October 2021 by European Cleaning Journal

The pan-European magazine for the professional cleaning sector

OCTOBER 2021

EUROPEAN CLEANING

HARD FLOORS

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORT

Do they need regular care?

What’s the future for cash?

Sustainability priorities

Page 20

Page 33

Page 42

Read the latest news about the European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards Page 3

CONTENTS

October 2021 | Vol.29, No.5

BUSINESS

SPECIAL REPORTS

33 Speculating on future of cash

20 Why care about a hard floor?

Hartley Milner asks if we’re heading towards a global cashless economy.

Why do hard floors really need regular cleaning and maintenance?

27 Essential components The right choice of electronic components in cleaning machines is essential.

03 News

10 EFCI news

13 European reports 48 Product review

Criterion Publishing Ltd PO Box 299, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1FP UK T +44 (0)1494 791222 F +44 (0)1494 792223 info@europeancleaningjournal.com www. europeancleaningjournal.com Subscriptions UK - £60 / Continental Europe - £70 / International - £80

29 Opportunities with challenges A special report on the trends affecting the washroom dispenser sector.

39 The Cleaning Show preview A look ahead to the London exhibition taking place in November.

42 The sustainability focus What are today’s most pressing sustainability issues and priorities?

46 Chemicals forever What are ‘forever chemicals’ are how much are they used in cleaning?

Editor Michelle Marshall Features Writer Ann Laffeaty Advertisement director Chris Godman Advertisement sales executive Laura Bell

Circulation Marie Payne

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

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

ISSN 0968-901X ©Criterion Publishing 2021

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LATEST: DENMARK

Union concerns over cutbacks Lotte Printz reports from Denmark where municipalities are reducing expenditure on cleaning to pre-Covid levels. Every year, more than 40,000 are admitted to hospital and 16,000 people receive ambulatory treatment in Denmark due to lower respiratory infections such as influenza, pneumonia, and acute bronchitis. Treatment that costs the Danish healthcare system 1,820 million Danish Kroner. Taking cleaning more seriously could save society considerable amounts as this would reduce both hospital admissions and sick leave, they believe at FOA, one of the largest trade unions organising cleaning operatives in Denmark. One should have thought that the coronavirus has taught us some valuable lessons in this respect. However, a newly published report made by Implement for FOA among Danish municipalities suggests otherwise. Almost every single Danish municipality (there are 98 in Denmark) spent more on cleaning when the pandemic was peaking. But now, two-thirds of the 28 responding municipalities report that they have already reduced or will roll back expenditure in this field to previous levels, ie, to what it was before the coronavirus outbreak.

Cases rising This comes at a time when all restrictions have been lifted in this country and infection rates at Danish care homes are once again rising, despite the fact that almost all staff and residents have been vaccinated. “It is not acceptable that the municipalities cut expenditure on cleaning, thus reducing the cleaning quality, in a situation when it is highly needed. I strongly urge Dans son compterendu du Danemark, Lotte Printz explique que nombre de municipalités ont réduit leurs frais de propreté aux niveaux qui prévalaient avant la Covid-19.

the municipalities to reconsider and invest in cleaning, not just in the current situation, but in the future as well,” Pia Heidi Nielsen, chairwoman of the catering and cleaning services sector at FOA, said in a press release following the publication of the report.

Hygiene training Her FOA colleague in charge of the social and health services sector, organising care home staff among others, backed her up. “Now is the time to bring this development to a halt. Nobody wants to see the care homes close again. But if we are to prevent this from happening, we must use all means at our disposal,” Torben Hollmann said. Pia Heidi Nielsen further emphasised the importance of hygiene training and the need for prioritising trained cleaning staff to put down respiratory infections and praised those municipalities that actually carry on with Covid19 best practices.

Money not spent Shortly after the report on budget cuts had been released, another FOA article revealed that billions of Danish Kroner earmarked for welfare purposes are not being spent and are collecting dust in the municipal money boxes. Enough money, in fact, to finance an extra hour of cleaning each week for 122,500 people receiving care in their own homes. The deputy chairman of FOA, Thomas Enghausen, calls it downright ludicrous and suggests several specific changes to the budget law that prevents this type of money being spent. Changes that FOA likes to see implemented in the said law which is about to be revised this autumn.

Lotte Printz berichtet aus Dänemark, wo Kommunen die Reinigungsausgaben auf die Niveaus vor der CovidPandemie reduzieren.

La corrispondente Lotte Printz ci parla dei comuni in Danimarca che stanno riducendo le spese per le pulizie ai livelli pre-Covid.

October 2021 | ECJ |13

LATEST: GERMANY

Nationwide curriculum adopted German reporter Katja Scholz brings news of a nationwide training programme for cleaning. The new regulations for the Master Craftsman’s examination came into force in Germany at the beginning of the year. These require candidates to take on more commercial and human resources topics, such as company organisation, quality management and employment and data protection. Megatrends in digital technology, efficient use of resources and environmental protection will also be included. The new regulations are consistent with the federal government’s thinking on sustainable development, reflecting the German sustainability strategy, and provide a tool for ensuring quality in the contract cleaning trade. The Federal Guild of Contract Cleaners (BIV) would like to take this a step further. “The subject of quality assurance is a very important one; however, we are also committed to supporting our master craftsmen, and to giving them a clear framework for action,” says Steffi Reuter, BIV director of PR and professional development. “For us, that means recommending nationwide uniform standards for the content of Master Craftsman training.” And how does this next step look in practice? For the first time, the BIV has developed a nationwide uniform framework curriculum for parts I and II of the Master Craftsman training – the content specifically designed to meet the requirements of the contract cleaning trade. The curriculum, which was adopted in September, incorporates the requirements of the Master Craftsman’s examination regulations and supports them with appropriate learning content, advice on number of hours needed and guidelines relevant to the design of the Master En Allemagne, la formation pour l’examen des maîtres-artisans dans les métiers de la propreté fait l’objet d’une nouvelle réglementation. Katja Scholz en donne des précisions.

14 |October 2021 | ECJ

Craftsman preparatory courses. “The framework curriculum serves as a recommendation: it is not a compulsory tool. Just as it is not compulsory in the contract cleaning trade in Germany to have the Master Craftsman qualification in order to set up your own company. But there is no question it is helpful in generating the confidence needed to fulfil the requirements that go hand in hand with owning your own company. “So we regarded it as equally important to ensure the Master Craftsman training programme along with the framework curriculum was modernised to make it more attractive to (young) people,” explained Reuter. Running your own skilled trade business requires, for example, designing and optimising company operating procedures and the technologies or techniques used, evaluating the results of work and maintaining quality, strategically shaping customer relationships, identifying market trends and exploiting them for the business’ benefit – these are all topics incorporated into the new framework curriculum. This is the transition period during which both the new Master Craftsman’s regulations and the framework curriculum are being implemented and put into practice by the appropriate institutions. “We shall then ask those involved how implementation is working out,” Reuter said, “what the feedback is and whether there are any possible suggestions for change – since our prime objective is to uphold the quality of the contract cleaning trade. This includes the recruitment of younger trainees as well as a modern and attractive training plan.”

In Deutschland sind die neuen Richtlinien für die Vorbereitungslehrgänge für die Meisterprüfung im GebäudereinigerHandwerk in Kraft getreten. Wir erfahren mehr von Katja Scholz.

In Germania sono appena entrate in vigore le nuove normative per gli esami per diventare Master Craftsman nel settore del cleaning. Ce ne parla Katja Scholz.

LATEST: ITALY

LATEST: FRANCE

Afidamp celebrates at ISSA Pulire

Turnover falls for first time in years

Industry association Afidamp celebrated its 40th year recently, writes Anna Garbagna in Italy.

The French cleaning federation FEP has published its latest statistics on the contract cleaning sector, reports Christian Bouzols.

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Afidamp took a large space dedicated to its members at the ISSA Pulire exhibition in Verona last month and presented awards to Senior Members and Best Members. The Senior Member award was presented to those who have been involved in the association for at least 35 years and played a vital role in the development of its activities during that time. The Best Member award went to those who have excelled during the last two years with their absolute commitment and significant contributions towards the work of Afidamp. The event was hosted by Maurizio Pedrini with the support of Giuseppe Riello, current president of Afidamp; Andrea Risi, first president of Afidamp in 1981 and Stefania Verrienti, Afidamp director, who together retraced the important milestones in the history of the association by remembering the early days and all the progress made since. The Senior Member award went to these companies: DHP (Luca Giraldo collected the prize), Dianos (Elio Zibra), Diversey (Michele Guida), Duplex (Patrizia Scarselli and Leonardo Lunardi), Eureka (Renato Scremin), ICE FOR (Sergio Antoniuzzi), Ing O. Fiorentini (Paolo Raffini and Angelo Morana), Santoemma (Massimiliano Santoemma), TMB (Giampaolo Ruffo), Eurocom Nordovest (Matteo Bergonzo and Flavio Bethaz), ISC (Roberto Grosso) and Nuova Pulichimica (Gaetano Maluberti). Recipients of the prestigious Best Member award for the two years 2019-2020 were the companies: Diversey (Simone Coccato), Ghibli & Wirbel (Luca Rapportant d’Italie, Anna Garbagna parle du récent salon ISSA Pulire de Vérone, où l’association Afidamp a également célébré son 40ème anniversaire.

Pedrotti), IPC (Mario Scarpa and Alessandro Panico) and SIL Advanced (Gianni Tartari). The many news announcements during ISSA Pulire 2021 included the new service ‘Legaltech and Cybersecurity’ which was created in cooperation with Studio Legale Salmi to offer data protection consultancy to members. It was also reported how the association has shown its commitment in recent years to build and reinforce relationships with the institutions and the academic world, creating a virtuous circle in the cleaning sector. The exhibition in Verona was also an opportunity to present the advanced training course Corso di Alta Formazione in Cleaning Management (started with the Management School of Università degli Studi of Bergamo) and to highlight works on topics of great interest to professionals in the sector. Among the subjects being discussed in greater depth was the topic of the new CAMs, in force since June, with the participation of the Ministry of Ecological Transition, the Region of Veneto & the Municipality of Padua, and also with the contribution of Paolo Fabbri from Punto3 detailing the actual field of activity and announcing some important changes which will be brought in by the awaited amending decree. Finally Marco Belardi, consultant to the Ministry of Economic Development for Transition 4.0, held a training session on the incentives within Transition Plan 4.0 and answered many questions from attendees. Together with Afidamp he is developing a position paper which will be a support tool for members.

Anna Garbagna berichtet aus Italien von der ISSA Pulire, die kürzlich in Verona stattfand und in deren Rahmen der Industrieverband Afidamp sein 40. Jubiläum feierte.

16 | October 2021 | ECJ

Dall’Italia, la corrispondente Anna Garbagna ci informa sulla fiera ISSA Pulire tenutasi di recente a Verona durante la quale l’associazione di categoria Afidamp ha celebrato il suo 40º anniversario.

The French cleaning companies Federation FEP has just published its latest report on the sector. This document presents many figures and shows the general state of cleaning businesses in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. It shows that the French cleaning sector now comprises some 13,700 companies, a figure that has increased by 5.4 per cent during the last five years. Companies with fewer than 10 workers make up 64 per cent of the total. At the other end of the scale, 0.5 per cent of cleaning companies in France employ no less than 41 per cent of the labour force. These large businesses, 67 in number, all have more than 1,000 employees.

Family owned Most of the cleaning companies in France are family owned businesses. They are often handed over from one generation to the next. This is also true of the very large companies in the sector, which are now operating on an European and even international scale. Most of them are still family managed. The health and economic crisis which began in 2020 has led to a strong increase in the number of financially challenged businesses. In April 2020, at the start of the pandemic, five per cent of managers in the cleaning sector were fearing that their companies wouldn’t survive that crisis. But so far their fear hasn’t been reflected in the statistics. In fact, the Bank of France has even reported that during

the period from January 2020 to January 2021 the number of company failures had dropped by 35 per cent in the services to businesses sector. This can probably be explained by all the support measures that have enabled companies to defer the payment of various charges but may also just mean a postponement of insolvencies. This could in particular be the case of cleaning companies working for hotels, restaurants and event organisers.

Fall in employees After more than 10 years of uninterrupted growth, and for the first time since the world economic crisis of 2009, the sector’s turnover fell by about four per cent in 2020, to €16 billion. This has led to a slight fall, of approximately 1.6 per cent, in the number of cleaning employees in 2020. It was the first time such a thing had happened in many years. Companies with turnovers under €500,000 are largely involved in office and building cleaning activities. As for the big companies, those with turnovers of €20 million or more, they are more heavily involved in work for industrial and commercial sites, for hotels, hospitals, schools and transport facilities. In the French cleaning sector, 64 per cent of the workforce are women, and the mean age of all cleaning workers is 45. Almost half of these workers have several employers, as 68 per cent of cleaning employees have part-time jobs.

Next edition of ECJ - November En France, la Fédération des entreprises de propreté a publié un état des lieux du secteur. Christian Bouzols en dégage les principales conclusions.

Der französische Verband für Vertragsreinigungsunternehmen FEP hat gerade seinen neuesten Bericht über den Zustand der Branche veröffentlicht, meldet Christian Bouzols für das ECJ.

L’associazione francese delle imprese di appalti di pulizia FEP ha appena pubblicato il suo ultimo rapporto sulla situazione del settore; ce ne parla il corrispondente di ECJ Christian Bouzols.

LATEST: UK

LATEST: NETHERLANDS

Done well, cleaning does you good

Chartered in cleaning

John Griep reports on VSR’s recent meeting at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam.

