Whitepaper
GREENSPEED TOWARDS A WASTE-FREE FUTURE
Whitepaper - Greenspeed towards a Waste-free future
WASTE-FREE CLEANING WITH GREENSPEED
Content 1.
GREENSPEED TOWARDS A WASTE-FREE FUTURE 1.1 Cleaning the world with care, together 1.2 The evolution towards Waste-free Cleaning
2.
PROBIOTICS: FROM NATURE TO NATURE 2.1 Probio-what? 2.2 How does it work? 2.3 Environmentally friendly
3.
WASTE-FREE CLEANING WITH PROBIO TABS 3.1 How do our tabs contribute to a future without waste? 3.2 The many benefits of Probio Tabs 3.3 A future without waste
4.
LITERATURE
3
Whitepaper - Greenspeed towards a Waste-free future
1. Greenspeed towards a waste-free future In a world concerned about the environment, striving for sustainable solutions is more crucial than ever. At Greenspeed, we believe in a future where cleaning is not only about hygiene but also about care. Care for our planet, our society and our future.
At Greenspeed, we believe in a future where cleaning is not only about hygiene but also about care. Care for our planet, our society and our future.
Everyone is aware of the impact humans have on the planet. We all want to do better, and so does the cleaning industry. Cleaning gets done everywhere, with and for people. It is therefore vital to look at the impact of the products and materials used on people and the environment. Traditional cleaning products often contain harmful chemicals that can cause air pollution, water pollution and soil degradation. Moreover, they are often associated with significant amounts of packaging waste. In this whitepaper, we would like to introduce you to the concept of ‘waste-free cleaning’. A concept that digs deeper into our mission of cleaning the world with care, together! It’s a step towards a world where cleaning is not only effective, but also takes into account the health of our planet and all its inhabitants.
4
1.1 CLEANING THE WORLD WITH CARE, TOGETHER We believe that every action, no matter how small, contributes to the bigger whole. With this in mind, we develop products that reduce waste, water consumption and CO2 emissions. In this whitepaper, we introduce you to the wonders of probiotics – where they come from, how they are used, and why our probiotic tabs are the future of responsible cleaning without waste.
1.2 THE EVOLUTION TO WASTE-FREE CLEANING But how did we get to this point? We’d love to take you on our journey through time!
Timeline Greenspeed - evolution to waste-free cleaning 5
Whitepaper - Greenspeed towards a Waste-free future
Our journey began in 2000 with the founding of Ecover professional, where we focused on professional detergents with biodegradable natural ingredients. A few years later, we achieved our first certificates, with 2012 as a milestone. Our products became trailblazers in the professional cleaning industry by achieving Cradle to Cradle certification. Our microfibre products also achieved Nordic Swan certification on 26 items from cloths to mops. After Greenspeed acquired Ecover Professional, our ambition to create circular cleaning concepts took off. In 2018, we introduced our Probio range (probiotic cleaners), which was not only environmentally friendly, but also environmentally beneficial. Our journey culminated in 2021 with the launch of Re-belle, a 100% circular microfibre cloth. This milestone marked a turning point in our sustainability efforts. A year later, we expanded our focus by introducing probiotic cleaners in tablet form. We also evolved our Probio range by adding prebiotics to the probiotics. This led to the development of our Synbio range, the perfect combination of sustainability and science. Our commitment to developing products with a positive and restorative effect on people and the environment is at the heart of our vision. As we continue to look ahead to the future, we are committed to the concept of waste-free cleaning. A concept where cleaning is not only effective but also cares for our precious environment.
6
2. Probiotics - from nature to nature At Greenspeed, we don’t believe in harsh and harmful chemicals, but in the power of nature. For us, probiotics are an essential part of a future with waste-free cleaning. But what exactly are probiotics? Explore their origin, function and environmental impact below.
Life cycle probiotics - from nature to nature
7
Whitepaper - Greenspeed towards a Waste-free future
2.1 PROBIO-WHAT? Probiotics are bacteria, but don’t worry: the good kind! These good bacteria occur naturally in our environment and even in our bodies. They play an essential role in maintaining a healthy microbial balance. We isolate the probiotics in our cleaning products from natural sources. We carefully select and purify these bacteria to ensure they are of high quality. Because we need a lot of bacteria, we allow them to multiply through fermentation. To get to our probiotic detergents, we mix the probiotics with other ingredients. Plantbased surfactants are one of the important components of these detergents.
