similar or even the same challenges in their day-to-day work as I am faced with. These conversations and the network of contacts from the conference were very valuable for me, along with the information session about the work of the associations and the opportunities for getting involved.” The BIV wanted this inaugural event to focus clearly on providing an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to get to know each other and to network. They achieved that - the borders of the various states within Germany virtually dissolved during the conference. This is an important point, since involvement has to begin within the regional associations of the guilds and cannot be imposed by the federal association. “We have provided the platform – the real work now has to begin in the regional associations,” said Wolfgang Molitor. Planning is already underway for the next conference which will take place in Berlin at the end of this year under the title ‘Next Generation’.

Der deutsche Vertragsreinigungsverband BIV hat vor Kurzem eine Konferenz für junge Unternehmer organisiert. Katja Scholz berichtet.

L’associazione tedesca delle attività di pulizia in appalto BIV ha organizzato di recente una conferenza per i giovani imprenditori. Ce ne parla Katja Scholz.

February/March 2023 | ECJ |19

LATEST: UK

LATEST: ITALY

Follow my leader

The words of professional cleaning

Lynn Webster in the UK pays tribute to one of the sector’s leaders who died recently - Terry King.

Anna Garbagna in Italy tells us about a book about the science of cleaning which is enjoying success.

From our early years as children, following the leader was far more than a playground game. The leaders of the next generation were thus born. The cleaning industry has numerous leaders of its own successful companies; in their representation of the various associations and institutes and as the drivers, who we all value as an integral part of our professional cleaning world for their considerable contribution. There are challenges at every turn, whether this be through adapting to the evolving social change of the hybrid workforce; the technology of AI and the digitalisation of services; the impact and urgency of sustainability targets and of our environment; the major influences of the economic and political activity that impact on financial uncertainty. We recently had the sad news of the death of one of the UK cleaning industry’s leaders. A major stalwart over many decades. Terence (Terry) King was a co-founder of the British Cleaning Council (BCC) in the early 1980’s when he felt “all sectors of the UK cleaning industry should amalgamate to advance their common interests”. He later served as chairman and was master of the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners. His huge impact was acknowledged by Jim Melvin, current BCC chairman, who in tribute said without him we would simply not be here today. He continued: “We cannot and should not ever be underestimated, and we should be eternally grateful.” The cleaning industry owes him a great debt for his foresight, energy and commitment including the inception of UK cleaning exhibitions both

In Italy over the last few months, a book called La Scienza delle Pulizie (The Science of Cleaning) has been enjoying great success among readers. The author, Dario Bressanini, explains with a simple and engaging style, which detergents to use to obtain perfect results. As well as debunking “false myths” and outdated beliefs, Bressanini explains the “causes” of dirt and offers efficient solutions as well as curiosities, charts and insights which can help anyone regarding the hygiene in their own house. Beyond the fact it is a book for domestic use only the author, a professor of chemistry and researcher, has emphasised with the success of this book that hygiene is a topic which is more than ever of common interest these days, especially after the pandemic. He also put the emphasis on communication in relation to domestic cleaning and also professional cleaning. In addition to quality, accuracy and professional training of staff, communication of the company’s expertise plays a vital role for customers when they are choosing a supplier. It is undeniable that communication has changed and the cleaning sector has followed the new trend that social networks have become the companies’ main channels. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram carry messages, new products or management changes of companies operating at professional level in the cleaning sector. Thus, in addition to conveying news, the image of the company itself is consolidated in the mind of potential future buyers. However, new digital platforms have not completely

Rapportant du Royaume-Uni, Lynn Webster rend hommage à un leader du secteur, Terry King, décédé il y a peu de temps.

regionally and nationally - the precursor to The Cleaning Show. He would certainly have been a contender for the Leader of the Year category in the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards, as well as worthy recognition for his lifetime achievements The qualities of leaders come from their personalities, with many having that unique style that steers their success. The candidates for the 2023 awards require a nomination from someone who works with them. Consider if your leader is making that impact on you and your business. We must also consider from where the next leaders will come. We rely on our leaders to source the next generation of individuals; for them to recognise those with exceptional talent, providing the opportunities to develop and succeed whilst mentoring their journey. These rising stars will also be recognised in the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards so don’t allow yours to go unnoticed - let them shine! Entries are open until March 22 at www.echawards.com The recognition is important. In an industry where successful leaders may have started with few qualifications and reach the pinnacle of their career as owners of multimillion-pound businesses, it is important they have the opportunity to be recognised. Now they can be through achieving Chartered status; no longer having to face their other chartered colleagues at the boardroom table without justification for their achievements. In time the aim is the status will become a benchmark for the future leaders of our great industry. More information on be involved is at the website www.wc-ec.com.

Im Vereinigten Königreich würdigt Lynn Webster eine der führenden Persönlichkeiten der Branche – Terry King –, der vor Kurzem verstarb.

20 | February/March 2023 | ECJ

Nel Regno Unito, la corrispondente di ECJ Lynn Webster rende omaggio a uno dei leader del settore, Terry King, venuto a mandare di recente.

Dans son message d’Italie, Anna Garbagna parle d’un nouveau livre dénommé La Science de la Propreté dont on s’attend qu’il se vendra très bien.

replaced traditional communication, at least in Italy, where radio, TV, printed advertising in specialist magazines and on advertising billboards still have great relevance. Radio, for example, has recorded, an overall increase of four per cent in 2022 compared to the previous year while away-fromhome (outdoor) has recorded 80 per cent positive (Nielsen data on the advertising market). We must not underestimate the words which are used: sanitisation, cleaning, disinfection etc, which are not synonymous but clearly distinct processes, with different characteristics and the subsequent necessity to use specific products. Clarity in communication and the correct use of words or the lack of it can have a diametrically opposite effect: totally positive if the correct use of products is explained or negative if they are wrongly used - confusing the buyer who could buy items inappropriate for their needs. For this reason, communication in the cleaning sector can never be separated from science, because information must always be totally reliable at the scientific level. “On the other hand, it is different when communication is subjected to the logic of the market, which sees its fulfilment only in making profit and not in the correct information to the customer. If companies wish to be conscious communicators they must use the correct terms so the consumer, if they wants to be sure of their product choice, can seek information in the first place from the experts. Images then, are key. Especially in professional cleaning, a picture really does speak a thousand words.

Anna Garbagna berichtet aus Italien über ein neues Buch mit dem Titel „Die Wissenschaft des Reinigens“, das sich als großer Hit erweist.

Dall’Italia Anna Garbagna ci parla di un nuovo libro intitolato “La scienza delle pulizie” che sta dimostrando di essere un grande successo.

LATEST: NETHERLANDS

LATEST: FRANCE

Hygiene key to healthy environment Manufacturing - a specialist market Dutch correspondent John Griep at VSR looks ahead to the themes of its Hygiene Forum this May. Cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression are diseases and disorders related to the indoor environment. It therefore comes as no surprise the decisive role of a healthy and comfortable indoor environment as a means of ensuring quality of life is now receiving greater recognition. VSR wants to make sure more attention is paid to the importance of a healthy indoor environment and has therefore made it the main theme of the Hygiene Forum on May 17 at RAI Amsterdam. Every two years since 2015, VSR has organised the Hygiene Forum, an event and knowledge platform on cleanliness and hygiene. The event is organised in collaboration with two partners - also trade associations from the professional cleaning industry. This year, the theme is ‘A Healthy Organisation Begins with Good Hygiene’. The keynote speaker will be Prof. Dr Philomena Bluyssen. She has been working to advance our knowledge of the indoor environment for more than 20 years. Factors Bluyssen says affect the indoor environment and how people experience it are light, sound, air and thermal factors (heat, cold and moisture). These conditions have an effect by invoking positive or negative feelings in an organisation’s employees, thereby also influencing their productivity. On a long-term basis poor conditions can even cause (chronic) stress. Just imagine what it would be like if there was continuous noise or smell, compared to a workspace that offers pleasant acoustics and plenty of natural light and views. According to the professor, improving the indoor environment involves more than simply preventing stimuli that are detrimental to our health. She also Aux Pays-Bas, VSR, l’organisation nationale de recherche en matière de propreté, souhaite que l’on se soucie davantage de l’importance d’une ambiance saine en intérieur.

examines improvements based on a user’s needs and requirements as a means of creating a building that is not only healthy, but comfortable too. We have also been carrying out research on employee productivity and satisfaction for some time, though our own research was solely carried out from the perspective of cleaning quality (about which Bluyssen applies a much broader perspective). Research carried out by VSR in 2016 showed employees feel more productive if the level of cleanliness in the office is higher. That research was carried out by Mirte Horrevorts as part of her final project leading to her master’s degree in Management, Economics and Consumer Studies. Her research demonstrated a high standard of cleaning has a positive impact on the core process of organisations. Not only does the standard of cleaning impact productivity, it also contributes towards the overall feeling of satisfaction amongst employees. Employees are more satisfied when there is less dirt in the office. And according to that same research, that in turn also increases productivity. The importance of a healthy indoor environment, in which effective cleaning plays a positive role, is an ongoing concern for both building users and cleaning contractors. Would you like to be kept up to date? We will produce a comprehensive report of the Hygiene Forum and also publish a concise version of that report here in ECJ. In that report, you will be able to read information about which factors have precisely what effect and about the contribution that building owners, architects and cleaning professionals can make towards an improved indoor environment.

In den Niederlanden möchte VSR, der Industrieverband der Reinigungsbranche, sicherstellen, dass der Bedeutung einer gesunden Umgebung in Innenräumen mehr Beachtung geschenkt wird.

Nei Paesi Bassi, l’associazione del settore delle pulizie VSR vuole assicurarsi che venga pagata più attenzione sull’importanza di ambienti chiusi salubri.

Cleaning firms serving industrial clients must have specific skills – reports Christian Bouzols in France. Beyond the training of cleaners, the purchase of equipment and the need to innovate, those contractors who want to work for industrial clients need to develop a specific set of skills. Outsourcing of cleaning services by industrial companies is a real and growing business in France. At the Onet group a special unit has been set up to handle industrial and general services. Grégory Lachet, the man in charge of this unit, explains: “We deal exclusively with industrial clients. The outsourcing activities are in constant progress because these players want to concentrate on their core business. However, the current inflationary situation might lead to a slowing down of these activities. The tasks which generate the most income are those of a onetime or urgent nature.” Contracts vary in duration from three to five years because they require substantial investment. And the tasks contractors are asked to carry out can be quite specialised. Examples would be dry vacuum extraction of powdery materials, high-pressure jet duct cleaning, internal transfer of scrap metal, collection and evacuation of waste, ultra high-pressure cleaning, sweeping of traffic lanes. Industry managers like innovations, especially if they enable them to reduce production times or to avoid production stoppages. Cleaning companies have been diversifying vis-à-vis industrial clients. For example, some specialise in the maintenance of green spaces or in the execution of small works, such as the painting of collection bins. At the same time, clients are keen to centralise the control of outsourced services. And they look for state-of-the art solutions such as robotics. “However, these are complicated to implement because Les entreprises de propreté desservant des clients industriels ont à se doter de compétences spéciales, rappelle Christian Bouzols dans son reportage de France.

of the concurrency of various activities”, said another cleaning specialist. “Industry management now understands the cleaner is an integral part of the operation and can therefore impact on production processes.” So it is possible the cleaning function might give guidance to industrial clients who are currently faced with a fast turnover in their workforce. The provider of outsourced cleaning services might ensure some continuity. In this context, the new requirements of CSR have complicated the situation because industrialists now must abide by environmental regulations, particularly in respect of pollution, that can impact the cleaning companies involved as they must follow the same regulations. This could mean the companies might have to improve working conditions of their cleaners, invest in less polluting equipment or use carbon-free products. And industrialists have set up their own environmental policies which partners must follow. A factory manager is also eager to optimise productivity and in so doing, he will try to reduce both waste and noise affecting his output. To this end, he’s going to apply the five-fold rule for a clean environment: 1) ensure the sorting of every item and keep those that can eventually be useful for daily operations; 2) establish an identified location for every item; 3) keep work stations clean; 4) standardise operations; 5) abide by processes and adapt them to changing requirements. A clean factory reflects a company’s care for its workers. Hygiene contributes to the loyalty and welfare of the workforce more than is usually considered in the industrial sector, and the stakes are high.

Reinigungsunternehmen, die Industriekunden bedienen, müssen bestimmte Fertigkeiten entwickeln, berichtet Christian Bouzols aus Frankreich.