Cleaning professionals can now achieve chartered status, as Lynn Webster in the UK explains.

The Johan Cruyff Arena is a unique location for several reasons. One of them is that four matches of the UEFA European Football Championship were played here at the beginning of the summer. “At the time, we had to hand over the building for a month and a half,” the stadium’s director of facility management told VSR members. “UEFA took full control of the stadium and checked every nook and cranny. Everything had to be dressed up and covered over. It was a huge transformation.” And all of that while the pandemic was going on in the background. How do you prevent the spread of infection in a situation like that? How do you guarantee safety? “We organised 450 disinfection posts, waste bins for face masks, cough screens, remote kiosk queues and digital press conferences. During those weeks, the cleaners did an incredible job. They expanded the cleaning programme to include blue zones, periodic cleaning, UVC lamps in the toilets and incident reporting. It was very intense and highly exceptional.” According to the director of facility management: “The pandemic gave us an insight into how to create cleaner buildings for the user. Nowadays, people have developed greater respect for cleaning.” In the stadium, an even closer cooperation has been established with its cleaning partner, CSU. “Together, we looked at critical areas that required additional attention. One of those vulnerable areas is the changing room, as that is where all the players sit together. If contamination occurs there, the impact Rapportant des PaysBas, John Griep évoque la première assemblée des membres de la VSR à se tenir en personne depuis le début de la pandémie.

is enormous. The same also applies to the toilets. We defined a number of zones where we made additional investments in hygiene and equipment in order to guarantee the maximum degree of safety.” Together, they started thinking about the conditions that contribute towards a healthy building and about the resources that can be used. While digitalisation, real-time monitoring and UVC cleaning certainly support professional cleaning, the FM director believes they will never replace it. “Cleaning cannot be automated. The best results are achieved by using good people, who have been well trained, receive good instructions and who believe in what they do.” This appreciation for professional cleaning services nowhere as present as it is at VSR and that has been the case for some years now. For more than 40 years, VSR has been working to bring about the professionalisation of the cleaning profession through research, information and education. And yet, during the pandemic, we still sat down to reflect anew and ask ourselves - what is our mission? Or, as our chairman Diane van Dijk said to the VSR members: “What are the elements that actually make VSR what it is?” There are actually three elements of importance: 1. Research, 2. Being a knowledge institution and 3. Being an independent platform. Van Dijk: “Those three elements are about ‘how’ and ‘what’, but a third factor that is at least as relevant is ‘why’? Why does VSR carry out its core activity? And why is that important to VSR’s member groups?” The conclusion: done well, cleaning does you good!

Aus den Niederlanden berichtet John Griep über das vor Kurzem stattgefundene Sommer-Event des VSR, die erste „persönliche“ Zusammenkunft von Mitgliedern seit der Zeit vor der Pandemie.

Dai Paesi Bassi, il corrispondente John Griep ci parla del primo evento “di persona” dei membri del VSR che si è tenuto recentemente come evento estivo sin dall’inizio della pandemia.

We are all proud to acknowledge the professionalism of our industry. It is exciting to see many avenues being promoted for the upskilling and recognition of our workforce. Until now what has been missing is the acknowledgement of our status in terms of senior management positions and in the boardroom. Our senior teams have sat unrecognised amongst the chartered accountants, engineers, surveyors, marketers, etc. A chartered professional is someone who has gained the level of skills and competence in their chosen field of work and has been recognised for this achievement. It becomes a public commitment of your ethics and values and perception of you amongst other likeminded professionals. And now we are able to join them aligning our own formal credentials with the Register of Chartered Practitioners in Environmental Cleaning and becoming chartered environmental cleaners. This will include the post nominal of CEnvCln. This chartered designation is the outcome of considerable work over seven years through the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners which received its Royal Charter in 2010 and recent approval from the Privy Council for the award. The register is a means of recognising, demanding and maintaining high standards from individuals whilst they demonstrate a commitment to continuing professional development. Such individuals can come from the cleaning and a wide range of associated industries; applying their integrity; operating at a strategic, senior Dans son compte-rendu du Royaume-Uni, Lynn Webster explique que les cadres de direction du secteur de la propreté peuvent désormais obtenir le statut de professionnel agréé, comme peuvent déjà le faire des comptables, ingénieurs, arpenteursgéomètres, etc.

level; demonstrating significant competency in knowledge, practical skills, leadership, communication and commitment. So, what will this mean? Why would you want to hold chartered status? This is an acknowledgement to colleagues, peers and prospective employers of your knowledge and constant dedication to being a professional. It will demonstrate public declaration of your professional standards whilst committing to aligning your ethics and values with improved perception amongst other established professions. It is a reflection of a career in cleaning when perhaps earlier learning and experiences have become forgotten in how they mould their business world of today. It allows for personal acknowledgement of the highs and sometimes lows in a career that can change direction many times. Now is the time to gain the endorsement of sometimes decades of great effort and hard work. Have an external validation of your personal achievements. It is about YOU and not the company or the business success. Why wouldn’t you aspire to have that recognised? The launch will be at The Cleaning Show in London in November where there will be recognition for those who have been successful during the pilot stage and an initial cohort of successful applicants. There is still time to complete a submission to become a member of the first cohort of successful practitioners. The numbers will grow to establish the award as credit to all cleaning professionals in the UK and beyond. wc-ec.com/chartered-practitioner

Lynn Webster berichtet aus dem Vereinigten Königreich, dass Führungskräfte in der Reinigungsbranche jetzt einen amtlich zugelassenen Status erreichen können – entsprechend den zugelassenen Wirtschaftsprüfern, DiplomIngenieuren, staatlich geprüften ImmobilienSachverständigen/ Gutachtern usw.

Dal Regno Unito, la corrispondente Lynn Webster ci informa che i professionisti dirigenti del settore del cleaning possono ora ottenere l’iscrizione all’albo professionale, in linea con i commercialisti, gli ingegneri, gli ispettori ecc.

October 2021 | ECJ |17

WE OFFSET OUR CARBON EMISSIONS.

JUST NATURAL AIRFLOW.

CARE OF HARD FLOORS

Why care about a hard floor? Why do hard floors need regular care? Ann Laffeaty looks at arguments for regular cleaning and maintenance and asks manufacturers about the types of activities that can lead to the most floor damage.

It is usually taken as read that hard floors need regular care. But why? Tasks such as cleaning, sweeping, scrubber drying and polishing are all time-consuming and expensive. So, what is the worst that could happen if a floor were to be left uncleaned and unmaintained? Soils and contaminants could cause serious safety risks if they were allowed to remain on a surface, says Denis Rawlins’ managing director James White. “Poorly-maintained floors are the source of many accidents, both in public venues and in the workplace,” he said. “Whether it is a wet shopping centre entrance, a supermarket aisle spillage or a build-up of grease in a factory, floors that have been badly maintained are the cause of thousands of injuries each year.” He says most businesses view slips and trips as inevitable, blaming factors such as human error and adverse weather conditions. “However, most accidents of this nature are avoidable if a proper floorcare regime is practised,” he said. Besides reducing the risk of falls he claims a regular floor maintenance regime is also important for retaining a smart and professional appearance. “If the soil is lifted on a regular basis, daily cleaning to remove the day’s dirt will be sufficient and will avoid the need for periodic deep cleans,” he said. Denis Rawlins’ new Kaivac AutoVac Stretch is designed for rapid response cleaning. The machine uses a drop-down squeegee with microfibre spreader pad plus a powerful wet and dry vacuum to remove the soiled solution in one pass and store it in a separate recovery tank.

20 | October 2021 | ECJ

A neglected floor would result in damage that could not be addressed using regular cleaning methods, claims Kärcher’s floorcare product manager Christian Mrowka. “A costly and time-consuming deep-clean would be required and the floor’s lifespan would be shortened. “And repairing or replacing the floor would be significantly more expensive - and involve more effort - than regular intermediate cleaning.” Hard floors need a sustained level of care for several reasons, he says. “Cleaning removes the dust which would otherwise swirl up in the air and lead to dusty surfaces plus poor indoor air quality,” said Mrowka. “The regular removal of dirt also prevents soil and grime from spreading further into the building. And there is strong evidence that floors may be contaminated with high levels of pathogenic organisms. With regular cleaning, the degree of contamination can be kept very low.” The correct tools and detergents can help to prolong the life of a floor, according to Mrowka. “Dust and sand increase the level of wear so these substances need to be removed via maintenance cleaning,” he said. “And there are ingredients in detergents and cleaning agents that will protect the floor and support its natural resistance.” An uncleaned floor would compromise hygiene and result in a poorer appearance and potential safety risks, he said. “The floor would eventually become slippery, and the larger dirt particles could represent a tripping hazard.” Kärcher offers a range of scrubber dryers plus a full line of walk-behind and rideon sweepers. These come with various accessories including soft, hard, antistatic roller and side brushes depending on the floor type and the level of dirt involved. Floors attract more dirt than any other surface - and a spotless floor is a valuable business card for any company, says IPC’s content marketing and social media manager Chiara Molardi.

“Nowadays it is not simply a question of floor cleaning and maintenance – it is also about disinfection and sanitisation,” she says. “The aim should be to reduce the spread of microorganisms and pathogens responsible for infections.” She adds that a dull film will appear over the surface of a floor that has not been properly cleaned and maintained. “This will be detrimental to the shine while the appearance of stains, dust and streaks will make the floor look dirty and unattractive.” says Molardi She says hard floors should be cleaned frequently - even those experiencing low levels of traffic. “Floors can easily be damaged by heavy loads, wheels, dirty shoes, high heels and by dragging chairs and tables across them,” she said. “And accidental spills of substances such as oily liquids or glues will also be detrimental.” IPC offers a range of ride-on and walk behind sweepers plus scrubber dryers, mops and vacuums.

Damage surfaces Floors represent five per cent of a building’s total value according to Filmop’s export area manager Paolo Scapinello. “Regular care is therefore essential to prolong the floor’s life and for aesthetic and hygiene reasons,” he said. If dirt is not removed from an untreated floor it will damage the surface and reduce the floor’s lifespan, he adds. “And if a treated floor is not cleaned regularly, the treatment itself may deteriorate and there will be a need for costly restoration interventions,” said Scapinello. The type a damage a floor receives will depend on the climate, season, traffic and building type, he says. “The external dirt brought inside via people’s feet could be fine dust in summer or mud mixed with de-icing salt in winter,” he explains. “Regular cleaning is essential on all types of floors - even those with low traffic - to ensure a long life. And regular cleaning reduces maintenance costs and avoids the need for extra interventions.” Filmop’s Baggy Kit is designed for the

CARE OF HARD FLOORS

quick collection of solid waste, liquid and semi-liquid substances. The company also offers Top-Down hermetic buckets on its wringer trolleys for pre-soaking plus Equodose for soaking on demand. Prochem sales representative Stuart Macmillan agrees hard floors need regular care to combat wear and tear. “Without care and attention, natural phenomena such as sunlight, rain, sand and grit would speed up deterioration rates,” he said. “Even floors that attract low levels of traffic can be damaged by contaminants such as wind-blown particles.” Most floor contaminants are carried in by foot which means regular sweeping, vacuuming and dust mopping are essential, he says. “Certain types of damage such as deep scratch marks on wood may eventually require sanding - and that’s when the process becomes expensive,” said Macmillan. “Pressure from high heels and mechanical traffic such as metal trolleys will also eventually cause permanent damage.” He says a quality entrance mat is just as important as a floorcare system. “This will remove most of the dust, sand, mud and moisture before it can contaminate and damage the floor surface.”

Extend lifespan Prochem offers a range of hard floor maintenance products including R602 Proseal for porous or semi-porous floorings such as vinyl and linoleum; C503 Proshine for protecting the floor and C502 Protreat for burnishing the polished layer and promoting a longer life. Regular mopping and scrubbing can remove up to 80 per cent of contaminants according to Hako’s application technology trainer and consultant Klaus Serfezi. “Standard cleaning should be sufficient in most situations besides hygiene-critical environments such as hospitals, nursing homes and the food sector,” he said. “Regular maintenance will extend the floor’s lifespan – but poor cleaning methods could damage the floor.” He says every floor will eventually show signs of wear, no matter how much traffic it has. “However, the strain on floors in supermarkets and DIY stores due to the use of shopping trolleys and pallet stackers plus the sheer number of customers

Les planchers durs ont-ils vraiment besoin de soins réguliers ? Qu’en serait-il si on les laissait sans le moindre entretien et sans nettoyage, quel que soit leur degré d’usure ? Nous examinons les arguments en faveur de la pratique de soins réguliers à ce type de plancher et interrogeons des fabricants sur les activités qui sont susceptibles d’y causer le plus de dommages.

will keep the floor clean to the best possible standard,” she said. Porous limestone and sandstone floors should be sealed and cleaned with a scrubber dryer or a single-disc rotary machine plus a neutral detergent, says Prochem’s Stuart Macmillan. He adds polished marble and granite should be regularly mopped, swept and treated with a hard floor maintenance spray buff product. And vinyl and rubber should be sealed, polished and maintained with a hard floor maintainer spray plus a single-disc high speed machine and a red pad.

is likely to be much more severe than in, say, a department store or furniture shop where customers simply stroll around the place leisurely,” he said. “And industrial floors have to bear the additional impact of extreme mechanical stress caused by forklifts and other industrial trucks.” Hako offers sweepers, scrubber dryers and vacuums including DustStop for low-dust sweeping and Hako AntiBac for antibacterial cleaning. So, what does a good floorcare plan look like? There is no one-size-fits-all answer, according to Serfezi. “It depends on the type of traffic and soiling,” he said. “Not every floor requires daily cleaning, but it is important to adapt the frequency of maintenance cleaning to the extent of soiling.” Kärcher’s Christian Mrowka agrees a good floorcare plan will be dependent on floor type and soiling levels. “Scrubber dryers are ideal on high-traffic floors because they offer high mechanical power and leave no water behind,” he claims. “Residual water when using a mop will increase the risk of slips and lead to a continuous build-up of dirt and detergent resulting in a grey-haze - which can only be removed with aggressive deep cleaning.” Kärcher’s sweepers product manager Marciliano Schneider adds: “Where high levels of dirt have accumulated, a sweeper should be used followed by a clean with a scrubber dryer. And in particularly dusty areas, the whirling up of dust can be prevented by an active filter system.” A good floor maintenance plan should begin with a thorough clean, says IPC’s Chiara Molardi. “After deep cleaning and waxing, a regular maintenance regime via sweeping, vacuuming or damp cleaning

“Such floors should be swept daily and damp-mopped with a mild degreaser,” he said. “Wood also benefits from sealing with a quality wood seal and maintainer.” Denis Rawlins’ James White advocates a dual approach to cleaning. “If the soil is lifted daily it will avoid the need for more intensive methods, such as scrubbing and deep cleaning,” he said. “A high-flow fluid extraction system will loosen the dirt and suction it away again to leave a clean, dry floor. And a good spill response will help to reduce slipping risks and keep down-time to a minimum.” However, prevention should be the first step in any floorcare plan, says Filmop’s Paolo Scapinello. “An outside mat will remove the coarse dirt from people’s shoes and an inside mat will take care of residual soiling,” he said. “Cleaning must then start with dusting in environments such as schools, offices and airports, and with pre-soaked cloths in healthcare facilities. It is only after the dust has been removed that floor washing and disinfection can be carried out successfully.”