Le imprese di pulizia al servizio di clienti industriali devono sviluppare un insieme specifico di competenze, come ci informa dalla Francia Christian Bouzols.

February/March 2023 | ECJ | 21

Cleaning Robotics: Evolution, Not Revolution In a world of technology, we’re always looking at what the next leap forward will be for precision, efficiency and innovation. Whether it’s better design, valuable insights or better results, technology is how we continue to improve the world. And robotics is the next step forward for the cleaning industry.

Optimise, Implement and Optimise Again Any stream of technology over time streamlines itself. The computers that once filled entire buildings are now massively outstripped by the one on your desk or the one in your hand. It’s the same with cleaning technology, the first vacuum cleaners were large machines that toured the streets and now they live in a small cupboard. Diversey-TASKI and Gausium have entered into a multi-year global partnership agreement. The focus of this partnership will be to deliver an end-to-end machine integration process that unlocks the full potential of cleaning robotics. Bringing optimised cleaning expertise, products and intelligence together at a new level at customer sites around the world, TASKI GS Ecobot isn’t just a more compact cleaning unit, the very core of how it works is optimisation. Once a machine has scanned a space it can calculate many permutations of cleaning routes that take in thousands of factors to create optimised cleaning. Building into its routines the need for water changes or power refills so that cleaning is not only optimised but consistent. And when this level of cleaning is optimised, so too are water, chemical and power usage which reduces costs while also improving operational sustainability.

With a balance between better-designed machines, manufactured in more responsible ways and continually optimised for more sustainable performance, cleaning robotics won’t just help our facilities, they will help our planet too.

But it Can’t All Be Good News Can It? It’s true that people certainly envisage downsides when it comes to new technology. With robotics or AI, one of the principal concerns is that they will leave their human counterparts obsolete. Their concern is that rise of the machines will be the decline of the custodian. But this will not be so. When we created email, we didn’t get rid of secretarial staff. Accountancy software didn’t replace accountants. Buses didn’t replace cart drivers. Instead, they all benefitted from greater efficiency.

Cleaning robotics will allow janitorial staff to do more interesting specialised work, rather than do all the work instead of them. Robotics is a tool, an improvement over the old tools in the way that a ride-on scrubber drier is a monumental advancement over a filthy string mop and bucket. The mop and bucket didn’t put janitors out of business either, instead, it allowed them to take on a greater

diversity of tasks in a less labour intensive way. The implementation of cleaning robotics is the evolution of what it is to be a janitor, not a bloody revolution that sweeps them all away.

The Complete Package Perhaps another concern with robotics is the implementation cost, the premium associated with being an early adopter. But it’s worth considering what a total robotics package offers to facility managers that implement them. At the point of implementation, you get autonomous optimised cleaning and a workforce who are freed up to take on more important tasks. So a greater volume of cleaning is taking place within the same time allocation, improving peace of mind that spaces are as clean and

hygienic as they can be for those that enter them. But robotic optimisation also means greater insight. Aggregating data from multiple robots in a fleet is building a precise picture of cleaning at a higher viewpoint than before. Allowing you to collaborate with your machines to build further improvements, to account for more variables. Training, service and maintenance are all crucial parts of a robotics package. You want to be sure that

when you invest in a technological upgrade that your people, your facility and your brand are all going to benefit from the new equipment. Ensuring staff are trained, and that your machines are working and visible, means benefits across your business.

Keeping Robotics in Mind

And what will robotics do for our customers, our guests, our patients or our staff, when they collaborate to create spaces that are cleaner and more hygienic than at any previous point in human history? This is the future we can have for our facilities, our people and our industry if we take on the right mindset. To find out more go to www.TASKI.com

As with any technological step forward maximising the benefits is about having a mindset that looks towards the best possible outcomes. What will a facility be like when it has the best cleaning tools running alongside knowledgeable janitorial staff who have years of practical experience in a facility, how will they collaborate to achieve more together? When facilities include modern robotics, that require a different skill set, that offer different modes of working, what will that do to the recruitment and retention issues we see across the industry?

HYGIENE IN HEALTHCARE

Cleaning challenges 2023 THE HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE has gone through a series of crises since the 2020s began. Covid-19 was of course the big one, with hospital teams stretched to capacity in every country across the world. Hospital cleaning protocols became increasingly important because healthcare facilities were suddenly at real risk of becoming super-spreader institutions. Then staff began falling ill themselves, and this led to gaps in care. Meanwhile, many healthcare workers opted to leave the industry in the light of the growing pressures along with the dangers their own roles represented. This meant staff shortages became another issue. And added to this were the economic and climate crises which began to polarise opinion and change people’s attitudes. All healthcare spending suddenly became subject to ever more intense scrutiny as corners had to be cut while every purchasing decision had to be seen to be fully sustainable. So, how have industry players coped with the changing landscape of the 2020s? And how far have the challenges they have encountered altered the face of healthcare cleaning? The staff shortages experienced over the past few years have had a significant effect on service provider Derrycourt’s business according to general manager Avril McCarthy. “We used to find it hard to recruit staff members, but people tended to stay in the job once we had taken them on,” she said. “However we are now having a much greater problem with staff retention.” She puts this down to the cost-ofliving crisis – another significant factor that is affecting the modern world. “Today’s economic pressures have meant that people will quickly leave their job if they get a better opportunity,” she said. “We also employ a lot of people from abroad and Covid gave them the chance to stop and think. Many of them realised they had been in a rat race before the pandemic and a significant number have now decided to go home to be nearer to

friends and family.” Derrycourt has reacted to these staff shortages by launching a major recruitment campaign in Eastern Europe. “We have invested in advertising and have offered to help set people up and to find them accommodation,” said McCarthy. “We have also tried to adapt our employment model to suit the workforce available to us. For instance, there are currently a lot of students in Ireland from Brazil who are allowed to work for up to 20 hours a week during term time. So we have adapted our rosters to suit their availability.” Surprisingly, McCarthy feels that the global pandemic has brought some positives to the healthcare cleaning sector. “Covid shone a public spotlight on what we do and it meant cleaning became perceived as having increased value,” she said. “People began to understand the scale of what could happen when things went wrong, and the cleaners themselves gained more respect which gave them a boost. And as a result, cleaning changed from being ‘just a job’ and became something of which many of our people were proud to be doing during Covid.”

Sustainability change The growing urge by members of the public to adopt more sustainable practices has changed the way in which business is conducted, she said. “Obviously there was a much greater adoption of single-use disposable items during the height of the pandemic, and that doesn’t really fit the sustainability model,” she adds. “However, this was necessary from an infection control viewpoint. “But we at Derrycourt are increasingly using microfibre cloths and we have also been setting up laundries on site so that we can clean these cloths internally.” The company has recently switched over to plant-based detergents, she says. “We have been actively looking at sustainable products that are equally as effective as traditional chemicals,” said McCarthy. “These products are more expensive to

The world has changed dramatically since the beginning of the decade. ECJ talks to players in the healthcare sector to find out about the key challenges of the 2020s – and finds out how they plan to go about tackling them in 2023.

buy but they also reduce the packaging burden and delivery frequencies.” The advent of new technologies has made further differences to the way the business is being carried out, she said. “Digital checklists, auditing systems and client ticket service desks have all become more popular post-Covid,” according to McCarthy. “However, robotics haven’t really taken off yet in our view because they are only suitable for specific locations and you often still need a person to control them. And the price of robot cleaning equipment needs to come down before it is adopted more widely.” Derrycourt’s healthcare regional manager Stephen Conway says the profile of training has also been raised in recent years. “We invest massively in training, but there has been a general understanding about the need to develop the cleaner’s skills,” he said. “Operatives need to know what equipment they should use, what order in which they should use it, and whether or not a room might require multiple cleaners.” He adds this scrupulous attention to detail has been very much a post-Covid factor. “A room might look clean, but in a hospital it needs to be cleaned to microscopic levels,” he said. “And if the correct processes have not been followed or a step has been missed, there will be a risk of cross-contamination.” He points to certain changes in the Continued page 26

February/March 2023 | ECJ | 25

HYGIENE IN HEALTHCARE Cleaning challenges 2023 (continued) tive new partnerships needed to be forged to secure these additional components.” He says the picture has changed over recent months. “In the industry there is a feeling people are beginning to overlook the importance of hand hygiene and that compliance levels have started to fall again, even within the NHS,” he said. “So, hand hygiene companies and healthcare facilities managers need to work together to influence healthy behaviour.” Staff shortages are partly to blame for falling hand hygiene compliance levels, according to Wakefield. “Our own research among healthcare trusts has revealed that staff are feeling stressed and overburdened, and as a result they don’t feel they have the time to clean their hands as often as they should,” he said.

Lessons to be learned way in which healthcare cleaning is being carried out, particularly in Ireland. “Healthcare staff used to clean all patient areas while the cleaners would carry out the more general cleaning tasks,” he said. “This meant three or four people might be responsible for cleaning the same room and this would lead to some areas being missed and others being cleaned twice, resulting in inefficiencies. “Today’s staff shortages have meant that one person is increasingly being made responsible for the entire cleaning operation which makes the process more efficient.” The cost-of-living crisis seems to have had little effect on Derrycourt’s business, however. “People haven’t become any more cost-conscious than they used to be – but they are more concerned than ever with getting results,” he said. The pandemic years have taught Momentum Support some valuable lessons, says CSR and quality manager Verona Pentony. “We were incredibly proud to see how well our operatives adapted to the new challenges presented by Covid,” she said. “Between the onset of the pandemic, multiple lockdowns and through to the eventual reopening we had to evolve our way of working in numerous ways.” She says recruitment has been a challenge for various reasons. “These include Quels sont les défis que les entreprises de propreté actives dans le secteur de la santé doivent relever ? En quoi les soucis inhérents aux pénuries de personnel, aux impératifs du nettoyage rapide et aux risques de covid affectent-ils la situation sur le terrain ? ECJ s’entretient avec des entreprises de propreté et des fabricants pour savoir ce qu’il en est, et la réplique qui est donnée aux problèmes du moment.

26 | February/March 2023 | ECJ

“When demand outpaced supply in 2020 it meant production needed to be increased to ensure there was plenty of hand cleansing and sanitising products to go around,” he said. “However, the issue of sourcing bottles, pumps and caps became more problematic which meant that crea-

“In the long term there needs to be a bigger conversation about recruitment and workloads. But in the short term we recommend that antimicrobial hand hygiene solutions should be supplied to all healthcare workers to allow them to sanitise their hands while moving around between patients to reduce lost time.” GOJO supplies personal bottles of Purell Advanced Hygienic Hand Rub for this purpose. Sustainable thinking has become a fundamental element of how companies behave, trade, and grow in the current climate, according to Wakefield. “Today’s clients are seeking products that are not only effective and competitively priced, but also environmentally friendly,” he said. So, what lessons can be learnt from the past few years? And how should businesses respond going forward? Co-operation, respect and integration need to be built into working models according to Derrycourt’s Avril McCarthy. “Contract staff need to be integrated into the team and be given the same staff discounts as everyone else,” she said. “This makes them feel more included and helps with staff retention. “And the best cleaning results are realised when the client is actively engaged. We need to be able to count on the client’s communication and support because if we all work together, we will achieve a better outcome for everybody.”

Mit welchen spezifischen Herausforderungen sehen sich Reinigungsunternehmen, die im Gesundheitswesen arbeiten, konfrontiert? Wie wirken sich Faktoren wie Mitarbeitermangel, der Bedarf für schnelles Reinigen und Covid-Ängste auf die Situation vor Ort aus? Das ECJ spricht mit Reinigungsunternehmen und Herstellern, um etwas über die aktuellen Probleme zu erfahren – und wie sie sie angehen.

Quali sono le sfide specifiche che devono affrontare le imprese di pulizia che operano nel settore sanitario? Che ripercussioni hanno fattori quali la carenza di personale, la necessità di pulire con poco tempo disponibile e le preoccupazioni per il Covid che influiscono sulla situazione sul campo? ECJ parla con le imprese di pulizia e con i produttori per scoprire quali sono i problemi attuali e come li stanno affrontando.

greater competition and a small talent pool due to high levels of overall employment,” she said. “However, it is essential to maintain the standards that clients expect and to avoid compromising on quality.” Tactics such as recruitment drives, advertising and employee referral schemes can all help to ease the staffing situation, according to Pentony. “But it is also important to communicate to potentially interested parties the key benefits of working for your company,” she said. Today’s focus on climate change and sustainability has also impacted on the sector, she says. “Now more than ever, clients want partners who share their values. Climate change and sustainability are at the forefront of our values and those of the clients we work with.” The past few years have led to particular challenges in the healthcare sector for hand hygiene companies, says GOJO’s UK managing director Chris Wakefield.

Sourcing problematic

PRODUCTS: HYGIENE IN HEALTHCARE

Many solutions Essity offers cleaning products, training modules and user-friendly Tork hand hygiene solutions designed to facilitate healthcare cleaning and hand hygiene protocols. Capable of removing 99.9 per cent of microorganisms from surfaces are Tork Microfibre

ing courses aimed at improving hand hygiene and cleaning outcomes. Tork Clean Hands Training invites users into a digital world where they deal with scenarios in which hand hygiene is needed. And Tork Interactive Clean Hospital provides training modules to make life easier for healthcare cleaners. tork.co.uk

New additions

Reusable Cleaning Cloths and Tork Microfibre Disposable Cleaning Cloths. Also from Tork are mild soaps and soft hand towels - the Extra Mild version of Tork Foam Soap, for example, is allergy-friendly. And Tork Xpress Extra Soft Multifold Hand Towels are soft, absorbent and gentle on the skin. Also from Essity are two train-

New products and colour variations have been added to the Hillbrush range of cleaning tools, offering improvements in sustainability. The seamless ergonomic Hand Scoop has a two-litre capacity. Its comfortable up-and-over grip has been ergonomically designed and it’s been manufactured to use 25 per cent less plastic than previous models. The new polypropylene Hand Spatula has been designed with three different scraping surfac-

es, suitable for cleaning mixing bowls and storage containers. The angled handle is ergonomically designed and it’s produced using 21 per cent less plastic. Finally, there’s a new 122 mm Grippy Scrub scrub brush for applying maximum pressure over small cleaning areas. This now uses 25 per cent less plastic. www.hillbrush.com

Touchless Excel Dryer’s XLERATOR hand dryers are no-touch and come equipped with an optional HEPA filtration system which it claims removes 99.999 per cent of viruses and 99.97 per cent of potentially present bacteria at 0.3 microns from the airstream. www.exceldryer.com

• Essity propose des produits, modules de formation et solutions concernant l’hygiène des mains à l’intention de personnels de santé. • La gamme Hillbrush d’outils de nettoyage a été enrichie de nouveaux produits et coloris. • Les sèche-mains Xlerator de la société Excel sont sans contact et s’accompagnent en option d’un système de filtrage HEPA.

• Essity bietet Produkte, Schulungsmodule und Handhygienelösungen für Mitarbeiter im Gesundheitswesen. • Der Hillbrush Produktreihe mit Reinigungswerkzeugen wurden neue Produkte und Farbvariationen hinzugefügt. • Xlerator Händetrockner von Excel arbeiten berührungslos und bieten ein optionales HEPAFilterungssystem. • La Essity propone prodotti, moduli di training e soluzioni di igiene delle mani per il personale del settore sanitario. • Dei nuovi prodotti e delle variazioni di colori sono state aggiunti alla gamma di attrezzi per le pulizie della Hillbrush. • Gli asciugamani Xlerator della Excel sono touch-free e sono disponibili con il sistema opzionale di filtrazione HEPA.

February/March 2023 | ECJ | 27

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WAVE TECHNOLOGY

SHOCK THE DIRT OFF YOUR FLOORS SCAN HERE W W W. M O T O R S C R U B B E R C L E A N .C O M

ANTIVIRAL TECHNOLOGY

The regulation maze There is increasing attention in manufacturing circles surrounding antiviral technologies, particularly as we continue to see impacts from the multi-wave global pandemic. In some jurisdictions, antiviral technologies can be incorporated into products and onto surfaces to reduce viral loads, helping to give consumers peace of mind. However, permissible antiviral claims depend hugely on where the products are marketed and sold, which can lead to widespread misunderstanding and, in some cases, inaccurate information being displayed on goods. Tara Conley, director of global regulatory affairs at Microban International is an expert in this field. She paves a clearer path through the regulatory maze in this exclusive piece for ECJ, discussing the use of antivirals in different territories and describing why the regulations and acceptable declarations for these products differ from region to region.

Complex regulatory landscape Biocides are subject to global regulatory requirements which must be met in order to establish their safe and effective use in the market. Failure to demonstrate safe use can result in restrictions or prohibitions that can subsequently limit the selection of antimicrobial products available, what they can be used for and the potential integration of these chemistries into finished goods. Applying these regulations to built-in antiviral substances can be even more complicated and, unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for managing these additives internationally; each territory can have its own specific regulatory requirements, making global product alignment challenging. Enforcement of the rules surrounding non-compliant antiviral product claims can result in serious repercussions for manufacturers, including fines or product recalls. Therefore businesses have a significant vested interest in ensuring they have a thorough understanding of the regulatory landscape as it pertains to their products.

Navigating product validation Different regulatory jurisdictions take independent approaches to substance evaluation. In the EU, for example, a hazard-based approach is used, where substances can be subject to restrictions based solely on their potential as a hazard. The US, by contrast, implements a more risk-based approach, taking into consideration exposure, as well as overall ingredient hazard, in their assessment of chemicals and biocides. However, regardless of geographical location, manufacturers of antiviral products must still demonstrate effective control over specific target organisms – such as influenza, norovirus or SARS-CoV-2 – since broad statements of efficacy against viruses in general can be inaccurate and misleading. In some territories, antiviral treatments and claims may only be applied to a treated item once it has been registered as an antiviral product with the applicable regulatory agencies, and the results of testing have been validated by a third-party independent laboratory. In many cases, there is a parallel requirement to also demonstrate efficacy against bacteria and fungi in order to support product registrations. Without sufficient proof of functionality, goods may be prevented from being sold on the market, and producers or importers could be at risk of enforcement action. In Europe, antiviral or antimicrobial active substances and products fall under the jurisdiction of the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR). In the US, such products may be under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), depending on the substance and the specific claims being made. Only antiviral substances that are compliant with the governing bodies in their countries of sale may be sold or distributed legally, yet regulatory enforcement branches have flagged numerous labelling and advertising violations over the last two years of the global pandemic, where products

There is increasing attention surrounding antiviral technologies. In some jurisdictions, they can be incorporated into products and onto surfaces to reduce viral loads, helping to give consumers peace of mind. However, permissible antiviral claims depend hugely on where the products are marketed and sold, which can lead to widespread misunderstanding and, in some cases, inaccurate information being displayed on goods. Tara Conley, director of global regulatory affairs at Microban International, tells us more.

with unsupported or non-compliant antiviral claims were offered for sale. As a result, stricter monitoring and prosecution measures can be expected going forward, in order to reduce the prevalence of unproven and inaccurate labelling on products currently available in different territories around the world.

Wading through health claims Antimicrobial products typically capture both antibacterial and antifungal technologies, which work to inhibit the growth and reproduction of bacteria, mould and mildew – helping to prevent product degradation, malodours and unsightly staining – whereas antiviral technologies can reduce viral loads on treated surfaces by inactivating viral particles. In the US, manufacturers can speak about the efficacy of antimicrobials in treated articles, with respect to mould and bacteria, and how antimicrobial additives help to preserve product life and generally improve Continued page 30

February/March 2023 | ECJ | 29

ANTIVIRAL TECHNOLOGY The regulation maze (continued) aesthetics, but products may not bear health claims without appropriate product registrations. The labelling and promotion of antiviral articles is considered a public health claim and, as such, any treated product labelled as an antiviral must be registered either as a pesticide, or as a medical device or drug. Unfortunately, in most cases, the registration processes involved with this are multi-year and resource-intensive projects, meaning that many businesses simply steer well clear of these projects altogether.

A roadmap for the future

antimicrobial chemicals can be a challenging landscape for manufacturers and importers to navigate. Products are best considered on a case-by-case basis, and the approvals processes for new chemistries can involve significant effort from cross-functional groups across a business. Fortunately, the regulatory team at Microban International possesses a vast wealth of detailed knowledge on antimi-

crobial and antiviral additives, and is able to use that insight to provide high quality support to its numerous partners across the globe. Microban is now expanding its focus to include more consumer and partner education, with the aim of improving communication and advocating for regulatory reform and standardisation across the industry. www.microban.com

There’s still time to submit your entry to the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards - and to book your place at the gala dinner on October 5 in Dublin. Visit www.echawards.com/enter

The management of antiviral and On s’intéresse de plus en plus aux technologies de lutte antivirale. Dans certaines juridictions, celles-ci peuvent être incorporées aux produits et aux surfaces afin de réduire les charges virales et tranquiliser les consommateurs. Néanmoins, les prétentions admissibles concernant les effets antiviraux dépendent en grande partie du lieu de la commercialisation et de la vente des produits, ce qui peut conduire à des malentendus et, dans certains cas, à l’apparition de données erronées sur les produits. Tara Conley, directrice des affaires réglementaires mondiales chez Microban International, nous en dit plus.

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Anti-Virus-Technologien werden in zunehmendem Maße Beachtung geschenkt. In einigen Amtsbereichen können sie in Produkte und auf Oberflächen integriert werden, um die Viruslasten zu reduzieren und zur Beruhigung der Verbraucher beizutragen. Welche Anti-Virus-Behauptungen zulässig sind, hängt jedoch in großem Maße davon ab, wo die Produkte vermarktet und verkauft werden. Das kann zu weitverbreiteten Mißverständnissen und, in manchen Fällen, zur Anbringung falscher Informationen auf Waren führen. Tara Conley, Director Global Regulatory Affairs bei Microban International, erzählt uns mehr.

Vi è una crescente attenzione attorno alle tecnologie antivirali. In alcune giurisdizioni, queste possono essere incorporate nei prodotti o sulle superfici per ridurre la carica virale, contribuendo a dare ai clienti fiducia e tranquillità. Tuttavia, le indicazioni antivirali ammissibili dipendono moltissimo da dove i prodotti vengono commercializzati e venduti, cosa che può causare malintesi diffusi e, in alcuni casi, delle informazioni inaccurate stampate sulle etichette delle merci. Ce ne parla nei dettagli Tara Conley, direttrice degli affari normativi globali della Microban International.

SCRUBBER DRYERS

High-tech scrubbing A SCRUBBER DRYER HAS just two functions: to scrub and to dry. But today’s technological advances are making these machines more sophisticated than ever Automated scrubber dryers with intelligent functions are becoming increasingly common as manufacturers seek to push the boundaries and stand out from the crowd. But how popular are such refinements with customers? Are they embracing the technology, or do they simply want a machine that works faster and more efficiently than a mop? Technological innovations can offer increased speed, enhanced efficiency, greater transparency and better monitoring, says LionsBot ceo and co-founder Dylan Ng. “Technology also reduces reliance on human operators and helps to improve cleaning consistency, which is an important advantage,” he said. “Scrubber dryers are becoming increasingly connected and more capable of relaying telematics information. And many robotic solutions can now clean autonomously without any human intervention.” LionsBot offers a range of smart cleaning robots including scrubber dryers. “Besides being able to clean for longer and more effectively, these machines also provide enhanced monitoring and data reporting which allows them to be managed more efficiently over time,” said Ng. “We have witnessed an increase in both supply and demand for automated and intelligent machines. Customers want a clean floor, but they are also looking for workable solutions that will solve their labour shortages.” The future of the industry can be summed up in two words - “connected cleaning” according to Kärcher’s floorcare product manager Christian Mrowka. “Developments in robotics and sensor technology are progressing steadily and the possibilities are growing,” he said. “Technology - and robotics in particular - can save time and reduce the need for manual work. It cuts down on the effort required for floor cleaning and frees up

staff to take on more complex tasks.” New technologies are allowing scrubber dryer operators to carry out their work with greater ease, he says. ”For example, fast-charging batteries take away the downtime problem that arises when the operative may have forgotten to charge the machine overnight,” he said. “Sensors are also able to precisely predict the status of the machine so that usage time can be maximised. And apps and online content for status updates are replacing printed documents.” The chief function of an automatic scrubber dryer is to minimise the need for human intervention, according to Mrowka. “Robots are primarily a response to today’s staff shortages and wage rises,” he said. “As labour costs continue to increase, customers are demanding new solutions to reduce the overall cost of cleaning. And robots represent a particularly good solution in areas where repetitive, monotonous work needs to be carried out.”