Warum benötigen Hartböden eigentlich regelmäßige Pflege? Was würde geschehen, wenn sie nicht gereinigt und gepflegt werden würden – egal, wie stark sie beansprucht werden? Wir betrachten die Argumente für die regelmäßige Reinigung und Pflege von Hartböden und fragen Hersteller, durch welche Arten von Aktivitäten die Böden am stärksten beschädigt werden können.

Per quale motivo i pavimenti duri necessitano realmente di cure regolari? Cosa succederebbe se venissero lasciati non puliti e senza manutenzione, senza considerare a quanta usura sono stati sottoposti? Esaminiamo gli argomenti per la pulizia e la manutenzione regolari dei pavimenti duri e chiediamo ai produttori quali tipi di interventi possono portare al peggior danno per i pavimenti.

Prevention first

October 2021 | ECJ | 21

PRODUCTS: CARE OF HARD FLOORS

Large areas Keep up to date with industry news at the ECJ website - visit europeancleaning journal.com

• La nouvelle autolaveuse autoportée Scrubmaster B400 R de Hako est capable de traiter de très grandes surfaces. • L’autolaveuse robotique T16 AMR a été réalisée par Tennant pour des applications industrielles. • L’autolaveuse Kärcher BR 30/1 est conçue pour de petits espaces où l’on aurait précédemment utilisé un balai humide. • La société RCM a lancé la balayeuse autoportée Mille Plus.

• Mit der neuen AufsitzScheuersaugmaschine Scrubmaster B400 R Series von Hako sind auch größte Flächen zu bewältigen. • Die robotische Scheuersaugmaschine T16 AMR wurde von Tennant für den Einsatz in industriellen Anwendungen konzipiert. • Die Scheuersaugmaschine BR 30/1 von Kärcher wurde für kleine Bereiche entwickelt, wo früher ein Mopp eingesetzt wurde. • Neu von RCM ist die AufsitzKehrmaschine Mille Plus.

As production facilities,logistics halls and warehouses continue to increase in size Hako has developed the Scrubmaster B400 R series with maximised battery capacity and a 400-litre solution and recovery tank. This means it can cover up to 14,000 square metres per hour.

Three models are available to meet the needs of differing applications, with working widths of 123 or 155 cm. Optional extras include the X-AC front and rear drive that manages inclines of up to 15 per cent in cleaning mode. The vacuum sweeper and scrubber dryer combi Scrubmaster B400 RH with automated high dump is equipped with a 150-litre dirt hopper for large amounts of coarse dirt. The Scrubmaster B400 RM, meanwhile, has two 44-litre dirt hoppers for manual emptying. And the Scrubmaster B400 R is a highly manoeuvrable model that can be upgraded with a quick-connect system for precleaning tools or tools for special applications, for example a light debris collector. www.hako.com

Ride-on robot • La nuova lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo della Hako, il modello Scrubmaster B400 R Series, vanta una vasta area di lavoro. • La lavasciuga pavimenti robotica T16 AMR è stata progettata dalla Tennant per l’uso industriale. • La lavasciuga pavimenti BR 30/1 della Kärcher è progettata per aree di piccole dimensioni dove in precedenza sarebbe stato utilizzato un mop. • La novità della RCM è la spazzatrice con operatore a bordo Mille Plus.

22 | September 2021 | ECJ

Tennant has just launched the largest of its autonomous floor cleaning machines, the ride-on T16AMR robotic scrubber dryer. It’s the first robot built on an industrial scrubber dryer platform for the company and is designed for logistics and manu-

facturing applications. The machine is powered by the BrainOS artificial intelligence and robotic technology platform. Features include supervisor notification of route completion and weekly reporting. tennantco.com

Mechanical With the launch of the BR30/1 scrubber dryer Kärcher is offering an alternative to classic mopping systems in small and restricted areas. It claims this battery powered machine combines the advantages of manual and mechanical cleaning. The pre-sweeping function for coarse dirt and hair is claimed to reduce cleaning time by up to 50 per cent. Two rotating rollers and optimum contact pressure achieve a better result than manual cleaning, Kärcher says.

Floor disinfection is also possible, and the BR 30/1 automatically picks up the dirty water. Floors are dry enough to walk on again after one or two minutes. Battery runtime is one hour, and charging takes 40 minutes. www.karcher.com

Robust sweeper The latest ride-on industrial sweeper from RCM is the Mille Plus which boasts better dust control, bigger container capacity, easier maintenance and improved operator comfort. This, the company says, results in maximum hourly productivity and lower costs thanks to reduced working hours. www.rcm.it

PRODUCTS: CARE OF HARD FLOORS

Polishing pads

Schwamborn manufactures the oscillating Schwamborn OES 430 floor cleaning machine and has now developed Furby diamond pads specifically for polishing. The bonding of many fine diamonds ensures 3D freedom of movement and a long service life, the company says, while micro-diamonds can also be used on hard floors without scratching them. This combination of machine and accessory has low heat development, it says, so floors can be polished dry. www.schwamborn.com

Smart robot Aziobot is a Netherlands-based start-up business specialising in robotics and it has recently launched the SB2 autonomous scrubber dryer. Now in use in schools, hospitals and industrial applications, the robot can clean for up to five hours on its lithium ion battery, which can then be quickly recharged. Up to 5,000 square metres can be cleaned in one charge, while smart water consumption reduces water usage.

Mop faster With Greenspeed’s Click’M C flat mop system the operator simply needs to slip the frame into the pocket of the mop, press the handle down and the magnetic fastening immediately locks the mop into place. Then it’s ready to start cleaning. After cleaning, the operator presses the green button with their foot to release release the frame and slides the used mop into the laundry bag without touching it.

Redesigned

The frame has smooth, clean lines to prevent dirt from sticking to it, and each microfibre mop has a sturdy gauze finish, allowing dirt to be removed more quickly from the pocket during washing. There are seven mop types in the range. The Twist Mop is or damp cleaning hard floors, while the Multi Mop is a multifunction mop for damp cleaning of delicate materials (also walls and doors). For cleaning and scrubbing of uneven water resistant floors there’s Scrub Mop, and Qualitative Slide Mop is for demanding hygiene areas. Allround Mop is for damp cleaning of floors and it can also be used to sweep away dust. Its long fibre length is particularly well suited to cleaning uneven floors. And for demanding hygiene environments, Heavy Duty Mop is suitable for use on heavily soiled floors and with strong disinfectants. www.greenspeed.eu

Ceramic care After a simple mapping process the robot generates its own cleaning plan. This, says Aziobot, offers more flexibility in terms of using the same machine in multiple areas, without having to teach or pre-programme it. It can also integrate well with people walking around thanks to its smart sensors. www.aziobot.com

and the micropores of ceramic tile. Eclipse Ceramic Restorer is a penetrating sealer that fills micro-pores in the tile and grout, protecting the surfaces and restoring gloss. For protection against discolouration there’s Eclipse Ceramic Grout Sealer while Eclipse Ceramic Daily Cleaner helps to minimise scratches, wear patterns and soiling. Finally, Eclipse Anti-Slip Treatment micro-etches a fine texture into the ceramic surface. pioneereclipse.com

A floor care programme combining solutions for ceramic tile has been developed by Pioneer Eclipse. The Ceramic Floor Care programme encompasses restoration to maintenance. Eclipse Ceramic HD Cleaner removes tough dirt build-up, grease, oil, hard water deposits and soap scum from grout lines

Truvox International has redesigned its Multiwash line of scrubber dryers. Effective on all surfaces – from carpets to hard floors, and escalators to entrance matting, the Multiwash Pro leaves floors ready to walk on in minutes.

Available in 24 cm, 34 cm and 44 cm cleaning widths, it delivers productivity rates from 250 to 450 square metres per hour, and is easy to assemble, use and maintain. The new design features an increased brush diameter for improved cleaning performance, and the tanks are accessible and easily removed. www.truvox.com

Heavy-duty The new ARA 100|BM 200 ride-on scrubber dryer from Columbus is designed for heavy duty use on large areas with its 200-litre solution water tank. Features include double cylindrical brushes or disc brushes, adjustable brush pressure, allwheel drive for gradients of up to 20 per cent, rotary front side broom, water and chemical dosing and manual suction tool. The battery allows this model to run for up to seven hours. www.columbus-clean.com

• Pour le polissage de sols durs, Schwamborn a développé les tampons diamantés Furby Pads. • La SB2 est l’autolaveurs à marche continue mise au point par la société Aziobot. • Proposé par Greenspeed, le système à tampon plat de balayage humide CLICK’M C serait un moyen plus rapide et hygiénique de nettoyage de planchers. • Pioneer Eclipse présente le Ceramic Floor Program, assorti de produits chimiques et procédés de traitement. • Truvox International a remanié la conception de sa gamme d’autolaveuses Multiwash. • Sous l’appellation ARA 100 BM 200, Columbus a lancé une autolaveuse autoportée à service sévère.

• Zum Polieren von Hartböden hat Schwamborn die Furby Pads mit Diamanten entwickelt. • SB2 ist die von Aziobot entwickelte, autonome Scheuermaschine. • Greenspeed teilt mit, dass Böden mit dem Flachmoppsystem CLICK’M C schneller und hygienischer gereinigt werden können. • Pioneer Eclipse bietet das Ceramic Floor Program, das Chemikalien und Verfahren umfasst. • Truvox International a remanié la conception de sa gamme d’autolaveuses Multiwash. • Neu von Columbus ist die hochwertige AufsitzScheuersaugmaschine ARA 100 BM 200.

• La Schwamborn ha sviluppato i dischi Furby Pads contenenti polvere di diamante e adatti per la lucidatura dei pavimenti duri. • SB2 è la lavasciuga pavimenti autonoma sviluppata dalla Aziobot. • La Greenspeed afferma che il suo sistema di mop piatto CLICK’M C pulisce i pavimenti più velocemente e più igienicamente. • La Pioneer Eclipse propone il programma Ceramic Floor Program che comprende prodotti chimici e procedimenti. • La novità della Truvox International è la gamma di lavasciuga pavimenti rinnovata Multiwash. • Il nuovo prodotto della Columbus è la lavasciuga pavimenti industriale con operatore a bordo ARA 100 BM 200.

October 2021 | ECJ | 23

Let's change it for the better

FROM BACKSTAGE TO CENTRE STAGE: how the world is responding to new cleaning standards Across the board, the demand for more frequent, thorough, and efficient cleaning has increased. It is now business critical to demonstrate higher cleaning levels. These are the ‘Four Dimensions of Clean’ that constitute the new reality:

1 3

A new scope of cleaning Stricter procedures and more frequent cleaning requirements has elevated cleaning to a vital component for building trust and ensuring safety.

Transparent and visible cleaning Today, cleaning is an essential aspect of the brand experience - and cleaning has become an indicator of the quality of a business’s products or services. It is no longer enough to clean thoroughly and professionally – you need to show it, and your customers need to know it.

2 4

Tech-enhanced cleaning Industry leading advances in robotic cleaning and innovations in digital fleet management allow for more beneficial time savings and significantly reduced operational costs.

Sustainability in cleaning The focus now is to develop machine technology that not only makes sense economically, but also dials-in on meeting and even exceeding existing environmental standards – all while reshaping sustainability initiatives from the inside.

Nilfisk supports and works with: • The UN Sustainable Development Goals • Science Based Targets initiative

COMMITMENT TO A GREENER FUTURE

• Carbon Disclosure Project

Innovation has always been part of the Nilfisk DNA, and sustainability is now a basic requirement in creating new cleaning solutions, that support a healthy future for our planet.