Reducing need for manual work Automatic machines are becoming popular in retail, logistics, healthcare, transport and production environments, he claims. “Cleaning in these areas takes up a great deal of time and leads to high costs,” he said. There has recently been a rapid growth in the use of robotics, according to Mrowka. “However, customers in production and logistics environments who are often already accustomed to robots find them easier to adopt than, say, purchasers in the retail sector where autonomous cleaning devices represent new territory.” Kärcher’s KIRA B 50 automatic scrubber dryer is said to be equipped with efficient sensors and laser scanners to ensure reliable navigation. A docking station and lithium ion battery enables independent charging while the operating concept is claimed to be intuitive for easy configuration. And the machine is capable of cleaning close to edges, says Mrowka. The introduction of automatic scrubber dryers has been a journey, he says. ”When

How ‘high-tech’ does a scrubber dryer need to be? ECJ looks at the growing use of technology in the scrubber dryer market and finds out how widely it is being adopted.

the first scrubber dryer robots were launched, the only people capable of creating a route plan were service engineers with technical equipment and specialist programming knowledge,” he said. “But there are now many robots on the market that are simpler to operate, removing the barrier for potential customers.” One downside of robots, he adds, is they can undermine cleaners’ independence and their sense of responsibility. “However employees appreciate the fact some physically demanding work is being removed from their remit,” he said. “When a robot takes over the monotonous task of large-scale floor cleaning outside of business hours it allows human cleaners to concentrate on more specialised work.” He says studies forecast a global growth in the service robotics market – something that today’s technological advances is making increasingly viable. “In our opinion, the scope of autonomous scrubber dryers will increase significantly in the near future as both smaller and larger devices come onto the market,” he said. “But in the medium term there will continue to be many applications that require manual cleaning.” Technology is increasingly removing the tedious and repetitive tasks from the cleaner’s remit, says Wetrok’s scrubber dryer product manager David Klauser. “We are convinced that simple cleaning processes can be taken over very competently by intelligent cleaning machines,” he said. “This frees up staff to concentrate on more complex tasks which in turn adds value for the robot.” Continued page 32

February/March 2023 | ECJ | 31

SCRUBBER DRYERS High-tech scrubbing (continued) brand is currently being used to clean large consumer spaces in the US. According to Serfezi, today’s autonomous cleaning machines are particularly suitable for areas such as warehouses, retail centres, public buildings, airports and railway stations. “Wet cleaning in open areas works well today without the need for a great deal of time-consuming measuring of the surroundings,” he said.

Complex areas

He says hybrid machines are a good complementary solution and can help to cover staff absences. “Automated cleaning offers advantages such as high efficiency, a consistent cleaning quality and transparency since reports may be generated for each room,” he said. “Autonomous machines can also compensate for labour shortages while absorbing seasonal peaks and decreasing costs in the long run.” Wetrok has an in-house research and development infrastructure plus a test centre for its new machines. The company’s Marvin hybrid robot is said to be sufficiently compact to allow it to clean in narrow corridors and furniture-filled rooms. And it is designed to look like a conventional scrubber dryer because the appearance of a robot can be off-putting to some, according to Klauser.

Smart technology Unlike Wetrok and Kärcher, IPC currently offers no robotic scrubber dryers. But the company makes extensive use of technology in the form of GPS Telematics, lithium ion batteries and an APC system which is said to double the machine’s productivity, according to floorcare product manager Paolo Bassanini. “These technologies result in increased productivity and cleaning speeds while also providing greater transparency in performance,” he said. “We believe increased technology is the future of the scrubber Quel degré de technologie convient-il de conférer à des autolaveuses? La clientèle se porte-t-elle de plus en plus vers des machines automatisées aux fonctions intelligentes? Ou se contente-t-elle de modèles simples tournant plus rapidement, à l’efficacité supérieure à celle d’une serpillère? ECJ contemple le recours croissant à la technologie dans ce domaine et en établit la popularité.

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dryer market.” Hako’s application technology trainer and consultant Klaus Serfezi agrees that interest in autonomous machines has grown rapidly in recent years. “One of the chief reasons for this is the increasing shortage of skilled workers in the cleaning sector,” he said. “Our customers also recognise autonomous cleaning can be a support for operators, allowing them to take on other tasks on the side.” New technological elements of a scrubber dryer may include a one-button operation, automatic brush discharge, automatic filling systems, on-board dosing and fill level indicators, he said. And other refinements are making cleaning more efficient and more transparent, according to Serfezi. “Fleet management systems allow operating times to be evaluated, and these can then serve as a performance record for clients,” he said. Autonomous cleaning machines have not yet reached the mass market, according to Serfezi. “However their market share will increase in the future and they become established alongside manual machines.” Any cleaner is capable of operating Hako’s machines without prior experience, he adds. The company’s Scrubmaster B75 I autonomous scrubber dryer can be equipped with a disc brush system or a cylindrical brush and side broom and is said to be reliable and cost-efficient. And the RoboScrub 20 from Hako’s PowerBoss Wie hoch technologisiert sollten Scheuersaugmaschinen sein? Wählen Kunden in zunehmendem Maße automatisierte Scheuersaugmaschinen und Maschinen mit intelligenten Funktionen? Oder möchten sie einfach nur ein Modell, dass schneller und effizienter als ein Mopp arbeitet? Das ECJ betrachtet den zunehmenden Einsatz von Technologie in diesem Sektor und erfährt wie ihre Beliebtheit zunimmt.

“But the more complex the area to be cleaned, the higher the demands will be on the sensor technology and the software.” And he adds that it is crucial the machine and the operator work in tandem, however changeable the environment might be. “They should work together as a team and the machine’s operation should be simple and intuitive,” he said. “In this way humans and autonomous systems are able to use their individual strengths for greater efficiency.” But how do customers themselves feel about the technological revolution? Are they increasingly choosing automated scrubber dryers and machines that offer intelligent functions? Or do they simply want a model that works faster and more efficiently than a mop? It all depends on the target market says IPC’s Paolo Bassanini. “Customers in the more advanced markets tend to choose automated scrubber dryers, whereas those in the less advanced markets are less likely to do so,” he said. Hako’s Klaus Serfezi concurs. “It’s like everything else - there are purists and there are those who want to take everything technologically,” he said. “But provided the machine is well looked after and properly maintained, the cleaning result with an autonomous scrubber dryer will always be better than with a mop.” The jury is out for Kärcher’s Christian Mrowka. “While interest in robotic machines is growing, we have found that demand for non-robotic machines has also increased,” he said. But Wetrok’s David Klauser says its customers are open to any intelligent functions that support them in their daily lives. “Both semi-autonomous and fully autonomous solutions are on the rise,” he adds. A che livello di high-tech deve essere una lavasciuga pavimenti? I clienti scelgono sempre di più lavasciuga pavimenti automatizzate e macchine con funzioni intelligenti? Oppure vogliono semplicemente un modello che lavori più velocemente e in maniera più efficiente di un mop? ECJ prende in esame l’uso crescente della tecnologia in questo settore e cerca di scoprire quando popolare stia diventando.

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PRODUCTS: SCRUBBER DRYERS

• L’autolaveuse Ultimaxx de Taski est proposée avec trois tailles de réservoir et cinq plateaux-brosse différents. • La nouvelle autolaveuse compacte B 50 W de Kärcher dispose d’un réservoir de 50 litres. • Proposée par ICE Cobotics, la Cobi 18 est une autolaveuse autonomie disponible par souscription. • La nouveauté de Gausium est l’autolaveuse robotique Scrubber 50 Pro alimentée par l’IA • Le robot de nettoyage de planchers le plus récent de LionsBot est le R12 Rex CS, conçu pour des superficies importantes. • La plus récente autolaveuse de Hako est la Scrubmaster B25, un appareil compact et innovant pour petites surfaces.

• Die Scheuersaugmaschine Ultimaxx von Taski bietet drei verschiedene Tankgrößen und fünf verschiedene Bürstendecks. • Die neue kompakte Scheuersaugmaschine B 50 W von Kärcher verfügt über einen 50-Liter-Tank. • Beim Cobi 18 von ICE Cobotics handelt es sich um eine autonome Scheuersaugmaschine, die über ein Abbonement verfügbar ist. • Neu von Gausium ist der KIbetriebene Scheuersaugroboter Scrubber 50 Pro. • Der neueste Bodenreinigungsroboter von LionsBot ist der R12 Rex CS, der für große Flächen konzipiert wurde. • Die neueste Innovation im Bereich Scheuersaugmaschine von Hako ist der Scrubmaster B25, ein Kompaktmodell für kleine Flächen.

• La lavasciuga pavimenti Ultimaxx prodotta dalla Taski offre tre dimensioni di serbatoi e cinque diversi set di spazzole. • La nuova lavasciuga pavimenti compatta B 50 W di Kärcher ha un serbatoio da 50 litri. • Cobi 18 prodotta dalla ICE Cobotics è una lavasciuga pavimenti autonoma disponibile tramite abbonamento. • La novità della Gausium è Scrubber 50 Pro, un modello robotico basato sull’intelligenza artificiale. • Il più recente robot per il lavaggio dei pavimenti prodotto dalla LionsBot è il modello R12 Rex CS, progettato per aree di grandi dimensioni. • La più recente Innovazione di lavasciuga pavimenti della Hako è Scrubmaster B25, un modello compatto per aree di piccole dimensioni.

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Modular With three tank sizes and five different brush decks, the ULTIMAXX scrubber dryer by TASKI features a modular design that can suit any application. IntelliTrail telemetry records machine usage and operations data, and presents statistics and insights per machine, or for the entire fleet, via a single intuitive dashboard. And IntelliTouch

interfacing provides quick access to bespoke programmes and is a gateway to operator training material, kept safe behind IntelliKey NFC Technology. IntelliPredict highlights maintenance issues before they cause downtime. And resources such as power, water and cleaning chemicals are optimised to minimise wastage. IntelliDose chemical pouches reduce packaging by 90 per cent with zero chemical waste. taski.com

Large tank With the new B 50 W scrubber dryer Kärcher is launching a walk-behind model which offers a 50-litre tank despite its compact design - for a larger operating range. The B 50 W also features a smart operating concept, which enables the adjustment of settings using the app via Bluetooth, as well as the use of a smartphone for operation during use. Other highlights include a long-lasting lithium ion battery and speed-dependent dosing of water and detergent - this saves up to 50 per cent of resources. This model is available with a

roller and disc brush head the double-edged brush head also increases working width and productivity. Kärcher has also made improvements to its cleaning robot KIRA B 50 by equipping it with more efficient sensors and laser scanners in order to ensure reliable navigation. www.karcher.com

All-inclusive Cobi 18 is an autonomous scrubber from ICE Cobotics, available through its all-inclusive subscription programme. The compact design makes this model suitable for cleaning in tight spaces and ICE says it cleans all the way to the edge thanks to the side brushes that

extend just beyond its perimeter. And the navigation system has been designed so Cobi 18 can move around mirrors and windows without any problem. www.icecobotics.com

and autonomously perform spot cleaning where spills or stains are detected. And it has a ceiling vision localisation system, which uses an upward-looking camera for mapping and localisation. This does not require any specially deployed artificial landmarks such as QR codes. www.gausium.com

Large spaces LionsBot’s latest robotic scrubber dryer is the R12 Rex CS, designed for large commercial spaces. With a 1,270 mm cleaning width and 95 kg of downward pressure it can clean without pre-sweeping. Other features include LiDAR coverage of 200 metres and dual 140-litre water tanks. This model also comes with a defoaming chemical dosing system. Water tanks are easily accessible for straightforward maintenance and the removable brush heads can be replaced without tools. The battery offers up to six hours’ runtime and can be changed easily. www.lionsbot.com

AI power Compact model

Gausium’s Scrubber 50 Pro is an AI-powered robotic floor scrubber that goes beyond the scope of ‘automation’, the company says. Deep-learning algorithms are integrated within a sensor fusion of 2D LiDAR, 3D and RGB cameras, which give it high-accuracy environmental perception and the ability to make advanced operation decisions according to the real-time situation. It also offers a diversified path planning mode for maximum flexibility in cleaning plans. With advanced AI vision sensors, Scrubber 50 Pro can identify contamination on the floor

The Scrubmaster B25 from Hako is a compact walk-behind scrubber dryer equipped with a disc-brush-unit cleaning system for brushes and pads. The control panel is designed to be intuitive for quick and easy training. The operating handle is individually adjustable. The recovery tank is easily accessible for tank cleaning and the automatic disc brush pick-up and discharge system makes checking and replacement convenient and tool-free. www.hako.com

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RESILIENT FLOOR RENEWAL

Bringing floors back to life Resilient floor renewal is one of the emerging trends in the flooring market – one which has been gaining momentum for both financial and environmental reasons. It can also make for healthier, more hygienic floors says Marc Janssen of Bona. RESILIENT FLOOR RENEWAL is one of the emerging new trends in the flooring market, and one which has gained significant momentum recently for a number of reasons, largely financial and environmental, and also as a means to maintain a healthy, hygienic surface. The world has of course become more environmentally aware than ever before. Our understanding is rapidly increasing around the impact that our decisions have on the planet, both as businesses and consumers, and indeed many of us are taking steps to reduce our environmental footprint. To support this shift new, innovative and exciting ways are ever emerging across all industries. Resilient floor renewal is a pioneering development, contributing to the circular economy by renewing existing materials for as long as possible. Joining the circular economy is kinder to the environment and better financially too. Buying brand new is highly expensive while renewing or renovating something that already exists is cheaper, it is significantly better value for money. Budgets have taken an enormous hit in recent months, and soaring costs mean a tighter rein in spending across industries. Options to save money are increasingly popular, and there are compelling reasons as to why the floor renewal pathway is becoming such an attractive choice - it’s 50 per cent cheaper than a brand new floor replacement and requires 50 per cent less downtime, whilst providing the same high-quality final results.