“

Today sustainability is a basic requirement. Nilfisk is working persistently to reduce negative environmental impact, while working to maximise the value we create for people through aggressive green cleaning initiatives Rya Terney, Head of CSR at Nilfisk

Sustainability through innovation Nilfisk floor cleaning machines offer SmartFlow Technology, reducing water and chemical use up to 50% while the EcoFlex function uses significantly less detergent and water for faster one pass cleaning with no compromise on the level of clean. Meanwhile, chemical free disinfection is possible with the integrated UVGI (Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation) module for the Nilfisk Liberty SC50 robotic floor scrubber. UVGI is extremely effective in killing viruses and germs, significantly reducing the need for chemicals when disinfecting floors.

Meeting new challenges Today, a wide range of sustainable cleaning solutions are available. The Nilfisk CS7010 combination scrubber-sweeper, is one example of how even very large, powerful machines can be both environmentally friendly and energy-saving. Here, the introduction of Hybrid technology reduces total cost of ownership, whilst increasing fuel economy and runtime efficiency. In addition to floor cleaning, hot water pressure washers and steam cleaners are also a simple and efficient alternative to support sustainable cleaning. With strong pressure and high temperatures, they are capable of removing even the heaviest dirt and germs, with a minimal need for chemicals. Hot water pressure-washers with modern heating technology – such as the Nilfisk EcoPower heat exchanger – achieve excellent cleaning results, but consume only a minimum of water and energy, and emit extremely few pollutants. Finally, compared to a cold water pressure-washer, cleaning time can be reduced by up to 40%. In effect, faster cleaning in return also saves resources such as water, chemicals and energy.

For additional information on how you can partner with Nilfisk to better meet your own sustainability targets, visit: nilfisk.com/ECJ

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ELECTRONICS

Essential components The right choice of electronic components in a cleaning machine is just as important as the ergonomics and mechanical design. Marco Bruni at SED Special Electronic Design explains why in this exclusive piece for ECJ. The right choice of the electronic components of a cleaning machine is as important as the good ergonomics and mechanical design to determine the success of a machine. Each manufacturer and brand uses electronics not only for “powering” a machine but also for achieving important functionality and the user experience. Several functions previously managed using levers or mechanisms are today more and more delegated to an electronic system. Typically, the electronics in a modern cleaning machine, like a wet scrubber or sweeper, consists of: • a central unit (namely motors controller) that drives the main motors such as the traction, the sweeping brushes, the valves and electric actuators • a user-machine-interface (namely HMI) that allows the user to easily command the functions and receive messages from the vehicle. Let’s start our journey into electronics for cleaning machines by looking at the motor controller technology, and then we will better see how an HMI works. The basic function of a motor controller is simple: by varying the voltage applied to an electrical motor, the controller can adjust the motor speed enabling the machine to execute functions, enhance process control, reduce energy needs and optimise vehicle operations. Different motor technologies of course need of course different driving technologies. The most common used in professional cleaning machines is called PMDC (referred also as brushed motors) and it uses a permanent magnet to create the magnetic field required for the opera-

tion of a DC motor. This motor normally requires an electronic architecture that foresees a microprocessor, some drivers, and an H bridge. The architecture, the number of drivers and the H-bridge design depend on several factors. The most crucial is whether the motor has to spin on a mono-direction (eg, vacuum motor) or on a bi-direction (eg, traction motor). The so-called ‘single quadrant’ (often called 1Q) controller can only apply torque in the same vector polarity as the velocity ie, accelerating forwards (motoring). The ‘two quadrants’ (2Q) controller can apply a negative torque, but only when the velocity is negative ie, accelerating in reverse (motoring). The last category of motor controller is called ‘four quadrants’ (4Q) which means it can mix the two components despite their polarity. 4Q technology is also called H-bridge due to its H-shaped structure. This type of driver can apply a negative torque to a positive velocity to decelerate something that is already in motion and vice versa (generating). To do so the 4Q drive must overcome the back EMF (counter-electromotive force) generated by the motor. The four quadrants controller has the added benefit of regeneration. The kinetic energy in the decelerating can be transferred to electrical energy and then to the battery to increase the operation time of the machine. In multi-motors controllers, the 1Q-2Q-4Q categories can be mixed as required by the machine design, eg, a 4Q stage for traction can be packed with two

2Q stage to power the brushes. How to combine the different technologies in one or more controller is usually a strategy of the machine manufacturer. The table on this page summarises some key aspects used to choose the electronics architecture of a machine. Let’s see now how each component of the controller architecture works. The microprocessor is the brain of the controller. It is responsible for monitoring the input status and the power supply level (for safety reasons). When it detects a change in the input status, it sends a signal to the drivers. The drivers are special components that can produce a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) when activated in order to apply a voltage at the Mosfets (Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor FieldEffect Transistor). PWM speed control works by driving the motor with a series of on/off pulses and by varying the duty cycle of the pulses while keeping the frequency constant. The PWM given by the driver is afterwards transformed into ‘power applied to the motor’ by the mosfets. The mosfets are types of transistor. The voltage applied between gate and source pins determines the electrical conductivity of the device, therefore the electrical current across the component, up to the motor. Therefore, the driver and the mosfets control motor output by varying the width of these applied pulses and the average DC voltage applied to the motors terminals. By changing or modulating the timing of these pulses, the motor speed Continued page 28

October 2021 | ECJ | 27

ELECTRONICS Setting new standards (continued) can be controlled, ie, the longer the pulse is ‘on’, the faster the motor rotates and likewise, the shorter the pulse is ‘on’ the slower the motor rotates. Motor controllers in modern cleaning machines are very sophisticated. They should also be capable of reading the motor status and react to current or speed variation, or even to motor positions (this is the case of autonomous cleaning machines) to precisely drive a machine and ensure a smooth end-user experience. Technicians talk about closed control loops. There are three levels of complexity in closed loop controls: control of current, control of speed, control of position. In addition, a modern motor controller microprocessor combines several logical functions between motors and other inputs-outputs (eg, pumps flowrate), manages the current absorbed by each motor (eg, adaptive pressure) and controls rampBien choisir les composants électroniques d’une machine de nettoyage est aussi important que d’établir correctement son ergonomie et sa conception mécanique. Marco Bruni, de la société SED Special Electronic Design, le démontre dans un article exclusif pour ECJ.

28 | October 2021 | ECJ

up and ramp-down of a motor during start or stop respectively while it transmits real time data to the other equipment present on the machine or sends the data to a telematic system. Hence, a typical multi-motor controller that manages several machine functions like brushes, traction, vacuum, actuators for squeegee, pumps etc has a great responsibility. For example, in a small walk behind machine a typical controller manages brush and vacuum motor, plus the electro valve for liquids, but in a ride-on machine things are much more complex because there could be several brushes to be managed, the traction, the dosing pumps, the vacuum system, the floats and the actuators used on a motorised squeegee. If the motor controller remains hidden for most part of the time, the HMI is at the forefront. Users will interact with it daily, Die richtige Wahl der elektronischen Komponenten in einer Reinigungsmaschine ist genauso wichtig wie das ergonomische und mechanische Design. Marco Bruni von SED Special Electronic Design erläutert die Gründe dafür in diesem exklusive Artikel für das ECJ.

reading the machine status, using it for adjusting the machine settings, speed and recall functions. There are several types of HMI. There are simple HMI using switches and a simple charge battery status display, HMI with LEDs and touch-buttons and finally the most advanced ones that use graphic displays and multi-level menus. Now that the two main characters are established, there is one last thing to be set: the communication between the two. The controller must continuously exchange data with the HMI and vice-versa in order to accomplish their respective functions. There are several available communication technologies, usually digital. The most popular standards are serial communication or CANbus communication. While the first is usually more traditional and customised, the CANbus is a modern and universal standard. www.sedgroup.it La scelta corretta degli elementi elettronici per una macchine delle pulizie è importante tanto quanto l’ergonomicità e il design meccanico. Marco Bruni della SED Special Electronic Design ne spiega il motivo in questo articolo esclusivo per ECJ.

WASHROOM DISPENSERS

Opportunities with challenges An increase in health awareness is expected to drive the global washroom hygiene market over the coming years. Koen van den Braak, global marketing and sales director at FoOom Advanced Dispensing, takes a look at how current trends and challenges may affect the dispenser sector.

My ideal experience would be to enter a restaurant and the first thing I see is a sensor operated hand sanitiser on a floor stand welcoming me, then an automatic door, so no door handle to touch. I enter the place and there is a nice smell that takes me back to a given moment in time when I was a student… memories bring back memories and that makes me feel happy and comfortable. While waiting for my table I see a waiter with gloves cleaning and disinfecting the table and the chair. A programmed air quality device in the corner gives me an even better feeling; I feel safe and protected. Later that night I visit the washroom: nice fragrance and so a clean welcome; I open the door with a self-sanitising handle. My wife explains that in her toilet there was even a self-sanitising and rotating toilet seat. Anyway, the toilet roll dispenser automatically gives a sheet of paper and text on the dispenser says it is recycled plastic and the toilet paper itself is also recycled. The urinals installed in the men’s washroom have a small screen that says ´this urinal saves up to 70,000 litres of water per year´.

The ideal experience Then I walk towards the exit and I suddenly hear a recorded voice saying: “wash your hands”. I mean, it is not that I forgot to wash my hands, it’s my job to sell hand

hygiene so that would be a disaster. This device is for the huge percentage of visitors who don’t wash their hands. I use the sensor foam soap dispenser and clear my hands with an automatic tap. The intelligent waste bin opens automatically and pushes the piece of paper to the bottom to a safe space. I see a cleaner with a small portable scrubber dryer machine entering my washroom. He says: “Don’t worry, it is not a harsh chemical I apply, it is just a natural based cleaning agent.” One minute later he has finished and he continues the same job in the next washroom. When I step out of the washroom, the light automatically turns off immediately as if all elements in the washroom were working as a team. Back at my table I ask for the bill and give compliments for the perfectly serviced washroom. The owner says: “We never run out of paper or anything else, we have a system that is connected to the intelligent washroom devices that tell us when, where and what to refill.” I am one of the last customers and on my way out I see a self-steering robot vacuum cleaner going back to its base. What a pity it was closing time because I would have loved to see the kitchen and all its special features.

Our industry What we hear all the time in our cleaning and hygiene industry are phrases like ‘automation for improved hygiene’ or ‘smart products for increased efficiency’. On the other hand, and more and more in this difficult period, we hear ‘health, hygiene and safety’ alongside ‘sustainability; reducing plastics, chemicals, logistics, carbon footprint, saving on water, energy and paper’ or ‘excellent customer experience’.... Behind these washroom and related cleaning solutions there is a complete and complex industry of manufacturers, mould makers, plastic injection companies, designers, engineers, concept thinkers, importers, distributors and service provid-

ers like washroom service companies and logistics providers. At this very moment this whole concept is overshadowed by a huge headache that’s called ‘supply chain’.

Supply chain crisis The pandemic has highlighted the need for supply chains to be more flexible and resilient. At the start of the pandemic, Chinese suppliers were impacted, meaning companies in Europe and America were suddenly having sourcing problems as they could not get their goods out of China. Now, 18 months later, global shipping is still in crisis, with huge backlogs in shipping containers and it’s clear that a ‘back to normal’ still has a long way to go. Containers have become incredibly scarce and extremely expensive. One year ago, companies would pay roughly €2,500 to book a 40-feet container on a standard route between China and Europe. Now businesses are spending more than €14,000, an enormous increase. Many companies are forced to rethink their expansion plans and may have to increase prices, a sign of the broader damage caused by supply chain problems. One point of friction is that much of the cargo going from Europe back to Asia is low-value products and materials. As shipping prices have gone up, those trips aren’t worth it anymore, leaving containers stranded. Backlogs at ports mean it can currently take ships up to four times as long to dock and unload goods. The physical shortage of containers is one reason the cost of buying products in the Far East has increased so much.

Washroom hygiene The increase in health awareness and its importance is expected to drive the global washroom hygiene market during next years. The current global pandemic has further increased the demand for hygiene products and the world has also Continued page 30

October 2021 | ECJ | 29

WASHROOM DISPENSERS Opportunities with challenges (continued) understood the importance of hygiene on a wider scale. This scenario is projected to increase the demand for various washroom products, but are we able to supply and keep all our promises well enough as explained before, with the supply chain issues and the increased cost? Many products in washroom hygiene are made in the Far East. A general price increase is unavoidable for those products. Though we fortunately notice economic pick-up with reopening in the various sectors and regions right now, we have to conclude that 2021 is a very challenging year. Supply chain challenges and exceptional increases and decreases in demand in the various industries and sectors in which we operate clearly demonstrate this. While the Industry is continuing to Par suite d’une sensibilisation accrue aux questions de santé, on peut prévoir une expansion du marché mondial de produits pour toilettes collectives ces prochaines année. FoOom Advanced Dispensing examine les effets des tendances et défis du moment sur le secteur des distributeurs.

30 | October 2021 | ECJ

adapt to these challenging conditions and trying to absorb as much of that impact as possible, the significant and unexpected cost inflation in the Industry is unbearable. An increase that has not occurred for a very long time. Various components are now available only with significantly extended delivery times. At the same time we are confronted with scarcity and very sharp price increases of plastics, electronic components, metals, to name just a few. Delivery confirmations are currently repeatedly cancelled or postponed at short notice.