Favour the flat floor So how does floor renewal translate into healthier, more hygienic floors? La réfection résiliente des sols est une tendance émergente du marché des revêtements de sol et le théâtre d’une activité croissante pour des raisons à la fois financières et environnementales. Cette approche donne également lieu à des planchers en meilleure forme et plus hygiéniques, affirme Marc Janssen, de la société Bona.

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Resilient flooring is materials such as UPVC, vinyl, rubber or linoleum, which is used extensively in most industries, particularly those with heavy footfall. Its hard-wearing, durable features make it a number one choice in places from airports, hotels and shopping centres to healthcare and education environments. That’s because it is extremely good at supporting high usage both from people and equipment. The fact resilient floors are also easy-to-clean means they are often used to also minimise the risk of germs gaining a foothold. As a result of these attractive properties, resilient flooring is incredibly popular and it’s highly likely to be found underfoot, wherever you are. However, the by-effect is that once it is damaged and looks like it has reached the end of its life, it is viewed as rubbish and often ripped up and disposed of in landfill. In fact, millions of square feet of resilient flooring are replaced every year, the wastage is staggering and importantly it is easily avoidable through renewal. Resilient floor renewal delivers compelling benefits in different areas - hygiene and safety, aesthetics, budgets, and it’s a significantly more sustainable option.

old floor looks. It is a new, yet quick and simple alternative, to improve the hygienic properties of facilities starting from the ground up. The reason it is a good choice from a cleaning and hygiene viewpoint is largely due to its ability to repair torn and damaged areas, by creating a flat surface which is free of any joints or seams. The smooth surface provides long-term protection, it greatly reduces the risk of bacteria growing, germ contamination or other fungi-related development that often occurs when joints or seams are present. It is also worth noting the durable quality makes this type of flooring resistant to chemicals that could harm the floor and the environment. The best way to achieve a hygienic floor is to follow a proper regimen of daily cleaning and periodic deep clean treatments, which may consist of reviving or recoating the flooring. This means it can easily and efficiently be cleaned during the floor’s lifetime. Think also about opting for waterborne solutions which lead to healthier indoor air quality and reduce downtime because there are no toxic fumes to mitigate.

Think TRBA standards

Every day a significant amount of dirt and micro-organisms accumulate in the scratches and joints of hard flooring surfaces. Eliminating the build-up of this type of contamination is essential if the floor is to be kept scrupulously clean. Frequent cleaning will achieve clean-looking, shiny floors. But that doesn’t mean the floors are free of bacteria, which thrive in flooring with seams, grooves, and cracks. Safety and hygiene practices that prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses are more important than ever across all industries, especially government and local authority, healthcare and education where floors can easily become contaminated. As well as serving a functional purpose, renewing an existing resilient floor, instead of replacing with a brand new one can provide a healthier environment, regardless of how damaged the

A recent Technical Rules for Biological Agents (TRBA) test carried out in conjunction with the IFR Institute in Germany also highlights the health and safety benefits of creating a flat surface particularly in a healthcare setting or facilities where high levels of hygiene are essential. TRBA 250 focuses on the biological agents handled in health and welfare facilities and its regulations for floors state they must be resistant to water, easy to clean, smooth and slip resistant, seamless with joints, rounded corners and edges, and completely sealed. If a product meets TRBA 250 standards, it can be assumed it will deliver a high level of safety and health protection. Hence the importance of seeking products that meet these regulations. The floor is the largest surface area in any facility as it collects dirt and grime, and the task of keeping it clean and healthy is a huge challenge. Changing the way we think about a floor when it reaches the end of its visible life cycle can impact how hygienic and safe it is – after all, the process of stripping and polishing a surface can be harmful and highly toxic. www.bona.com

Widerstandsfähige Bodenerneuerung ist einer der Trends, der sich im Bodenmarkt abzeichnet – und er gewinnt sowohl aus finanziellen als auch aus ökologischen Gründen an Fahrt. Dies kann auch zu gesünderen, hygienischeren Böden führen, meint Marc Janssen (Bona).

Il ripristino dei pavimenti resilienti è una delle tendenze emergenti nel settore delle pavimentazioni, una tendenza che ha guadagnato slancio sia per ragioni finanziarie che per ragioni ambientali. Può anche far ottenere dei pavimenti più salubri ed igienici, come afferma Marc Janssen della Bona.

A safe, healthy surface

GREEN CLEANING

Water works WATER HAS A VITAL ROLE in cleaning. It is used for diluting chemical concentrates and is an important means of washing away dirt from floors and surfaces. It can also be employed at high pressures to blast ingrained grime from buildings and driveways. And deionised water can be channelled through water-fed poles to clean windows and façades. But water is a valuable commodity and should be used sparingly. So, how can companies keep their water use to a minimum while also achieving optimum cleaning results? The world will be facing a 56 per cent freshwater deficit by 2030 according to Ecolab marketing communications manager Gaëlle Petit. “This means any measures the cleaning industry can take to reduce water consumption need to be encouraged,” she said. “Ready-to-use cleaners are highly diluted and may contain more than 90 per cent water. This means transporting them requires additional vehicles and increases CO2 consumption compared with concentrated cleaners.” She believes the use of water and energy consumption are very much intertwined. “Energy is required when moving, cooling, heating and treating water across a facility, so businesses can reduce both their energy use and their greenhouse gas emissions by better managing their water operations,” she said. Ecolab is a co-founder of the Water Resilience Coalition, an industry-driven initiative of the UN Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate. “Using our technologies and programmes we are helping customers to conserve more than 1,000 billion litres of water worldwide, which is equivalent to the drinking water needs of a billion people every year,” said Petit. Ecolab’s Wash n Walk floor cleaner is said to reduce water consumption by 50 per cent because it requires no rinsing. The company also offers pre-impregnable microfibre cloths and mops as well as ultra-concentrated detergent blocks that

dissolve in water. “And we offer regular training on products and procedures to help customers manage their water consumption,” she said. It is practically impossible to prevent product residues from ending up in the hydrological cycle, according to Greenspeed’s digital trade marketer Eva Meerts. “All detergents should therefore be biodegradable and have a minimal impact on aquatic life,” she said. “It is also important to use water-saving cleaning methods in the right way.” She claims water savings of up to 90 per cent can be achieved by spray-cleaning using a microfibre cloth rather than employing the bucket method. The use of concentrated chemicals reduces the need for transporting unnecessarily quantities of water, according to Meerts. “These products also require less packaging,” she said. Greenspeed’s Probio Tabs are said to save 300 litres of water per 1,000 sprays while also reducing CO2 emissions during transport by 99 per cent.

Responsible approach Every action that saves water can be helpful, says Meerts. “A great deal of water is used not only for cleaning but also during the manufacture of cleaning products,” she said. “For example, cotton fibres require 8,000 litres per kg of cotton which means its water footprint during production should not be underestimated.” Industry players need to take a responsible approach to using the crucial resource of water, says cleaning products distributor Jangro’s ceo Joanne Gilliard. “There has been a great deal of innovation in terms of products and processes that minimise the amount of water required to keep spaces clean and healthy,” she said. “For example, a modern floor scrubber is much more efficient than a conventional mop and bucket while also using less water and achieving a higher quality clean. “Similarly, many surface cleaning and sanitising solutions are now being developed to be rinse-free to further save on water use.” She says Jangro’s ntrl Foam-

Most cleaning tasks involve water in some form, but the use of this precious commodity needs to be limited where possible. What are the latest cleaning systems that reduce the use of water, asks Ann Laffeaty? ing Washroom and Toilet Cleaner and ntrl Cleaner and Degreaser are examples of such products. The use of concentrated chemicals can also help to reduce water consumption, says Gilliard. “They don’t just provide more uses from a single container, they also result in lower transport costs, lower emissions and a reduced need for storage space,” she said. Kärcher is another company striving to reduce its water use, says sustainability and energy manager Katrin Schmuck. “Water is becoming a critical resource and we are already seeing water restrictions in some countries,” she said. “So the cleaning and hygiene industry needs to become a role model for how society can be served in innovative and sustainable ways.” She says Kärcher has been formulating concentrated products since it began developing detergents more than 40 years ago. “In this way we avoid having to ship water around the globe,” she said. “Another goal is to offer simple dosing and dilution solutions that make working with concentrates as easy as possible.” She says a good microfibre cloth or mop will clean more effectively and using less water than a standard cotton or viscose textile. “A spray mop or a pre-impregnated system will also dramatically reduce water consumption compared with a traditional bucket/wringer system,” said Schmuck. But all water consumption during cleaning needs to be taken into context. she adds. “For example, steam cleaners and hot water high-pressure machines are often able to remove dirt from surfaces Continued page 40

February/March 2023 | ECJ | 39

GREEN CLEANING Water works (continued) without the use of chemicals which makes this method both resource-friendly and residue-free,” she said. And she adds the importance of water conservation depends on the region in question. “There will be a strong focus on water-saving solutions in countries where water is scarce, whereas in other regions there is likely to be a greater emphasis on chemical-free cleaning or on energysaving operations,” she said. Kärcher’s B 110 R ride-on scrubberdryer is said to save up to 50 per cent of water and cleaning agents compared with equivalent models because the inflow of water is controlled by driving speed. Water is crucial to any hand hygiene routine, according to GOJO’s UK managing director Chris Wakefield. “Soap and water are a must for heavy soils,” he said. “But it is important to constantly re-evaluate our impact on the planet. And there has been much innovation to help conserve water during hand washing.” He claims the company’s Purell Healthy Soap can save an average of 22 litres of water per refill because it rinses away the product efficiently. Water is essential for dissolving and removing dirt during cleaning, says Werner & Mertz Professional’s communication manager Alisa Kitze. “It is also a vital element in the production of cleaning detergents,” she said. “But water consumption can be minimised by using cleaning systems that prevent overdosage.” She says cleaning concentrates are a L’eau constitue un élément crucial de la plupart des régimes de nettoyage et un composant incontournable des agents de nettoyage. Mais il s’agit aussi d’une matière précieuse que les entreprises durables ont à utiliser avec parcimonie. Que font les régimes et systèmes de propreté pour réduire la consommation en eau? s’interroge ECJ.

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sustainable option because they require less water during production. “They also have a reduced packaging weight which cuts down on transport costs,” she said. “Preparing the cleaning solution requires water, but water is everywhere and it doesn’t need to be transported. So concentrated products bring advantages in warehousing capacity while also facilitating a higher stock range.” Werner & Mertz Professional uses water from its own 70-metre well during the production of its cleaning detergents. “The waste water is then purified in our own water treatment system so it can leave the site as clean as it was taken out,” she said.

Part of the picture Service provider Cleanology’s head of marketing Kate Lovell says it is essential to reduce, restrict and monitor the use of water in all cleaning operations. “The average UK business uses 50 litres per day per employee which equates to 650,000 per year for 50 office-based employees,” she claims. “At Cleanology we only use 453,000 litres per year for our 50 head office staff, which is a significant reduction.” The company also uses concentrated cleaning solutions mixed with water on site. According to Lovell, however, it is difficult to reduce the consumption of water in certain high-use applications. “For example, if you are cleaning external windows using a high-reach pole-fed system it will be impossible to recycle the used water because it will become contaminated once it hits the ground,” she said. Wasser ist ein wesentliches Element der meisten Reinigungsprogramme und ein unverzichtbarer Inhaltsstoff von Reinigungsmitteln. Aber Wasser ist ein wertvoller Rohstoff und einer, der von nachhaltigen Unternehmen sparsam verwendet werden sollte. Das ECJ fragt, welche Reinigungsprogramme und -systeme, die den Wasserverbrauch senken, von Unternehmen angeboten werden.