Far East or Europe? Could part of all this be solved by moving certain production processes back to Europe? What is the added value of ‘Made in Europe’ and what would be the consequence? Production back in Europe could be Es wird erwartet, dass ein gesteigertes Gesundheitsbewusstsein in den kommenden Jahren den globalen Markt für Waschraumhygiene antreiben wird. FoOom Advanced Dispensing wirft einen Blick auf die aktuellen Trends und Herausforderungen, die sich auf die Spenderbranche auswirken könnten

a real option to at least cope with the general price increase throughout the chain. In this way high transport costs and huge delivery issues are avoided and more flexibility can be offered to guarantee a constant hygiene level and thus safety and health for the user - just like my ideal restaurant experience. I, at least, want to go back to that restaurant with that same level of quality. I don’t want to enter the place and the sensor hand sanitiser stopped working because the product was from Far East and there is no replacement. I don’t want to touch a self sanitising toilet door handle with a piece of paper in my hand, nor a bad smelling washroom. Far East or Europe is a much broader discussion that would certainly be interesting to have further discussions about. www.fooom.eu Si prevede che l’aumento della consapevolezza della salute guiderà il mercato globale dell’igiene delle sale da toilette nei prossimi anni. FoOom Advanced Dispensing dà un’occhiata a come i trend attuali e le sfide possono influire sul settore dei dispenser.

The Dispenser Specialist Fooom Advanced Dispensing

Designed in Holland De nd

Made in the EU

Protect your economy Buy European See you at the Interclean Amsterdam 2022 contact@fooom.eu • www.fooom.eu • +34 666 570 701

PRODUCTS: WASHROOM DISPENSERS

• Conçu pour ne pas tomber à vide en période de forte affluence, Tork propose le distributeur de serviettes continues PeakServe. • Les distributeurs de toilette collective North Shore, de la société Northwood, sont à maintenance minimale et pertes nulles. • Le distributeur XIBU XL FLUID, un appareil hybride pour l’hygiène des mains et la protection de la peau, fournit une information de consommation et de taux de remplissage. * Der Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel Dispenser wurde mit dem Ziel konzipiert, dass Handtücher auch dann immer verfügbar sind, wenn viel los ist. • North Shore-Waschraumspender von Northwood bieten geringe Wartung und Null Abfall. • Beim XIBU XL FLUID hybrid handelt es sich um einen Spender für Handhygiene und Hautschutz, der außerdem Daten über Verbrauch und Füllstand liefert.

• Il dispenser di asciugamani Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel Dispenser è progettato per evitare che gli asciugamani si esauriscano durante i periodi di maggior traffico. • I dispenser per sale da toilette North Shore della Northwood vantano una manutenzione minima e nessuno spreco. • Il dispenser di prodotti per l’igiene delle mani e per la protezione della pelle XIBU XL FLUID hybrid forniscono i dati sul consumo e i livelli di riempimento.

32 | October 2021 | ECJ

Efficient hygiene Designed to prevent hand towels from running out during busy periods is Essity’s Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel Dispenser. The unit serves more than 1,000 users between refills, ensuring a continuous supply of towels. It takes three seconds to access a towel from the unit, allowing the washroom visitor to quickly take one and move away, freeing up space for the next user. The towels are dispensed in a continuous loop which eliminates jamming. Also from Essity is the Tork Skincare Dispenser which is designed to facilitate hand

washing. The unit requires a particularly low push-force, making hand hygiene accessible to everyone including the very young and the frail and elderly. The company also offers the Tork Vision Cleaning digital solution for its dispensers, which enables cleaners to check on washroom requirements via a smartphone or tablet. www.tork.co.uk

Four rolls The core of the North Shore range of washroom dispensers from Northwood is the Orbit four roll dispenser which has a capacity of up to 5,000 sheets of toilet tissue. There is also the compact Side-by-Side toilet roll dispenser with its 2,500 sheet capacity, two different high capacity roll towel dispensers, a Hands-Free roll towel dispenser, the premium towel on-demand Hybrid dispenser and a soap dispenser.

The North Shore range is low maintenance and delivers zero waste. Packaging is recyclable, plastic inserts are made from recycled bottle tops and are recyclable. www.northwood.co.uk

Transmits data The XIBU XL FLUID hybrid from Hagleitner dispenses industrial hand and skin protection products while also transmitting device data as standard. It provides information on consumption, fill level, and energy status in real time - data that can be accessed live. There is also an archive function, which can be helpful with official inspections says the company. This makes it possible to monitor whether people are applying barrier cream prior to working, for example, and if they use hand cream after the last hand wash of the working day. www.hagleitner.com

BUSINESS: CASH

Speculating on the future of cash

The huge surge in digital transactions during the Covid pandemic has renewed speculation about the future of cash. So will we see the emergence of a cashless global economy anytime soon? Hartley Milner seeks some answers. Remember the last time you handled cash? For me, it was the rental fees I raked in from the portfolio of houses and hotels I built up to enrich myself at the expense of family members. Did I have any pangs about exploiting loved ones? Not a bit of it … in fact, I laughed all the way to the bank. I hasten to point out here – in case you have not already twigged – the hoard of cash I accumulated was Monopoly money. Like many families during the lockdowns, we dusted off board games dug out from the darkest recesses of cupboards to help keep us amused and maintain our sanity. Growing up, I discovered I had a ruthless streak playing Monopoly that gave me an edge in the sibling rivalry stakes. And after all these years I was delighted at how easily I got back in touch with my innerRachman. There were a few mumblings about how I always seemed to end up

owning the most lucrative properties, and, like the notorious slum landlord of ’50s and ’60s London, why I seemed fated never to land in jail. Any suggestion that I cheated was greeted with “you will be hearing from my lawyer”. But I gained much more from my wheeler-dealing … Monopoly provided my earliest introduction to capitalism, and physically handling play money taught me the value of the real thing. So it was with some dismay that I discovered that maker Hasbro had brought out a digital ‘voice banking’ version that electronically tracks all transactions, presumably to stop cheating … and, horror of horrors, it dispenses with cash altogether!

The value of money Could a whole generation of children now grow up not knowing the value of money? “Removing physical Monopoly money reduces the educational benefit of the game by glossing over the important task of learning to manage and count your money,” said Nicole Strbich, director of financial planning at Buckingham Advisors. Also, research shows that we are willing to spend more – as much as 100 per cent

more – when paying by credit card rather than cash. The fall from favour of cash is tracked in the 2021 Global Payments Report from payments processing company Worldpay. It found Covid restrictions impacted most heavily on the high street. In 2020, cash accounted for 20.5 per cent of global point-of-sale (POS) volume, a 32 per cent reduction from 2019. The pandemic accelerated the decline by more than three years, exceeding in 2020 the projection for 2023. “We project this decline will continue well after the pandemic, falling an additional 38 per cent by 2024, when it is forecast to represent just 12.7 per cent of POS transactions,” the report says. “Following a year of profound disruption, businesses are looking to rebuild smarter in 2021, adapting to accelerating changes in technology and consumer behaviour. “However, cash is not dead and should be accepted wherever consumers demand it and where mandated by legislation.” Worldpay predicts that mobile wallets – a mobile app that allows you to store cash Continued page 34 and make payments without credit cards

October 2021 | ECJ | 33

BUSINESS: CASH Speculating on the future of cash (continued) or online banking – will account for more than a third of global POS transactions by 2024, rising to become the dominant payment method worldwide. So what forms of digital currency could we be using in future? In the UK, where contactless payments now account for 60 per cent of retail transactions, the Bank of England (BoE) and the Treasury are looking at a central bank digital currency (CBDC). CBDCs carry the same guarantees that back a nation’s paper currency and are equivalent to their values. Commercial banks and other financial institutions already hold electronic money in the form of central bank reserves, which they use to pay each other. A CBDC would make central bank money accessible to both consumers and businesses. CBDCs are inspired by cryptocurrencies, but because they are pegged to the national currency and controlled by governments they are not subject to the same volatility as their private-sector counterparts. Bitcoin, Ethereum and others are free-floating, meaning their prices are linked to the markets, where fortunes can be rapidly lost as well as made. A digital currency, dubbed Britcoin by British chancellor Rishi Sunak, could cut banking costs dramatically for small businesses. However, there are concerns that a digital version of the pound could create financial instability, making it harder for the Bank of England to regulate the economy with monetary policies such as setting interest rates. Critics also warn that the introduction of Britcoin could lead to higher loan and mortgage costs as millions of people switch their cash to a central bank digital currency, slashing the amount of money high street banks have on deposit to lend to borrowers.

Digital currencies The Bank of England’s CBDC taskforce is expected to report back to Sunak with its recommendations by the end of the year. But Sunak tweeted recently: “We have not yet made a decision on whether to introduce a CBDC in the UK. Just as importantly, any potential UK CBDC would exist as a complement to cash and bank deposits, and not a replacement.” Currencies are on a digital journey L’extraordinaire poussée des transactions numériques au cours de la pandémie a conduit à s’interroger sur l’avenir des opérations en argent. Faut-il y prévoir une disparition prochaine de l’usage de numéraire au sein de l’économie mondiale ? Hartley Milner cherche à obtenir quelques réponses à cette question.

34 | October 2021 | ECJ

worldwide. The US, Russia, Japan and Sweden are looking to launch national cryptocurrencies and China is well on its way to becoming the world’s first cashless economy. El Salvador has announced that it is grasping the Bitcoin nettle and adopting the cryptocurrency as legal tender alongside the US dollar. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank (ECB) is inching ever closer to introducing a digital euro. In April, the bank published its findings from consultations with EU citizens and professionals that spotlighted potential pitfalls for the eurozone. Chief among these were concerns about privacy, security, the ability to make payments across the euro area, additional costs to consumers and offline usability.

Privacy essential The ECB has now moved on to the next phase of the project, a two-year investigation into what a digital euro might look like. Experts at the ECB and national central banks of the euro area have laid down basic requirements to address people’s concerns about electronic money. They acknowledge that safeguarding privacy would be key to maintaining trust in payments in the digital age. If its findings are favourable, the ECB will create and trial possible solutions, working with banks and companies that could provide the technology and payment services. The study has thrown up no technical obstacles to a digital euro so far, and there could be a green dividend for the planet; the power needed to run tens of thousands of transactions per second was found to be negligible compared with the energy consumption of crypto-assets such as Bitcoin. On the future of cash, ECB executive board member Fabio Panetta said: “Though its use as a means of payment has declined during the pandemic, demand for cash has risen. For this reason, the Eurosystem is committed to safeguarding cash. We are taking concrete steps to

guarantee that cash continues to be available and accepted as a means of payment well into the future, including if we launch a digital euro.” However, not everyone is reassured and campaigns have sprung up demanding that the future of cash is protected in legislation. In the UK, consumer champion Which? found that during the pandemic the total number of ATMs in service dropped by almost 8,000, equivalent to 13 per cent of the total number. From the first national lockdown in March 2020 until the end of restrictions in July 2021, there were 801 bank branch closures, with another 103 set to close their doors by the end of the year. Which? head of money Gareth Shaw said: “While many people can now bank digitally, millions of people are not yet ready or able to do so. It is consumers who are looking to withdraw and spend cash in nearby shops or the high street who will be hardest hit if they are left without a way to access it locally.

Cash system crumbling “This should serve as a wake up call to the government and the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority). The cash system is continuing to crumble and legislation on safeguarding access to cash must be introduced swiftly.” Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “Older people who use cash and their local bank branch are finding it increasingly impossible to manage their money because more and more barriers are being put in their way. They don’t want to give up their independence by having to rely on a family member or neighbour, they want to keep control of how they do financial things – but they don’t want to, or can’t, do it online.” So what is the future for cash? While the trend towards electronic payments will continue apace, it seems the digital monopoly of money is still some way off … at least in the real world.

The European Cleaning & Hygiene Awards is the only pan-European awards programme for the professional cleaning sector. Entries are now open, with the winners being announced at a ceremony in Brussels next April. Visit echawards.com to find out more

Die ungeheure Zunahme bei digitalen Transaktionen während der Covid-Pandemie hat zu neuerlichen Spekulationen über die Zukunft von Bargeld geführt. Werden wir bald die Entstehung einer bargeldlosen Weltwirtschaft sehen? Hartley Milner begibt sich auf die Suche nach einigen Antworten.

L’enorme incremento nelle transazioni digitali durante la pandemia di Covid ha creato nuove speculazioni sul futuro del denaro contante. Vedremo quindi la comparsa di una economia globale senza denaro nel vicinissimo futuro? Hartley Milner cerca delle risposte.

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THE CLEANING SHOW

The Cleaning Show returns in London The UK’s cleaning exhibition, The Cleaning Show, takes place from November 2-4 at Excel exhibition centre in London. More than 60 exhibitors will be showcasing latest cleaning technologies for cleaning professionals. Show visitors to rethink the way they are managing their waste and recycling processes and source new suppliers. Taking place alongside the show is a full conference programme. Themes include the role of the sector post-pandemic; why the Living Wage matters more now than ever; sustainability; the rise of the co-bots; technology-led solutions in service delivery; apprenticeships and funding; infection control in the workplace; delivery of training; unscrupulous traders and how to spot them; and reducing your carbon footprint.

The event will also be the launch platform for the Register of Chartered Practitioners in Environmental Cleaning. Also new for 2021 the Cleaning & Support Services Association (CSSA) will be hosting its Innovation Showcase in a dedicated pavilion. This programme highlights and celebrates the industry’s most innovative

cleaning products, services and initiatives. The Window Cleaning World Cup is also returning, with all visitors being invited to enter. The competition will be professionally judged by Guinness World Record qualified adjudicators, For more information about the programme and visiting: cleaningshow.co.uk

Le salon britannique de la propreté, The Cleaning Show, reviendra à Londres du 2 au 4 novembre. 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 2. bis 4. November 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 2 al 4 novembre. ECJ fa un’anteprima dell’evento e porta notizie di importanti lanci di prodotti che avverranno durante l’evento.