“But this will not be the case in a truck wash bay that would have a water interceptor designed to prevent contamination. The water there could be recycled.” But is water use the key sustainability issue today? Or are other issues equally important? Water savings are just a part of the sustainability equation, says Lovell. “At Cleanology sustainability is at the heart of everything we do and this includes minimising the use of plastics, packaging, paper, energy and fossil fuels as well as water,” she said. Jangro’s Joanne Gilliard agrees reducing water use is just one aspect of being sustainable. “Businesses also need to adopt more environmentally-friendly processes and systems that cover products, packaging, transport, wellbeing and ethics as well as a corporate approach to emissions, waste, and water,” she said. Water is undeniably a valuable resource - but so is the land and the planet’s biodiversity, according to Greenspeed’s Meerts. “The issue of air pollution is also important and must be minimised to avoid climate change and its effect on nature,” she said. And while reducing water use is a praiseworthy environmental aim, the industry needs to look at the bigger picture says GOJO’s Chris Wakefield. “For example, it is also important to optimise our recycling capabilities and reduce our reliance on virgin plastics while working on other areas to reduce our collective environmental impact,” he said. L’acqua è l’elemento fondamentale per la maggioranza delle procedure di pulizia e un ingrediente indispensabile dei detergenti ma è anche una risorsa preziosa che dovrebbe essere utilizzata con moderazione da imprese sostenibili. Che procedure e sistemi che riducono l’uso di acqua vengono offerti dalle imprese di pulizia? ECJ indaga.

PRODUCTS: GREEN CLEANING

Better pouches New from Diversey are fully recyclable SafePack pouches for its concentrated cleaning products. The pouches are United Nation-approved for classified liquids and are made of monolayer Polyethylene which the company says is easier to recycle. The cap and label can be removed.

These new SafePack pouches can be used to refill reusable spray bottles over and over again. The larger two-litre size makes for less waste and a lower carbon footprint. www.diversey.com

Free resources As part of its Love Sustainability Journey commitment to providing support and education for businesses, Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) is offering free online resources to help them learn more about becoming more sustainable through better recycling. Asking six simple questions, RCP’s online recycling Audit Tool provides businesses with an indicative cost and waste saving, tailored to their facility. To support firms in making changes that will enhance their sustainability credentials, benefit the bottom line and help the planet, RCP also introduced a free Learn Recycling platform. Four interactive online modules give an overview on recycling basics - the importance of recycling, how it works and how it can be improved. www.rubbermaid.eu

Plant based

Specialising in 100 per cent plant-based disinfectants and detergents is Salveco. Its formulations are supported by specific and independent test protocols demonstrating their effectiveness and control of their impact on health and the environment. Marketing authorisation ensures immediate availability on the European market and Salveco remains a leader in regulatory compliance for biocides with a favourable health and environmental profile. www.salveco.fr

Calculation Filmop has achieved certification of the climate footprint calculation system for its entire range of trolleys, from buckets and wringer trolleys to multipurpose models.

Implemented in accordance with the UNI EN ISO 14067:2018 standard and based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, the certified system allows quantifying of the CO2e related to each phase of the products life cycle - from the supply of raw materials to production, through transport and use by the consumer to disposal at the end of life. www.filmop.com

Steam clean Kärcher has launched a new steam cleaner, the SG 4/2 Classic. With a water tank, steam generator and storage space for accessories this compact unit is contained inside a practi-

cally designed case. This makes it suitable for use in many locations including hotels and restaurants, supermarkets and food processing. The clearly designed control panel makes the SG 4/2 simple to use, while four-bar pressure makes for efficient cleaning without the need for cleaning agent. The VapoHydro function flushes stubborn dirt away with hot water, and the water tank holds two litres. www.karcher.com

Better washing Microplastics not only originate from the fragmentation of waste, they are also a direct consequence of the deterioration of synthetic textile fibres during machine washing. TTS says microfibre is the best solution in terms of efficiency, however the company has gone further by ensuring its cloths and mops have a low release of microplastics when washed. In fact this has been certified according to ISO 23231 by an external laboratory. So Allice Eco multipurpose manual cloths, Tri Wet 1 double-sided mops, and Microriccio, Microblue, Soft Band, Microsafe, Microsafe Wide and Ultrasafe flat mops have all been tested. www.ttsystem.com

No-bag bin Leafield Environmental’s Meridian bagless recycling bin saves on thousands of bin bags being used each year - because it has removable liners instead. The Meridian has been designed to segregate waste at source - the 110-litre version is used to collect mixed recycling, general waste and food waste. The base is made from up to 100 per cent recycled material. www.leafieldrecycle.com

• Diversey a lancé les pochettes entièrement recyclables SafePack destinées à contenir ses produits de nettoyage concentrés. • Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) a développé un certain nombre de ressources en ligne gratuites pour aider les entreprises à mieux recycler. • Salveco est spécialisé dans les désinfectants et détergents 100 % végétaux. • Filmop a fait certifier son système de calcul de l’empreinte carbone pour sa gamme de chariots de nettoyage. • Kärcher a lancé un nouveau nettoyeur à la vapeur pour accompagner son modèle SG 4/2 Classic. • Les tissus et serpillères TTS subissent des tests rigoureux pour vérifier l’absence de dispersion de particules de matières plastiques lors de leur lavage. • Leafield Environmental, un fabricant de poubelles, a lancé la Meridian, une poubelle de recyclage « sans sac ». • Neu von Diversey sind vollständig recycelbare SafePack-Beutel als Verpackung der konzentrierten Reinigungsprodukte. • Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) hat eine Reihe von kostenlosen Online-Ressourcen entwickelt, mit deren Hilfe Unternehmen besseres Recycling erlernen können. • Spezialisiert auf 100 Prozent pflanzliche Desinfektions- und Reinigungsmittel ist Salveco. • Filmop hat die Zertifizierung des Berechungssystems der Klimabilanz für seine Produktreihe mit Reinigungswagen erhalten. • Kärcher hat mit dem SG 4/2 Classic einen neuen Dampfreiniger vorgestellt. • TTS-Tücher und -Mopps haben strenge Test bestanden, bei denen die Freisetzung von Plastikpartikeln bei deren Wäsche beobachtet wird. • Der Abfallbehälterhersteller Leafield Environmental hat den „beutellosen“ Recyclingbehälter Meridian vorgestellt. • La novità della Diversey sono le buste interamente riciclabili SafePack che contengono i suoi detergenti concentrati. • La Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) ha sviluppato una serie di risorse on line gratuite per aiutare le imprese a saperne di più sul riciclaggio migliore. • Specializzata in disinfettanti e detergenti 100% vegetali è Salveco. • La Filmop ha ottenuto la certificazione del suo sistema di calcolo dell’impronta climatica per la sua gamma di carrelli. • La Kärcher ha lanciato una nuova macchina per la pulizia a vapore con il modello SG 4/2 Classic. • I panni e i mop della TTS hanno superato test rigorosi che hanno monitorizzato il rilascio di particelle di plastica durante il loro lavaggio. • La produttrice di pattumiere Leafield Environmental ha lanciato il contenitore per il riciclo Meridian senza sacchetto.

February/March 2023 | ECJ | 41

BUSINESS: BREXIT

Fresh uncertainty for UK firms

Swathes of EU-derived legislation look set to be scrapped in the UK by the end of 2023 in a government drive to ‘get Brexit done’ once and for all. But opponents of the move fear vital citizen rights and safeguards could be stripped away in the haste to push the reforms through, Hartley Milner reports. AROUND 4,000 PIECES of Brussels-based legislation would either be rewritten and incorporated into UK law or axed altogether under the controversial Retained EU Law (REUL) Bill, which received Commons approval on its third reading in mid-January. The legislation includes consumer protections, food and product safety laws and regulations affecting animal health and welfare, as well as a raft of laws encompassing employment, workers’ rights and the environment… all of which could be watered down or lost, say the bill’s opponents. Also causing alarm is a ‘sunset clause’ in the bill that allows for legislation not converted into UK law or revoked by December 31 to automatically drop off the statute book. In the case of particularly

complex laws, individual government departments will have the option to extend the deadline until 2026, but critics point to the complete lack of checks and balances incorporated into the process to ensure it is carried out with due diligence. During last month’s parliamentary debate, a group of four Tory rebels, concerned the government would lack capacity to run a proper review and key laws could effectively “expire by accident”, voted for a Labour amendment that would have given MPs the opportunity to scrutinise any changes proposed by ministers. However the amendment was defeated, prompting one of the rebels, former Brexit secretary David Davis, to say of the bill: “It’s not democratic. But it’s also going to be inefficient and possibly incompetent.” Legal experts have gone further, describing the proposed legislation as not only “anti-democratic” but also “completely barking”. And the government’s independent regulation watchdog, the Regulatory Policy Committee, looked at the bill’s impacts and said it was “not fit for purpose”. The committee said in a statement: “It is our

view that those affected by regulatory change should reasonably expect the government to properly consider the impacts of such changes. We are not assured that the impact of changing or ‘sunsetting’ each piece of REUL will be calculated or understood under proposals currently in place – particularly where no related secondary legislation is required.” The watchdog also criticised the deadline for the assessment. It asserted that the government had “not given sufficient reasoning behind the decision to put this deadline in place”. And it said even civil servants acknowledge the time frame would challenge the resources of government departments with large amounts of EU-retained law to review. The prime objective of the bill is to abolish the principle of the supremacy of EU law over UK law, which former British premier Boris Johnson had repeatedly decried as an “intolerable situation” for a country officially divorced from the European Union. Currently, UK courts are required to interpret EU-derived laws in line with rulings of the European Court of Justice. But legal experts say any changes Continued page 46

February/March 2023 | ECJ | 45

BUSINESS: BREXIT Why is profit a dirty word? (continued) will likely create uncertainty about how UK courts will interpret existing case law in future. The bill could also have implications for Northern Ireland, say analysts. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland have warned that under the sunset clause many pieces of human rights and equality legislation agreed with the EU as part of the NI Brexit trading protocol would not be “preserved, restated or re-enacted” within the 2023 time frame and could, therefore, be lost. However former Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, who spearheaded the bill during his time in government, told Parliament that it was a “technical tidying up operation” aimed at “ensuring that UK law has one base”. And he said the legislation was being “enormously over-interpreted” by opposition MPs and “people who never wanted to leave the EU anyway”. “What it is doing is correcting our statute book so that we no longer have laws that refer to European regulations that may themselves have been repealed or amended,” he said. “So currently we have rules that are based on things that are either out of date or possibly even no longer exist. That is no basis for our statute book. This is a technical, tidyingup operation, which will apply to the regulations that are kept. But it’s also technical in terms of ensuring that our law has one base.”

Confusion and disruption However more than a dozen UK organisations, including employers’ groups, trade unions, consumer bodies, workplace safety campaigners and nature conservation bodies have warned that the “tidying-up operation” would cause “significant confusion and disruption” for businesses, workers, consumers and the environment. In a letter to business secretary Grant Shapps, signatories said dumping EU laws would plunge businesses into fresh uncertainty at a time when they are battling soaring energy bills and inflation. Tony Danker, director general of the Confederation of British Industry, urged Il semble que de gros pans de la législation britannique héritée de l’UE seront éliminés d’ici la fin de 2023 dans le cadre des efforts du gouvernement pour « accomplir le Brexit » une fois pour toutes. Mais les opposants à cette initiative craignent qu’elle ne compromette des droits et de garanties de citoyen en raison de la hâte avec laquelle ses promoteurs entendent la mener à bien, relate Hartley Milner.

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ministers to put aside political motives and seek improvements to the UK’s existing trade deal with the EU. And a survey of 938 businesses, comprising mainly SMEs, carried out by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) identified low awareness of the REUL bill among CEOs, as well as low levels of priority for deregulation. Firms were also asked whether deregulation was a priority for them across the business areas of employment, health and safety, environment, planning and product safety regulations. Around half said deregulation was either a low priority or not a priority at all.