October 2021 | ECJ | 39

PREVIEW: THE CLEANING SHOW

• Jangro apporte la démonstration de ses réalisations et de son engagement en matière de durabilité. • La nouvelle gamme de machines de nettoyage sans cordon NX300 Pro de la société Numatic recourt à la technologie des batteries au lithium. • Killis expose sa gamme Leobot de robots de nettoyage destinés à travailler de concert avec l’agent de nettoyage.

• Jangro betont seine Umweltfreundlichkeit und Verpflichtung zur Nachhaltigkeit. • Die neue Produktreihe NX300 Pro Cordless mit Reinigungsmaschinen von Numatic ist mit Lithium-IonenTechnologie ausgestattet. • Killis demonstriert die Produktreihe Leobot mit Reinigungsrobotern, die entwickelt wurden, um Hand in Hand mit dem Reinigungspersonal zu arbeiten.

• La Jangro enfatizza le sue credenziali verdi e il suo impegno per la sostenibilità. • La nuova gamma di macchine per le pulizie NX300 Pro Cordless prodotta dalla Numatic è dotata di tecnologia di batterie agli ioni di litio. • La Killis espone la gamma di robot di pulizia Leobot, progettati per lavorare in stretta collaborazione con gli operatori del settore delle pulizie.

40 | October 2021 | ECJ

Jangro

Killis

Distributor network Jangro is highlighting its commitment to sustainability, from trading responsibly and forming sustainable partnerships to minimising its impact on the environment. Visitors can also try for themselves digital innovations such as the Digital Wall Chart Creator and Virtual Reality Room Experience. Customer benefits of being aligned to Jangro include health and safety compliance, reliable nationwide service in the UK and Ireland, centralised fixed pricing, training programmes, budget control software and product usage guides. www.jangro.net

Killis is showcasing the LeoBot range of cleaning robots - each one specialises in a cleaning task but they are all designed to work alongside the human workforce with efficiencies in technology. One member of staff can be in charge of multiple machines. Each one is LionsOS operated and works via the LionsClean app, which means the operator continuously receives live updates and can optimise its performance in any facility. The system provides full usage and productivity statistics, live task and status reports. Water-saving technology incorporated into the robots means they use up to 70 per cent less water than other autonomous cleaning machines, says the manufacturer. Killis is the UK distributor for the machines, which are produced by LionsBot. www.lionsbot.com

Numatic Numatic has launched the NX300 Pro Cordless network of cleaning machines. An extensive development programme using

latest battery technologies has resulted in the newly developed 30 cell design, delivering a 60 per cent increase in available energy. The NX300 battery pack has been engineered and tested for extended commercial use. Users can specify and ultimately reduce charger and battery requirements, delivering up to a 50 per cent saving compared to stand-alone cordless fleets, says Numatic. The NX range includes both cylinder and back-pack vacuums along with the TTB1840NX scrubber dryer, 244NX compact scrubber dryer and RSU150NX Sanitise Pro. numatic.co.uk

PREVIEW: THE CLEANING SHOW

Optiqo Optiqo offers digital system solutions designed to optimise service performance whilst also reducing the cost of delivering facilities services. Thanks to AI and IoT real-time visitor traffic and attendance monitoring statistics generated, services can be refined to automatically direct operatives to clean where it’s necessary and respond to specific needs. Data is interpreted by Optiqo to give the service provider total visibility of activity in all buildings live on a dashboard using data gathered from: AI assessed audits; live foot-flow data; automatic operative actions

generated based on agreed footflow activity; QR requests and satisfaction reports; NFC sign-in and sign-out of areas; automatic changes made to specifications based on the use of buildings. www.optiqo.com

Northwood New from Northwood Hygiene Products is the Raphael line of washroom dispensers, designed to cater for all types of environment. Featuring the TwinJumbo toilet roll dispenser which holds up to 800 metres of roll, the range comprises two toilet tissue and four hand towel dispensers, plus a soap dispenser. The Raphael hand towel units offer contactless dispensing, whilst the toilet tissue unit has a Biokleen treated handle. The Whisper range of premium pure pulp toilet rolls, facial tissues and airlaid hand towels has been expanded. Whisper Green is the first 100 per cent recycled

luxury toilet tissue in the range. www.northwood.co.uk

P-Wave New from P-Wave is GermErase 24hr, a disinfectant that destroys bacteria, viruses, and fungi - approved for use on both skin and surfaces. For use on hands, it is dispensed using a foaming pump while on surfaces, it can be used in a trigger spray or fogger. The company will also be demonstrating its Steri-Core antimicrobial silver ion technology door furniture, designed to help reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses. And P-Wave’s urinal screen has now evolved into the fifth generation slant6 - biodegradable and featuring less plastic. p-wave.co.uk

• Optiqo aligne des solutions numériques destinées à optimiser la performance des services de propreté. • Northwood Hygiene Products aligne une nouvelle gamme de distribueurs pour toilettes collectives et certains produits à papier de soie. • GermErase 24hr est le nouveau désinfectant proposé par P-Wave, homologué pour usage sur la peau et les surfaces. • Optiqo bietet digitale Lösungen, die konzipiert wurden, um die Leistungserbringung bei der Gebäudereinigung zu optimieren. • Northwood Hygiene Products stellt eine neue Produktreihe mit Waschraumspendern und einigen Tissueprodukten vor. • Bei GermErase 24hr handelt es sich um das neue Desinfektionsmittel von P-Wave, das zur Verwendung auf der Haut und Oberflächen zugelassen ist. • La Optiqo propone soluzioni digitali progettate per ottimizzare le prestazioni dei servizi di pulizia. • La Northwood Hygiene Products ha lanciato una nuova gamma di dispenser per sale da toilette e alcuni prodotti in carta. • GermErase 24hr è il nuovo disinfettante della P-Wave, approvato per essere utilizzato sulla pelle e sulle superfici.

October 2021 | ECJ | 41

SUSTAINABILITY

The sustainability focus Climate change, waste reduction, energy savings, water conservation - what are today’s most pressing sustainability issues? Ann Laffeaty asks industry representatives about their environmental priorities.

Sustainability, like everything else, is subject to trends. As a society we naturally react to the most immediate threats. For example, climate change has become a matter of urgency following the floods, wildfires and other events that have occurred worldwide over recent months. Meanwhile, reports of plastic pollution have led to drives to clean up our oceans and reduce our use of plastic packaging. Global water shortages have sparked calls for solutions that reduce or remove the need for water. And concerns about the amount of waste we produce has resulted in enhanced levels of recycling. Disposable products are regularly targeted in sustainability policies with calls to replace these with reusable options. And the chemicals industry is under constant pressure to modify products to make them more environmentally-friendly. But the shift has changed during the global pandemic. Chemicals have proven to be highly effective at cleaning and sanitising public spaces. At the same time, disposable products in the form of masks, PPE and single-use wipes have become an important defence against Covid-19. So what are today’s key sustainability focus areas? Has the pandemic led to a radical repositioning of companies’ environmental goals or do most businesses remain broadly on the same page regarding their sustainability targets? Account manager for facilities management company Anabas, Jean-Patrick Judson has noted a general shift in focus following Covid-19. “Air quality is now the most important topic,” he said. “Climate change is very much in mind but there’s

42 | October 2021 | ECJ

a heavy emphasis on recovery from the pandemic. A balance of both these issues is critical, and smart buildings will help to make tomorrow’s offices more efficient.” He believes Covid-19 has pushed the topic of sustainability lower down the agenda for most companies. “Priorities will shift as things stabilise post-pandemic and sustainability will return to the top of corporate agendas,” he predicts. “Clients are pushing hard to achieve their own sustainability goals which means FMs need to think outside the box. All decisions ultimately have a knockon effect: for example, if paper cups are removed, is the dishwasher going to be used much more regularly? It’s essential to understand the impact.” Anabas is taking steps to cut its paper usage, reduce commuting and deploy environmentally-friendly cleaning products, says Judson. The pandemic has helped to crystallise the Churchill Group’s goals, according to environmental sustainability manager Daniela Eigner. “These are based around our Sustainability Charter and include pledges to reduce emissions, switch to renewable energy and minimise waste,” she said. “We are also focused on actions that lead to a more circular economy and are working with our procurement and operational teams to drive product innovation, design out waste and work towards more sustainable service solutions.” Climate change is hugely important and can no longer be ignored, according to Eigner. “As an FM provider we have an obligation and an opportunity to drive sustainability for our clients and support businesses in the fight against climate change,” she said. “This has become a key focus area for us and in June this year we committed to setting science-based reduction targets for our carbon emissions.” Climate change is also at the top of Kärcher’s agenda according to the company’s sustainability and energy manager Katrin Schmuck. “It affects us all and

impacts on the way we live,” she says. “Companies play a major role and need to adapt the way they work.” Kärcher’s sustainability strategy consists of three main planks: a zero emissions initiative, social responsibility and moves towards a circular economy. “We are also committed to reducing plastic consumption,” says Schmuck. “This we achieve by increasing our use of recyclable plastics, minimising plastic in packaging and targeting zero plastic waste at our production plants.” The company’s sustainability policy is constantly evolving, according to Schmuck. “Topics discussed in the media and in politics help us to shape our sustainability strategy,” she said. “For example, we have adapted our goals to achieve CO2 neutrality at all our production plants worldwide, and we have integrated a policy of closing loops while also reducing our use of virgin plastic.”

Climate change The company is currently testing a new form of circular economy in London, she says. “We have a partnership with South London-based start-up Library of Things, a self-service system that allows people to hire retail devices at low cost,” she said. “We are also constantly improving the energy efficiency of our products whether they are powered by cable, rechargeable battery or combustion engine.” The company’s eco!efficiency system aims to maximise machine efficiency and reduce energy, water and cleaning fluid consumption. Latest sustainable products include the new ice blaster IB 10/8 L2P which is said to clean without using chemicals, contaminated sand or water. Atalian Servest’s cleaning managing director Johan Venter agrees climate crisis is currently the most important sustainability topic. “Climate change will dictate the future for all of us,” he said. “At Atalian Servest we are committed to reducing the impact of our business operations on the ecosystem. We have partnered with several organisations to promote recycling,

SUSTAINABILITY

and carbon neutrality is a priority for us.” The company also focuses on community development, he says. “This we achieve by recruiting and procuring resources locally, working with SMEs and VCSEs and supporting grass-roots initiatives,” said Venter. “We are also committed to reducing pollution and waste by promoting the circular economy. Not only will this mitigate climate change, it will also create healthier outdoor environments.” Essity’s communications director Renée Remijnse believes CO2 reduction to be the most pressing sustainability issue at present. “The EU Green deal’s revised targets for 2030 will bring new legislation and significant changes that will impact everyone,” she said. “And with the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN SDG’s focus on circularity we will see an increased push and pull on re-use, recycling and circular design.”

Air and water pollution Essity’s sustainability policy has three broad focuses: well-being, circularity and providing more from less. Specific goals include reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050; ensuring all waste from production units is subject to material and energy recovery by 2030, and pledging that at least 50 per cent of Essity’s innovations should yield social and/ or environmental improvements. “Coming out of the pandemic we see people and governments wanting to step up their sustainability efforts and change their behaviour,” she said. “However, we should not forget the ‘people’ part of sustainability because health and well-being are now more top-of-mind than ever.” She adds the company’s goals have shifted over the years. “This is because our knowledge and customer focus have changed,” she explains. “But our main goals have been consistent for some time and we have worked with the UN global compact and the Paris climate agreement from the start.” Essity focuses on products that reduce waste through compression, consumption reduction and recycled packaging, says Remijnse. These include Tork PeakServe towels which are 50 per cent compressed to reduce transport emissions; the Tork Quel est l’axe central de la politique des entreprises en matière de durabilité ? S’inquiètent-elles du changement climatique, de la nécessité de réduire les déchets ou la consommation d’énergie, ou encore de la nécessité de conserver les réserves en eau ? Seraient-elles surtout préoccupées par l’impact des industries sur la nature ? Ou s’inquiéteraient-elles avant tout du bien-être de leurs salariés dans le sillage de la Covid-19 ? ECJ explore la question.

SmartOne toilet paper system which is said to reduce consumption by up to 40 per cent, and the Tork Coreless Toilet Paper system. “Our Tork PaperCircle hand towel recycling service also helps to support a circular society,” she said. Air and water pollution are currently the most important sustainability topics for Greenspeed says marketing manager Floor Loos. “It is nearly impossible to prevent cleaning product residues from ending up in the hydrological cycle,” she says. “Water is an increasingly scarce resource and we’re facing a global crisis. The issue of air pollution is also becoming a pressing issue. And global warming is a hot topic that can no longer be ignored.” She claims the pandemic has helped to polarise attitudes to climate change. “People feel they have a second chance to create a better future and are actively seeking sustainable solutions,” she said. “Environmentally-friendly cleaning products are becoming more common as a result.” Greenspeed aims to offer products that provide a positive effect as well as reducing their environmental impact. “We don’t just want sustainable products that are less bad - we want products that fit into a circular economy and that benefit people and the environment,” said Loos. The company’s Probio probiotic cleaning products are said to actively contribute to water purification and maintain a natural microbial balance once they re-enter the environment. And Re-belle microfibre cloths are made from 100 per cent recycled PET and are 100 per cent recyclable. So, companies have retained their long-term sustainability goals of reducing waste, minimising emissions, cutting down on plastics use and combatting the effects of climate change. But they also report a renewed focus on employee well-being.

its focus on employee well-being during the past 18 months, says Daniela Eigner. “Many of our employees were key workers throughout the pandemic and were using public transport and working on site,” she said. “We ensured they had the PPE and the well-being support they needed.” Churchill has set up online hypnotherapy and meditation platforms plus well-being initiatives for employees based at home including a charity walking challenge and online quizzes. The pandemic has led to employee wellbeing and safety becoming firmly front-ofmind, said Kärcher’s Katrin Schmuck. “We have expanded our home office facilities to protect our employees,” she said. “We have also limited our maximum office occupancy, introduced compulsory mask-wearing and switched to virtual meetings.”