‘Assault on workers’ rights’ BCC head of trade policy William Bain said: “Businesses did not ask for this bill, and, as our survey highlights, they are not clamouring for a bonfire of regulations for the sake of it. They don’t want to see divergence from EU regulations, which make it more difficult, costly or impossible to export their goods and services.” He added: “While removing barriers to SMEs’ growth would be welcomed, any proposals to amend or repeal thousands of pieces of retained EU law must be carefully examined and should not be rushed. That’s why the deadline on this bill must be pushed back to the end of 2026, to give everyone more time for the process to be consulted properly. Safeguards for businesses are also required, particularly for exporters and those trading within the UK so that additional barriers to doing business are not unwittingly created.” Public service union UNISON said the bill was an assault on workers’ rights and would see core workplace protections like holiday pay, maternity pay and protection for part-time workers swept aside. It pointed out that for decades EU laws had ensured decent employment standards in the UK while shielding workers from exploitation and discrimination. Alongside these laws, EU legal principles had developed over time upon which the union says it came to rely on to secure key landmark rulings for workers’ rights. The Retained EU Law Bill could “destroy all of these EU-derived laws, settled legal principles and case law, leaving UK workers in an employment law wasteland”, Im Vereinigten Königreich strebt die Regierung bis Ende 2023 die Abschaffung einer Vielzahl von Regelungen, die aus EU-Recht abgeleitet sind, an, um „Brexit ein für allemal zu erledigen“. Gegner befürchten jedoch, dass in der Eile, mit der die Reformen durchgepaukt werden sollen, möglicherweise wichtige Bürgerrechte und Schutzmaßnahme demontiert werden könnten. Hartley Milner berichtet.

UNISON said. It could also have “devastating implications” for disabled workers and workers who have caring responsibilities for a disabled person. The union said that while the UK Equality Act 2010 will remain in place, EU legal principles that “put flesh on the bones” of the legislation would disappear. UNISON national officer for disability equality Deirdre Costigan said: “This would be a shameful step backwards for disability equality at work. Already, many employers try to get away with disability discrimination by claiming the worker isn’t actually a disabled person. If existing protections are removed, and the legal definition of what it means to have a disability is narrowed further, it will make it even easier for employers to do this.” Hundreds of environmental laws are also at stake, including those that protect wildlife, prevent pollution and create a level playing field for green businesses, according to Dr Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link. “Simply scrapping the body of EUretained environmental law would be environmental folly and spending time rewriting the rules would be a waste of time and public money,” he said.

Opposition expected “Meddling with bedrock environmental laws like the Habitats Regulations will create doubt, uncertainty and instability for businesses at a time when they need stability the most. It would also jeopardise the government’s central green promises of hitting net zero and halting the decline of nature by 2030. “The government has talked the talk on the international stage about restoring nature and curbing climate change. If it weakens protection for nature at home, the government could set back global green efforts as well. The UK needs to be leading the way for nature.” The bill has now gone to the House of Lords where it is expected to face significant opposition from a large constituency of anti-Brexit peers, which could delay its progress into law. In fact, some peers have said there is “no chance” of the bill passing by the end of the year, due to it lacking “legislative horsepower”. Una serie di norme derivate dalla UE sembra stiano per essere abolite nel Regno Unito entro la fine del 2023 in una spinta governative per raggiungere ‘get Brexit done’ una volta per tutte. Ma gli opponenti della mossa temono che i diritti e le garanzie vitali dei cittadini potrebbero essere tolti nella fretta di fare passare le riforme. Ce ne parla Hartley Milner.

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Sharing Your Sustainability Story Managing director, Ceris Burns shows how PR agency, Ceris Burns International can help raise your environmental profile.

In the race to net zero, there is growing momentum for businesses within the cleaning sector to show they are sustainability champions and communicate how they are helping to reduce carbon emissions. Net zero targets are, quite rightly, driving the sector towards greater transparency about packaging, products and services. Therefore, how businesses integrate sustainability messaging into their external and internal communications is key.

Important elements of an environmental campaign include:

Digital: Developing your social media presence and cultivating relationships on social platforms will help to achieve your goals.

1) Being clear what you stand for Before making claims, green or otherwise, make sure you have a clearly defined mission and set of brand values. These will guide your strategy, ensure your employees who represent your brand are on board, and reduce the risk of sending out mixed messages.

2) Understanding your stakeholders You need to ensure your message resonates with your audience. How will making sustainable choices impact them? We help businesses connect with what matters to your audience and inspire them with positive stories.

Ensure your website is more visible by optimising your content for search engines to improve your site’s ranking. Your sustainability story should be told in creative and captivating ways, through social media, videos, blogs, podcasts, infographics, drone footage and more. Media Relations: Ensure your sustainability success stories are shared in printed publications, online and broadcast media – announcing new products and services, significant contract wins, and case studies that highlight best practice. In-depth thought leadership articles on sustainability and innovation help to show that this is a highly professional sector, with experts who can

3) Being transparent and authentic

provide fantastic industry insight.

Like any other issue, sustainability needs to be communicated authentically. Avoid messaging built around unsubstantiated claims. Known as ‘greenwashing,’ this gives people a false or misleading impression about your environmental credentials. Be honest about what you are doing and the impact. Following recent international analysis of websites, which found that 40% of green claims can be misleading, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) developed the Green Claims Code. This sets out

Award Winning Activity: Awards are a great way to celebrate your sustainability and showcase expertise. Consider working with a communications specialist who can help you write winning entries. Supporting and sponsoring key industry events can also help raise your profile. For example, we annually support the European Cleaning and Hygiene Awards. This includes a ‘Sustainability – Best Practice’ category, amongst others.

six key points to check your environmental claims are genuinely green. The European Commission has also conducted checks into misleading sustainability claims.

Events: Face-to-face interaction, including exhibitions, networking events and speaker opportunities are valuable ways to share messages and raise your sustainability profile.

4) Considering how best to communicate Ultimately, you need to tell a story that engages people to take positive action, so avoid using lists of figures and technical data. We can support you with engaging digital and social content, media relations, and more, to support your mission. Some of the public relations tactics that can be used include:

Destination International: You may be looking to share your sustainability story internationally. Having the right advisers at your side, with a deep understanding of how to help you successfully engage with audiences nationally and internationally, will make sure your environmental message doesn’t get lost in translation.

A positive future: Caring about the future of our world communicates a positive message about your brand. If you would like support sharing your story, please contact the team at Ceris Burns International on +44 (0) 330 004 0844, email info@cbipr.com, www.cbipr.com

We have your business needs at heart

PR & MARKETING SPECIALISTS Cleaning & Hygiene Environmental & Recycling Facilities Management COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT

www.cbipr.com

+44 (0)330 004 0844

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THE CLEANING SHOW

The Cleaning Show - driving change THE UK’S CLEANING EXHIBITION, The Cleaning Show, takes place from March 14-16 at Excel London. More than 100 exhibitors will be showcasing latest cleaning technologies for cleaning professionals. Taking place alongside the show is a full conference programme. The theme: The Cleaning Sector in 2023 - Driving Change. Expert speakers will be focusing on issues including recruitment pressures postBrexit, training and education, sustainability and climate change, employee wellbeing, and technology. Starting proceedings will be Jim Melvin, chairman of the British Cleaning Council (BCC), who will review the BCC’s stated aims in his session, The Cleaning Sector Post-Pandemic - Progress, Obstacles and the Future. The Cleaning & Support Services Asso-

ciation (CSSA) will once again be hosting its Innovation Showcase This event celebrates the cleaning industry’s most innovative products, services and initiatives; particularly better solutions to social, political and environmental requirements, and existing market issues. The Window Cleaning World Cup is also

returning, with all visitors being invited to enter. There’s a cash prize to be won and you could beat the current world champion. And there’s also a Robot Arena dedicated to the latest autonomous cleaning machines on offer. For more information about the programme and visiting: cleaningshow.co.uk

Le salon britannique de la propreté, The Cleaning Show, reviendra à Londres du 14 au 16 mars. Anticipant cette manifestation avec intérêt, ECJ rend compte de certains lancements de produits importants à y prévoir.

Im Vereinigten Königreich kehrt die Messe The Cleaning Show nach London zurück, wo sie vom 14. bis 16. März stattfinden wird. Das ECJ wirft einen Blick voraus auf das Erzeugnis und informiert über wichtige Produkte, die dort vorgestellt werden.

Nel Regno Unito, la fiera del settore del cleaning The Cleaning Show ritornerà a Londra dal 14 al 16 marzo. ECJ fa un’anteprima dell’evento e porta notizie di importanti lanci di prodotti che avverranno durante l’evento.

February/March 2023 | ECJ | 51

THE CLEANING SHOW

Kimberly-Clark Kimberly-Clark Professional (KCP) is holding the official UK launch of its ICON dispenser collection, said to combine function with design. Featuring three models for hand towels, toilet tissue and skincare - including soap and sanitiser - the ICON range has been developed to maximise a human-centric experience, says KCP. Contact points are minimal and the latest sensor technology

RightCycle Programme, a closed loop recycling service for hand towels and a dispenser installation and recycling service. www.kcprofessional.com

Dettol Pro makes for reliable and hygienic dispensing. Customers have the option of changeable designer faceplates for hand towel and skincare dispensers. Visitors can also view a showcase of the award winning

New from Dettol Pro Solutions is a line comprising wipes, sanitiser and trigger spray, suitable for use in high-traffic areas. The company’s “better results for healthier businesses programme” has supported the

development of science-backed training materials and targeted hygiene protocols for different business sectors such as hospitality, food service, offices and retail. Visitors can also see Detail 5L Handwash - the larger size bottle makes it suitable for use in commercial settings. www.dettolprosolutionsth.com

Jangro

The focus for janitorial and cleaning products distributor Jangro is sustainability. The company is showcasing its ntrl range of vegan cleaning products, which are 100 per cent biodegradable, contain zero petrochemicals and can reduce the product’s carbon footprint by up to 85 per cent. There are tree saplings to mark the launch of Jangrow, a tree planting programme whereby saplings are gifted to customers. Jangro is also previewing its new sustainable brown cardboard boxes, which feature new ‘RRR’ messaging: ‘Return, Reuse, Recycle’. And customers can now return empty boxes. www.jangro.net • Kimberly-Clark Professional propose en première sa collection de distributeurs ICON, comportant trois modèles. • Dettol expose son liquide de lavage des mains à conditionnement 5-litres destiné à des établissements de grande affluence. • Le réseau de distribution indépendant Jangro fait valoir son engagement envers à durabilité. • Kimberly-Clark Professional stellt mit drei Modellen die SpenderKollektion ICON vor. • Dettol präsentiert seinen 5-LiterHandreiniger, der für stark frequentierte Umgebungen geeignet ist. • Das unabhängige Vertriebsnetzwerk Jangro betont seine Verpflichtung zu Nachhaltigkeit. • La Kimberly-Clark Professional sta lanciando la sua collezione di dispenser ICON che include tre modelli. • La Dettol espone il suo detergente per le mani in formato da cinque litri adatto per ambienti ad alto traffico. • Il network indipendente di distribuzione Jangro sta evidenziando il suo impegno per la sostenibilità.

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THE CLEANING SHOW

Motorscrubber SHOCK is the latest machine from MotorScrubber, specialist in compact technology. The new model features a low profile head, with powerful oscillating shockwave technology and optimised scrubbing orbit.

weight kit to make light work of stairs, skirting boards and walls. And for a deeper clean on larger floor surfaces, simply insert the two kg of weight kit to transform the machine into its heavyweight mode. A quick-change pad system makes for swift transition between cleaning areas. Drop the pad holder onto the floor and it magnetically auto locks with the oscillating body using strong neodymium magnets. www.motorscrubberclean.com

Vectair Systems

Because it is simple to customise with the addition of a weight kit, SHOCK can be used for any cleaning job, says MotorScrubber. For maximum manoeuvrability, remove the

New on the Vectair Systems stand is the Vibe Pro airfare system. Combining patented dosing technology with unique Vibrating Mesh Technology and customisable programming, Vibe Pro is designed to a provide a consistent scent experience when and where people need it, by delivering an ultra-fine mist of fragrance. Vectair is also showcasing the

• Sous l’appellation Shock, Motoscrubber a lancé une nouvelle machine de nettoyage de planchers. • Comme produit nouveau, Vectair Systems expose le système de soin d’ambiance Vibe Pro.

V-Air SOLID Evolution - a carbon neutral fragrance refill that’s part of the V-Air SOLID family. The EVA cartridge contains no batteries, liquids or harmful propellants, providing fresh scent with just natural airflow. V-Air SOLID Evolution is part of the Professional Passive range, a line of products that are nonaerosol, non-battery and can be co-ordinated through scent. Also on show are the P-Screen and Wee-Screen urinal screens, which provide fresh fragrance while helping to reduce both blockages and splashback. www.vectairsystems.com

• Die neue Bodenreinigungsmaschine von Motorscrubber heißt Shock. • Neu am Stand von Vectair Systems ist das Luftpflegesystem Vibe Pro.