Workforce well-being

Anabas now offers resilience and positivity training to all staff members. “We need to know our colleagues feel good so that they can deliver optimum service to our clients,” said Jean-Patrick Judson. “Employees need to be able to be open about how they feel and talk to somebody if they need to.” The Churchill Group has also stepped up

Employee health and well-being have also moved higher up Greenspeed’s agenda due to Covid-19, says Floor Loos. “We stage workshops and team-building events to improve the well-being and mental health of our people,” she said. “A motivated and healthy team is the best driver of a company’s success.” Employee well-being is also an important topic for Atalian Servest, says Johan Venter. “Remote working has led to loneliness so we want to find ways of promoting flexibility while preventing staff from feeling isolated,” he said. “We recognise that remote working can be helpful because it allows staff members with limited mobility or with caring duties to join a team without having to come into the office. We are therefore looking at ways of promoting these opportunities while also avoiding the negatives.” Essity reacted quickly to secure the health and safety of its employees during the pandemic, according to Renée Remijnse. “Our strategy included strict office policies, flexible working conditions and support tools for mental welfare,” she said. “Hygiene, health and well-being are all closely connected and businesses can show they care by investing in improved hygiene. This results in healthier staff, fewer absences and more satisfied customers and visitors.”

Was ist heutzutage der Hauptschwerpunkt bei den Nachhaltigkeitsrichtlinien von Unternehmen? Sind sie beispielsweise besonders besorgt über den Klimawechsel, die Abfallreduzierung, die Verringerung des Energieverbrauchs oder die Wasserreinhaltung? Machen Sie sich vor allem Sorgen um die Auswirkungen der Industrie auf die Natur? Oder sind sie im Gefolge von Covid-19 vor allem mit dem Wohlbefinden ihrer Mitarbeiter beschäftigt? Das ECJ erfährt Näheres.

Qual è l’obiettivo principale delle politiche di sostenibilità delle imprese al giorno d’oggi? Si preoccupano particolarmente del cambiamento climatico, della riduzione degli sprechi, della riduzione del consumo di energia e del risparmio di acqua per esempio? E’ l’impatto dell’industria sulla natura che maggiormente li preoccupa? Oppure sono più attenti al benessere dei loro dipendenti in seguito alla pandemia di COVID-19? ECJ indaga.

Renewed focus

October 2021 | ECJ | 43

PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABILITY

• Cleanology, un prestataire de services de propreté, tient compte du cycle de vie entier de chaque produit, matériau et combustible qu’il utilise. • Greenspeed présente le tissu à microfibre Re-belle en tant que produit circulaire à 100 pour cent. • Outre qu’elle est fabriquée en matériaux recyclables, la gamme TTS de chariots Magic présente un bilan neutre en carbone. • Kärcher affirme que son autolaveuse autoportée B 110 R est silencieuse et efficace dans sa consommation en eau. • Filmop a obtenu l’écolabellisation UE pour plusieurs de ses produits textiles. • Les tampons de balayage humide r-MicroTuff Swift Cloth et Swep r-MicroTech sont les premiers produits de nettoyage recyclés à être proposés par Vileda Professional.

• Reinigungsdienstleister Cleanology berücksichtigt den gesamten Lebenszyklus aller verwendeten Produkte, Materialien und Brennstoffe. • Re-belle ist ein 100 Prozent kreislaufwirtschaftliches Mikrofasertuch, teilt Greenspeed mit. • Die Produktreihe der MagicReinigungswagen von TTS wird nicht nur aus Recyclingmaterialien hergestellt, sondern sie ist auch CO2-neutral. • Laut Angaben von Kärcher ist die Aufsitz-Scheuersaugmaschine B 110 R leise im Betrieb und effizient im Wasserverbrauch. • Mehrere Textilerzeugnisse von Filmop wurden mit dem Europäischen Umweltzeichen ausgezeichnet. • Bei den Mopps r-MicroTuff Swift Cloth und Swep r-MicroTech handelt es sich um die ersten recycelten Reinigungsprodukte von Vileda Professional.

• La fornitrice di servizi di pulizia Cleanology prende in considerazione l’intero ciclo di vita di ogni prodotto, materiale e carburante che questo utilizza. • La Greenspeed afferma che Rebelle è un panno in microfibra al 100 per cento circulare. • Oltre a essere prodotti con materiali riciclabili, i carrelli della gamma Magic della TTS sono a emissioni zero. • La Kärcher afferma che la sua lavasciuga pavimenti con operatore a bordo B 110 R è silenziosa durante il funzionamento e efficiente nel consumo di acqua. • La Filmop ha ottenuto la certificazione EU Ecolabel per molti dei suoi prodotti tessili. • Il panno r-MicroTuff Swift Cloth e i mop Swep r-MicroTech sono i primi prodotti di pulizia riciclati della Vileda Professional.

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Seeks solutions

Cleaning services provider Cleanology in the UK aims to be a truly sustainable business in that it considers the whole lifecycle of every product, material and fuel it uses. The business uses portioncontrolled biological cleaning sachets, for example, saving over 16,000 litres of cleaning solution. And plastic bottle use has been cut from 21,600 to 600 every year. Cleaning operatives wear uniforms made from a total of 7,000 recycled plastic bottles and organic cotton. To reduce its carbon footprint the company also collaborates with Foremost, particularly with regard to packaging and transport. And moving over to a fully electric fleet for its London operations has reduced emissions and lowered Cleanology’s carbon footprint - more than 5,000 litres of diesel per vehicle each year is saved. cleanology.com

Circular cloth Re-belle, says manufacturer Greenspeed, is a fully circular microfibre cloth. It consists of 100 per cent recycled PET, such as PET bottles, and is 100 per cent recyclable. This combats waste in the cleaning industry and the polluting textile industry. Re-belle uses a circular cycle, resulting in as little waste as possible after frequent use, as waste is once again turned into raw materials. In the manufacturing process, the recycled PET is cleaned and shredded and then melted

into granules. The granules are processed into yarn, which in turn is knitted into fabric, and Re-belle is made and packaged sustainably. After Re-belle has reached the end of its life, the cloth is returned, recycled and processed into a raw material. This raw material lives on in new products such as clothes, furniture or a new PET bottle, thereby completing the circle. www.greenspeed.eu

Carbon neutral Among many sustainable mopping solutions produced by TTS is the Magic line of multipurpose trolleys made of high density polypropylene, which makes them resistant, long lasting and completely recyclable at end-of-life.

Several components are also made of PSV-certified recycled plastic, TTS says it uses only premium-recycled polypropylene. This is a low impact material that generates fewer CO2 emissions than aluminium, stainless steel and chromed iron. In 2019 the company began to support several CO2 offset projects to fully absorb the emissions associated with the annual production of Magic, making it a carbon neutral trolley line. www.ttsystem.com

Quiet working

Kärcher has overhauled two key components of its ride-on scrubber dryer B 110 R, the brush head and the squeegee. These, it says, ensure quiet and resource-friendly work and are made of very robust material. Efficient working is further enhanced by the newly developed

side scrubber deck. The new brush head also reduces the noise level during cleaning by up to 10 dB. The inflow of cleaning water is controlled depending on the driving speed: in faster driving more water reaches the brush head, while at low speed the water volume is reduced. This makes for reliable suction, even along slower curves and during cornering, which can save up to 50 per cent on water and cleaning agent. www.karcher.com

Low impact Several of Filmop’s textile mopping products have earned EU Ecolabel certification, including Twist-Tuft, Rapido Super and Rapido Super Extra. Puli-Scrub, Puli-Scrub Plus and Puli-Brush mops which are designed for the scrubbing and washing of nonslip floors. The certified range also encompasses double-sided mops: Duo Face Wash Basic for cleaning all kind of surfaces, Duo Face Wash Basic/Brush and Duo Face Wash/Brush mops for wet mopping of non-slip surfaces. www.filmop.com

First recycled r-MicroTuff Swift is the first recycled cleaning cloth from Vileda Professional. Made from 100 per cent recycled polyester. Each cloth contains two 0.5-litre PET bottles and can be washed up to 500 times. Vileda has also introduced its first single- and doublesided mop containing recycled materials - Swep r-MicroTech. Made from 30 per cent recycled polyester, each one uses three and a half 0.5-litre PET bottles - and can be laundered up to 900 times. vileda-professional.com

PRODUCTS: SUSTAINABILITY

Eco sealer Hagleitner’s selectMATT ECO is an eco-friendly matt floor sealer - the polymer-based coating leaves a durable, highly elastic protective film and is suitable for use on water-resistant flooring, such as lino, PVC, and rubber.

The formula is easy to pour, making it practical and easy to apply - it is particularly suitable for areas where the floor surface is not supposed to be shiny. selectMATT ECO is phosphatefree and has been awarded the Austrian Ecolabel. www.hagleitner.com

ability gains through compression, reduced use and reduced packaging. For example, towels in the Tork PeakServe Continuous Hand Towel Dispenser are compressed by 50 per cent. This reduces the transport and storage burden on the customer. The Tork SmartOne toilet paper system cuts consumption by up to 40 per cent by naturally reducing the amount of toilet tissue each user takes out. And the fact Tork Coreless Toilet Paper rolls contain no inner cores helps companies to reduce waste. Meanwhile, Tork PaperCircle is providing customers with more options to recycle. The service promotes circularity by turning customers’ used paper towels into toilet tissue, hand towels and other products at local recycling facilities. www.tork.co.uk

More from less Well-being, circularity and providing more from less are the three main pillars of Essity’s sustainability policy. The company aims to raise hygiene standards and improve well-being in the workplace while ensuring all Tork dispensers are able to reduce over-consumption. Tork products produce sustain-

CNG boilers The JMB-ME and JMB-MG highpressure cleaning trailers from DiBO Cleaning Systems have been equipped with the new

generation DiBO GreenBoilerCNG. This environmentally conscious solution works on CNG-gas (Compressed Natural Gas), so fuel costs are lower while achieving higher efficiency. The GreenBoiler-CNG also has much lower CO2 emissions. The DiBO JMB-ME is a highpressure cleaner on a trailer with a water-cooled electric motor running on a 25 kWh Li-ion battery. The battery management system (BMS) with which the battery is controlled guarantees a long battery life and its performance capacity is maintained. The JMB-MG runs entirely on CNG-gas, with a CAN-BUScontrolled ECU that regulates all motor parameters as controlled by the DiBO control unit. www.dibo.com

No pollution The PW-E100 HT high-pressure cleaner from IPC has a threestage high efficiency boiler and is made of durable and more than 90 per cent recyclable materials. It does not pollute and can work in areas where gas emissions are not allowed. The optimum combination of pressure, flow rate and water outlet temperature makes for fast and efficient cleaning without damage to surfaces. www.ipcworldwide.com

• Le selectMATT ECO, un nouvel étanchement de plancher écologique signé Hagleitner, est exempt de phosphate. • Le bien-être, la circularité et le rendement maximum sont les trois axes de la politique Essity en matière de durabilité. • Les JMB-ME et JMB-MG, unités tractées DiBO à eau sous pression, sont équipées d’une chaudière GreenBoiler au gaz naturel de nouvelle génération. • Le nouveau nettoyeur électrique haute pression PW-E100 HT de IPC est à 90 pour cent en éléments recyclables et ne produit aucune pollution.

• Die umweltfreundliche, matte Beschichtung selectMATT ECO von Hagleitner dient zum Versiegeln von Bodenbelägen und ist phosphatfrei. • Wohlbefinden, kreislaufwirtschaftliche Bestrebungen und Mehr aus Weniger bereitstellen sind die drei Hauptsäulen der Nachhaltigkeitsrichtlinien von Essity. • Die neuen anhängermontierten Hochdruckreiniger von DiBO, JMB-ME und JMB-MG, sind mit dem GreenBoiler-CNG der neuen Generation ausgestattet. • Der elektrische Hochdruckreiniger PW-E100 HT von IPC wird zu 90 Prozent aus recycelbaren Materialien hergestellt und trägt nicht zur Umweltverschmutzung bei. • SelectMATT ECO della Hagleitner è un sigillante per pavimenti ecologico e senza fosfati. • Benessere, circolarità e ottenere di più con meno risorse sono i tre pilastri principali della politica della sostenibilità della Essity. • I nuovi carrelli ad alta pressione JMB-ME e JMB-MG delal DiBO sono dotati di un boiler di nuova generazione GreenBoiler-CNG. • La idropulitrice elettrica ad alta pressione PW-E100 HT lanciata dalla IPC è prodotta per il 90 per cento con materiali riciclabili e non inquina.

October 2021 | ECJ | 45

CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS

Chemicals forever A growing concern about the potential risks posed by “forever chemicals” has created bad publicity for an industry that already receives negative press on a regular basis. So what are “forever chemicals”, and how far are they used in cleaning, asks ECJ?

The term “forever chemicals” sounds like something out of a fairy tale. Yet some would consider them to be closer to a nightmare. Forever chemicals are an expanding group of man-made products that are used in everything from cookware and carpets to clothes and containers. These Per fluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances – or PFAS for short – crop up in a range of industries including the aerospace, automotive, construction, electronics and military sectors. PFAS molecules consist of linked carbon and fluorine atoms in a chain that is exceptionally strong. As a result, these chemicals fail to degrade in the environment - hence their “forever” tag. Forever chemicals have a range of uses. They prevent food from sticking to cookware, for example; and they add stain-resistance to clothes and carpets. And they also create highly effective firefighting foams. But PFAS chemicals are now present in our soil, air, food and water. They remain in the environment for an unknown period of time, and they may take years to leave the body – with unknown longterm effects. In October 2020 the European Commission published a chemicals strategy setting out its plans to tackle pollution from all sources and move towards a toxic-free environment. PFAS chemicals were to receive special attention, with a stated aim

46 | October 2021 | ECJ

to phase out their use in the EU unless they were proven to be essential for the application in hand. The report also added that 84 per cent of Europeans were worried about the impact that chemicals present in everyday products might have on their health, while 90 per cent were also concerned about the effects of chemicals on the environment. This is yet another public relations headache for those companies that either produce – or use - chemicals. And of course, chemicals are widely employed in the cleaning sector for applications such as sanitising, disinfecting, polishing and for a range of other cleaning and maintenance tasks.

Key role during pandemic However, despite the various health and environmental concerns associated with chemicals, these products have played an important role in eradicating germs and viruses during the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, we have come to rely on them to help keep public buildings and other highly populated spaces safe. So, how is the industry faring on balance? Have reports about forever chemicals had a serious effect on the businesses of chemical manufacturers and cleaning companies? Or are any potential negative aspects being overlooked because these products are delivering the Covid-busting solutions that we all want? There are no PFAS chemicals in any of Kärcher’s cleaning and care products according to the company’s detergents product manager Jens Groth. “However, our product range also incorporates floor coatings – and these currently need to contain PFAS in order to function,” he said. “It has to be said that the proportion of PFAS in the total amount of the raw materials used at Kärcher each year is minimal: we are talking about one gram for every three tons of raw materials.” He says the company takes the issue very seriously, however. ‘We are working to replace PFAS chemicals in our floor coatings as soon as possible,” said Groth.

He believes there to be an ongoing need for chemical cleaning products in general because they improve results, shorten cleaning time and save water and energy. “Surfactants containing detergents are effective against Covid-19 and other enveloped viruses,” he said. “But we also have highly effective disinfectant products in our portfolio that will ensure a fast and safe deactivation of viruses and other germs.” He says disinfectants have been in high demand over recent months. “In fact we have seen an increased demand in almost all product categories in both our consumer and professional target groups,” says Groth. And he adds chemical cleaning and disinfection applications can be carried out in a sustainable way. “For example, we offer an eco-labelled product portfolio plus a range of highly concentrated disinfectants that allow the customer to sanitise all kinds of surfaces with a very low dosage and with minimal impact on the environment,” he said. “Forever chemicals” are not an issue for Insider Facility Services according to marketing and purchasing manager Thor Nielsen. “I did a quick check on some of our floor polishing products and can confirm that we use none of these chemicals either for daily or periodic cleaning,” he said.

Increased demand Insider Facility Services uses a range of cleaning products from companies including Diversey, Nordexia and PLS. “All our products are sustainable and hold either the EU or the Swan ecolabels,” said Nielsen. “Being environmentally-friendly is a major focus both for our customers and for ourselves.” He says there is currently a strong case for cleaning with the use of chemicals. “The fact they provide some protection against Covid-19 has led to an increase in demand – particularly in the public sector,” he said. “Many customers are seeking assurances that their locations are safe after we have provided our services. This

CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS

has led to a greater understanding of the importance of cleaning in general.” FM company Anabas’ account manager Jean-Patrick Judson agrees the chemicals industry has received a certain amount of bad press regarding forever chemicals and similar issues. “The truth is, the media has probably gone some way in creating negativity around the chemicals industry,” he adds. “But everyone is generally much more environmentally-friendly these days and most are driven by an urge to do the ‘right thing’. We all need to do more in this respect.”

Communicate with suppliers He says businesses need to be careful about the products they are procuring. “It’s essential that they check their data sheets,” said Judson. “It is not only the environment we need to think about - cleaning agents also need to be safe for staff to use and for those people who are occupying the spaces in which they are used.” He adds that companies need to communicate with their suppliers to ensure they are being provided with products that are good for their environment. “It is important to avoid getting into a cycle of simply ordering the same products.” Public trust in chemical-free products began to diminish at the start of the pandemic, according to Judson. “There was a lot of talk about ‘Covid-killing’ chemical agents – some of which were effective while others were not,” he said. “The feeling tended to be that the more chemically strong a product was, the better it would be at reducing infections and bacteria. But this isn’t always correct.” Procuring environmentally-effective solutions is high on the Anabas agenda, he adds. “Aqueous ozone cleaning is an example of a chemical-free option that is becoming increasingly popular,” he says. “Some people were initially highly sceptical and doubted that this type of system could be as effective as chemicals. But the results are quite remarkable, and all that’s needed is an electrical socket and a water supply.” He claims the advent of Covid-19 has led to people increasingly looking towards

La conviction que les conditionnements alimentaires et l’eau de consommation contiennent des produits chimiques « indestructibles » a alarmé le monde entier. Il se peut que ces substances soient absentes des produits de nettoyage mais ceux-ci n’en reçoivent pas moins une fort mauvaise presse dès qu’on parle de la présence de choses « chimiques » dans de tels produits. Que pensent les fabricants de l’emploi de nettoyants chimiques ? Nous interrogeons certains d’entre eux là-dessus.

harsh chemicals to make themselves feel safe. “Of course, there will always be some higher risk environments where chemical solutions are the best option,” he said. “But there are often environmentally-friendly solutions that are just as effective. The more we can use eco-friendly products the better. It’s all about the balance.” Atalian Servest tries to avoid using products that contain PFAs where possible according to cleaning managing director Johan Venter. “We use enzyme-based products that break down and don’t disrupt ecosystems,” he said. “These are more eco-friendly and we also find them to be more effective than chemical sanitisers and cleaners.” He says the use of ozone chemicals and electrolysed waters are becoming more prevalent in the cleaning industry. “These are essentially chemical-free and do a really good job at combatting Covid,” he said. “Expectations are changing, and that’s exciting.”

Berichte über „langlebige organische Schadstoffe“, Chemikalien, die unsere Lebensmittel und Trinkwasser kontaminieren, haben weltweit Aufregung verursacht. Diese Substanzen sind zwar nicht in chemischen Reinigungsprodukten enthalten, aber sie sorgen für weitere schlechte Presse für den Begriff „Chemikalien“ und stellen eine Verbindung mit schädlichen Substanzen her. Wir haben Hersteller gebeten, ihren Fall für chemische Reinigungsmittel darzulegen, und stellen ihnen Fragen zur Sicherheit und Nachhaltigkeit ihrer Produkte.

So, are press reports about forever chemicals giving the industry a bad name? “For some companies they might, but PFAS are not an issue for the majority of producers who sell to us or for most of our competitors,” said Insider Facility Services’ Thor Nielsen. “And if a customer were to ask us about these products we would be able to confirm that we don’t use them.”

Do the right thing Kärcher recognises that there have been some negative press reports regarding forever chemicals in certain sectors, says Jens Groth. “However, we don’t see this as a general criticism of the cleaning industry,” he adds. And Atalian Servest Johan Venter concludes: “Honestly we believe that’s the wrong way of looking at things. It shouldn’t be about companies avoiding a bad name - it should be about them doing the right thing. Your company profile will then reflect that.”

Le segnalazioni sui PFAS-forever chemicals che contaminato i contenitori del cibo e l’acqua potabile hanno causato un allarme a livello mondiale. Queste sostanze non sono necessariamente presenti nei prodotti di pulizia ma attirano sempre di più la stampa negativa verso il termine “prodotti chimici” e lo collegano a sostanze nocive. Chiediamo ai produttori di esporre il loro caso per i detergenti chimici e chiediamo loro della sicurezza e sostenibilità dei loro prodotti.

October 2021 | ECJ | 47

PRODUCT REVIEW

• Plusieurs des formules GOJO de désinfection des mains et de savons ont reçu la certification Cradle to Cradle. • La gamme de soins pour la peau d’Essity, le fabricant Tork, s’est enrichie de trois nouveaux savons pour les mains. • Proposé par la société UVIS, le Soluva Zone H est un appareil à main pour la désinfection de surfaces aux ultraviolets. • Pour les entrées à fort trafic, Kleen-Tex a développé la gamme de paillassons Super-Mat. • Morclean a ajouté deux nouveaux modèles à sa gamme de machines de lavage de poubelles les Swift SY150 et Swift e-series.

• Mehrere GOJO Händedesinfektionsmittel und Seifenformeln sind Cradle-toCradle-zertifiziert. • Tork-Hersteller Essity hat seinem Angebot an Hautpflegeprodukten drei neue Handseifen hinzugefügt. • Bei Soluva Zone H handelt es sich um ein mobiles UV-C Handgerät zur Oberflächendesinfektion von UVIS. • Für den Einsatz an Eingängen mit hoher Passantenfrequenz hat Kleen-Tex die MattenProduktreihe Super-Mat entwickelt. • Morclean hat sein Angebot an Mülltonnen-Waschmaschinen um zwei Modelle erweitert – Swift SY150 und Swift e-series.

• Le formule degli igienizzanti per mani e dei saponi Several GOJO hanno ottenuto la certificazione “Cradle to Cradle”. • La Essity, produttrice del marchio Tork, ha aggiunto alla sua gamma di cura della pelle tre nuovi saponi per le mani. • Soluva Zone H è un dispositivo UVC portatile per la disinfezione delle superfici prodotto dalla UVIS. • La Kleen-Tex ha sviluppato la gamma di zerbini Super-Mat adatta per gli ingressi con elevato passaggio di persone. • La Morclean ha introdotto due nuovi modelli alla sua linea di macchine per il lavaggio delle pattumiere, Swift SY150 e Swift e-series.

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Certified status Several of GOJO IndustriesEurope’s hand sanitiser and soap formulas have achieved certification through the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program. Over 350 global products connected to PURELL hand sanitiser and PURELL Brand

HEALTHY SOAP with CLEAN RELEASE Technology achieved Gold level with a Platinum level Material Health rating - the highest possible. Products are assessed across five sustainability categories: material health, material reutilisation, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness. www.gojo.com

being kind to hands – even when used frequently. Tork Antimicrobial Hand Washing Liquid Soap contains plant-based ingredients and is effective against viruses and bacteria. It is gentle on the hands and helps to remove food fat residues. All three products are perfume-free and come in factorysealed 1,000 ml refill containers equipped with hygienic singleuse pumps. And the recyclable bottles collapse as they empty which reduces the volume of waste produced. www.tork.co.uk

Portable UVC With the launch of its portable UVC hand-held device Soluva Zone H, Uvis says it is making UVC light disinfection accessible to all sectors. It says all surfaces are germ-free within seconds, up to 99.9999 per cent, and the use of liquid disinfectants and wipes can be reduced significantly.

Three soaps Designed to meet customer demand for skincare products that are sustainable, hygienic, effective and pleasant to use are three new soaps from Tork manufacturer Essity. Ninety-nine per cent of the ingredients of Tork Clarity Hand Washing Foam Soap are derived from natural origin. The soap lathers effectively during hand washing and is rinsed away quickly, reducing the amount of water used by up to 35 per cent. And the product formula is biodegradable and has a reduced impact on aquatic life. Particularly suitable for use by chefs and other kitchen workers are Tork Odour-Control Hand Washing Liquid Soap and Tork Antimicrobial Liquid Soap. Tork Odour-Control eliminates pungent food smells while also

areas, corridors and showrooms, this range boasts durability with a stable border to eliminate any potential trip hazards. Super-Mat features a durable twist pile construction, which is solution dyed to maintain its appearance - it comes with an 11-year guarantee against significant colour loss. Featuring 100 per cent Econyl fibres, a regenerated nylon textile composed of man-made ocean and landfill waste including abandoned fish nets - the range is designed to be as sustainable as possible. Available in two colours, Heather Grey and Black Lava, the improved product features an increased pile height of 9 mm and pile weight of 800 g per square metre, as well as improved dirt absorption of 950 g per square metre. There are three widths and a variety of lengths and bespoke specifications up to 700 cm. Other features include skid resistance, no PVC, 100 per cent nitrile rubber backing, and chemical and solvent resistance. www.kleen-tex.eu

Bin washer

The unit is powered by a rechargeable battery and operation is simple - just the touch of a single button. Soluva is suitable for disinfecting offices, conference rooms, reception areas, hotels. Tables and upholstered chairs in restaurants and bars can also be treated says the manufacturer. www.uv-is.com

Better mats

Floor mat manufacturer KleenTex has reintroduced its SuperMat range with a number of improvements. Designed for busy entrances that experience heavy foot traffic, including reception

There are two new bin washing machines in Morclean’s range - the Swift SY 150 and the eco-friendly Swift e-series. These are both compact, entrylevel systems that offer start-up businesses affordable entry into the market. The single bin lift trailermounted Swift SY 150 features four stages of water filtration, a lifting mechanism to reduce manual handling, a lightweight 220-litre baffled water tank and durable components. It can lift any domestic bin up to 240 litres and once the wheelie bin is fixed to the mechanism and elevated, it typically takes between 10 and 30 seconds to clean. Water is recycled by the fourstage filtration process, for continued use throughout the day. Incorporating many of the same features is the Swift e-series, powered by battery. That means low cost overnight charging, quiet operations and zero emissions. www.morclean.com