• Shock è la nuova macchina lavapavimenti della Motorscrubber. • Il nuovo prodotto sullo stand della Vectair Systems è il sistema di cura dell’aria Vibe Pro.

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THE CLEANING SHOW

• GumBusters a lancé une version compacte de son appareil à batterie et à vapeur sèche pour l’élimination de chewing-gum, la GB Eco Li. • Le système Evolution X2 de Cleenol assure, en cours d’opération, le mélange instantané des superconcentrés de ce fabricant. • Parmi les nouveaux produits Kennedy figure le distributeur de papier sans contact Auto Pod. • Proposé par TTS, le Lampo est un système de fixation et de libération de serpillères permettant à l’opérateur de n’utiliser qu’un seul manche pour la totalité de ses tâches. • i-Team Global est un spécialiste des machines, produits et accessoires de nettoyage. • SoftBank Robotics expose sa gamme de robots de nettoyage. • Sur le stand Prochem est exposée une gamme de produits de nettoyage pour tapis, tissus et sols durs.

• GumBusters stellt eine Kompaktversion seines akkubetriebenen Trockendampfgeräts zum Entfernen von Kaugummi vor: das GB Eco Li. • Mit dem Evolution X2System von Cleenol werden die hochkonzentrierten Chemikalien sofort unterwegs gemischt. • Unter den neuen Produkten von Kennedy befindet sich der berührungslose Papierspender Auto Pod. • Bei Lampo von TTS handelt es sich um ein Arretier- und Freigabesystem für Mopps, dass den Benutzern ermöglicht, alle Aufgaben mit nur einem Griff zu erledigen. • i-Team Global ist auf Reinigungsmaschinen, -produkte und -zubehör spezialisiert. • SoftBank Robotics präsentiert seine Produktreihe mit robotischen Reinigungsmaschinen. • Prochem zeigt seine Reinigungsprodukte für Teppiche, Textilien und Hartböden.

• La GumBusters lancia una versione compatta della sua unità di pulizia a vapore secco alimentata a batteria adatta alla rimozione della gomma da masticare, la macchina GB Eco Li. • Il sistema Evolution X2 della Cleenol miscela istantaneamente i suoi prodotti chimici super concentrati in qualsiasi momento e luogo. • Fra i nuovi prodotti della Kennedy c’è il dispenser di carta no-touch Auto Pod. • Lampo della TTS è un sistema di fissaggio e rilascio per mop che permette all’operatore di usare un solo manico per tutte le funzioni. • La i-Team Global è specializzata in macchine per le pulizie, prodotti e accessori. • La SoftBank Robotics espone la sua gamma di macchine robotiche per le pulizie. • La Prochem espone la sua linea di prodotti per la pulizia di moquette, stoffe e pavimenti duri.

54 | February/March 2023 | ECJ

GumBusters

GumBusters, developer of the GB1 battery-powered dry steam unit for gum removal, has launched a new compact version called GB Eco Li. The company, which is part of OspreyDeepclean, has used the same technology as in the larger model, but with only a single 12-volt lithium battery. The specialist gum chemical is premixed with tap water and added to the water tank before use and the machine is ready to work. The compact and lightweight design make the unit easy to manoeuvre and suitable for use in multi-level environments. It weighs 37 kg and is mounted on four caster wheels, with integral tool storage. The GB Eco Li is cordless and virtually silent during operation. www.ospreydc.com

Cleenol Presenting its Evolution X2 chemical dilution system is Cleenol. This easy-to-use solution instantly mixes the company’s Evolution Super Concentrates on the go without the need to measure and dilute through traditional systems. Patented dilution technology enables each pull of the trigger to deliver the correct ratio of concentrate to water every time. There are no dials to turn, no button presses and no measuring jugs to operate. Users simply load the cartridge, lock it in and they’re ready to go. Specially designed seals on the concentrate cartridge prevent human contact and accidental spillages. And Evolution X2 will only operate when a water and concentrate cartridge are loaded. cleenol.com

Kennedy

i-Team Global

Auto Pod is a no-touch paper dispenser from Kennedy Hygiene that operates with long lasting batteries and minimal maintenance. It has a large paper capacity with a reserve feature to avoid shortages. Hycare, meanwhile, is an automatic cotton towel dispenser with sideways operation for ease of use. The clean and used portions of the towel are clearly visible through a transparent cover, and rechargeable batteries are an option.

The i-Team range of products encompasses scrubber dryers, vacuum cleaners, gum removers, microfibre pads, spraywash systems and all-inone cleaning trolleys. The company’s goal is to simplify the entire cleaning process through its 4D + data approach and the core values of Inquire, Innovate, Inspire. ww.i-teamglobal.com

Featuring a large paper capacity and patented reserve feature that can save up to 14 per cent of paper consumption is the Pod Mk3 auto cut dispenser. kennedy-hygiene.com

TTS Recently launched by TTS is Lampo, an immediate fixing and releasing system for mops that allows the operator to use a single handle for all tasks. It can be hooked to a duster, brush, window squeegee or scraper. Also recently launched is Pockety, the system for touch-free release of mops that allows notouch disposal and avoids bending down to pick up them up off the floor. Mops are removed directly into the laundry bucket. And Wiz is a plate wringer said to significantly reduce the effort required for mop wringing. The adjustment system allows the operator to set the wetness of the mop and keep it constant. www.ttsystem.com

SoftBank Sharing its robotic cleaning solutions is SoftBank Robotics - the company says its cobotics technology is designed to work alongside cleaning staff. Autonomous machines can help address labour concerns, increase efficiency and maintain a high standard of cleaning claims SoftBank. The Whiz vacuum cleaner, for example, carries out a menial and time-consuming task so the operator can focus on tasks such as touchpoint cleaning. And the data collected can also help to provide a ‘proof of clean’ for the client. www.softbankrobotics.com

Prochem Visitors to Prochem can see the Steempro line of carpet extraction machines, along with Polaris machines designed for large commercial areas. For smaller areas and stain removal, the Galaxy and the Bravo Plus extractors are available. The CR2, meanwhile, is a multi-surface touch-free cleaning system designed for maintenance of commercial washrooms and areas such as gym or swimming pool changing rooms. With the addition of a wand or hand tool this 500 psi unit can clean carpet and upholstery. Prochem also offers the Natural line of cleaning solutions - eco surfactant formulations packaged in recycled containers. prochem.co.uk

SPECIALIST CLEANING

Pandemic boom For nearly a year and a half the world stood still because of the Covid-19 pandemic. It has had a huge impact on people and businesses alike, some – such as the tech industry – saw their revenue drop, while others had to close their business altogether. The impact on the cleaning industry was significant as well – companies that introduced remote working no longer needed cleaning services, which meant a steep decrease in revenue particularly for the biggest cleaning firms. There are other businesses that profited from the pandemic, the ones that special-

ised in disinfecting Covid-19 ‘hotspots’, for example. One company that specialised in coronavirus cleaning is Japan based Riskbenefit. In fact it received hundreds of requests very early on to disinfect places with large numbers of infections. The company’s ceo, Toru Koremura, spoke to me about a stressful but fulfilling year. Before the pandemic started, Koremura explains, his company’s core business were messy aftermaths of suicides. In 202 nearly 20,000 people took their own life in Japan. Another area Riskbenefit focuses

Reporting from Japan, Bobbie van der List explains how some of the country’s specialist cleaning companies actually flourished during the pandemic. He speaks to the ceo of a company called Riskbenefit about how it had a stressful but highly profitable period of business.

Continued page 56

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SPECIALIST CLEANING Pandemic boom (continued) on are solitary deaths - people who die alone - otherwise known as kudokushi. As the average age of the population is going up, so do concerns over the increasing number of elderly that die alone. Those two types of cleaning are taboo in Japan, so companies that focus on them rarely get the attention they deserve. And when you do see media reports or documentaries about this type of cleaning the emphasis is often on the dark side of the industry, rather than what drives companies and cleaners to do the work in the first place. Therefore, before Koremura wants to get into the reasons why his company started to disinfect Covid-19 hotspots, he wants to explain how he got into this specialist cleaning business to start with, so-called kudokushi cleaning. It all started with a conversation he overheard between an elderly couple and their grandson in 2011. They were talking about the war and what they had sacrificed for their grandson’s freedom. It made him reconsider his own path – he was only trying to earn money so he could buy nice car and expensive sake. He realised he had pursued the wrong goal, so Koremura quit his job. He then started doing all sorts of things, mainly trying to give back to society. One day he joined an organisation that focused on isolated and lonely elderly - chatting with them and providing a free meal. He also learned about the big issue of social isolation in Japan and the stigma around it. The moment that really changed everything was a conversation with a man who had lost his brother due to kudokushi, he died in solitude and the man felt great sadness and guilt he couldn’t be with him. Although Koremura couldn’t do anything to change this, he realised he could give people who died in loneliness and their families the respect they deserved. The idea was to clean up after their death, gather all valuables and share them with their loved ones, and after that carefully and respectfully clean up their apartment. “How does it work? The rooms are thoroughly cleaned, not only the floor, but also the walls, ceilings, any pillars, windows, frames, and even electrical appliances. We use some of the strongest disinfect-

ants, because often there might be issues with infections if a body has been there for weeks unnoticed. We then return the apartment to the proprietor.” When the pandemic started, Koremura felt like his company had to act. Outside of China, Japan was the first country that was caught off guard with a Covid-19 hotspot. For weeks, the eyes of the world were focused on a cruise ship called Diamond Princess of the shore of the Japanese harbour city Yokohama, where many people were infected. Initially, Koremura explains, his cleaning company was not considered qualified to disinfect the boat, but later he was asked by the owners to come and help. “We wanted to show the world that Japanese companies could do the job.” This marked the beginning of a surge in demand for disinfection services that swamped Japan’s so-called tokushu seisō (special cleaning) businesses, in part thanks to the unfortunate spread of the coronavirus in Japan. Reflecting on those days, Koremura says it makes sense companies like his were selected to do the clean-up work. “In a way it’s quite logical, the type of cleaning we are used to and disinfecting Covid-19 areas has a lot in common. With Covid-19 you’re dealing with an infectious disease, but when we clean up scenes where people have died often we need to prepare for possible infections that might spread.” His company had already done infectious disease cleaning when SARS took hold of Japan, albeit less than in neighbouring countries. “SARS was considered a category 1 infectious disease, meaning the private sector couldn’t do the clean-

ing. Covid-19 is category 5, so all cleaning can be done by the private sector, at least that’s how it works in Japan.” This comes with ups and downs, Koremura explains. The downside is that there are no strict regulations or guidelines, so many opportunistic companies started offering cleaning services even though they had no idea what they were doing,. Another difficulty of cleaning up Covid-19 scenes are the harmful rumours and discrimination against infected people, which makes companies and individuals hesitant to ask for help in the first place. “When we just started cleaning corona hotspots we faced discrimination. A client once asked me to stay away from their area after we did the job, he was afraid what people might think.” This was not unusual: there have been many stories of individuals as well as companies targeted for the simple fact they had a number of infections - hospitals and general practitioners included. Secrecy, Koremura explains, is therefore of the utmost importance. “The key is when you get into a building you have to be discreet, clients don’t want the rest of their neighbourhood to think they have been the source of infections. Clients fear their reputation might be harmed if the word gets out. So often clients have asked us to remain silent about the fact they hired us.” Was he ever scared? “We are not scared at all, because we already are trained to safely clean up infected areas, way before the pandemic started. And we strictly follow protocols to do our work neatly and appropriately.”

Dans son reportage du Japon, Bobbie van dar List explique comment certaines entreprises de propreté spécialisées japonaises ont prospéré pendant la pandémie. Il s’entretient avec le directeur général d’une entreprise dénommée Riskbenefit au sujet de l’année stressante mais très profitable que celle-ci a vécue.

Bobbie van der List berichtet aus Japan und erläutert, auf welche Weise einige der spezialisierten Reinigungsunternehmen des Landes während der Pandemie erfolgreich waren. In seinem Gespräch mit dem CEO von Riskbenefit erfährt er mehr über das vergangene Jahr des Unternehmens, dass zwar anstrengend, aber äußerst profitabel war.

Dal Giappone, il corrispondente Bobbie van der List spiega come alcune attività di pulizie specializzate della nazione hanno prosperato durante la pandemia. Durante il colloquio con il direttore generale della Riskbenefit scopre come l’impresa ha avuto un anno stressante ma altamente redditizio.

Discretion vital

56 | February/March 2023 | ECJ