2.2 HOW DOES IT WORK?
When you use a probiotic cleaning product, you leave a layer of good bacteria on the surface. Without food, they cannot survive, so they actively look for food sources on the surface. There, they find organic waste. To convert this waste into food, they secrete enzymes. The enzymes break down the organic waste into small pieces, both during and after cleaning.
8
Our products use a complex blend of probiotics which, together, produce different enzymes. After all, each type of organic pollutant requires a specific enzyme. These enzymes are: • Proteases: break down soiling that mainly consists of proteins (food, blood, urine, etc.) • Lipases: break down fat molecules (oils and fats) • Amylases: break down starch compounds (sugars, sauces, ice cream, etc.)
The layer of bacteria that remains on the surface has another great advantage. Probiotics can absorb odour molecules but also remove organic soiling that would otherwise lead to unpleasant odours. With a probiotic cleaner, not only do you remove existing odours, you also make sure unpleasant odours don’t get a chance!
Probiotics are small but tireless workers. After the initial cleaning, they continue to work actively for many days.
9
Whitepaper - Greenspeed towards a Waste-free future
Small, tireless workers Probiotics are small but tireless workers. After the initial cleaning, they continue to work actively for many days. Thanks to this long after-effect, they can clean deeper into the surface and remove even the most stubborn dirt. For example, probiotics are an efficient solution against dirty joints. You can see this in the photo below. The joints remained dirty after thorough chemical cleaning. But thanks to a thorough cleaning with our Probio, the joints were completely white again after two weeks. And that without requiring additional mechanical work. The probiotics did all the hard work! chemical cleaning
In addition, probiotics actively break down biofilm and prevent the formation of new biofilm. This makes it harder for limescale and grease to stick to the surface, which means you can postpone periodic cleaning for longer. Great, right? probiotic cleaning
2.3 ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
Probiotics not only offer benefits such as odour control and deep cleaning at a microscopic level, but also actively contribute to a cleaner world. This makes them not only environmentally friendly, but also environmentally beneficial!
10
Environmentally beneficial You may be wondering what the difference is between environmentally friendly and environmentally beneficial? Let’s take a closer look at the two terms: • Environmentally friendly: These are products that cause less, minimal or no harm to the environment and ecosystems. They are also known as ‘green’ and ‘ecological’ products. • Environmentally beneficial: These products go a step further. They contribute positively to a better environment. Not only are they less harmful, they also actively improve the environment.
Our probiotic cleansers contain a variety of Bacillus probiotics. When they enter the environment after use, they actively tackle contaminants in water and soil. Studies show that they:
• • • •
Naturally break down oil contamination1 Remove toxins2 Absorb or break down aggressive chemicals3 Remove heavy metals4
Thanks to their biological origin, bacteria also integrate perfectly into a natural microbial ecosystem and contribute to the repair and maintenance of a healthy natural microflora. Moreover, by using probiotic products, environmentally friendly microorganisms are released into the environment. By supporting microbial balance, reducing allergens and odours, and improving air quality, probiotics help create a healthier indoor climate. This way, these microorganisms (and you!) create a safer and cleaner world.
11
Whitepaper - Greenspeed towards a Waste-free future
Safety first That’s all very well, you might think, but is this all safe? Our answer is a resounding “yes!”. The probiotics we use are proven to be natural and safe. Our Probio products do not have any hazard symbols and achieved the Platinum score on the Cradle to Cradle criterion ‘Material Health’. This is the highest possible score! The bacteria are so safe that they are even approved for human consumption and used in the food industry. The Bacillus bacteria we use are recognised as probiotic food supplements. Two renowned bodies grant this approval:
• American Type Culture Collection (ATCC): The ATCC records all bacteria detected, with detailed scientific data. ATCC classifies all bacteria based on their biosafety. This ranges from level 1 (safe) to level 4 (highly infectious pathogens). The biosafety classification is based on US public health guidelines. All probiotics in our products fall under biosafety level 1. You can find more information at www.atcc.org. • European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): EFSA has compiled a Qualified Presumption of Safety list. A place on this list guarantees safety for human consumption. And even more good news is that all the probiotic bacteria we use are on the list! You can view the full QPS list here.
12
3. Waste-free cleaning with Probio Tabs At Greenspeed, we like to do things differently. We like to take an alternative approach, one that goes against society’s throwaway culture. That’s why we have developed Probio Tabs. Probiotic cleaning tablets in recyclable packaging. We believe that Probio Tabs can make our waste-free cleaning concept a reality. Sustainable cleaning doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Probio Tabs make waste reduction easy and accessible for everyone. Without making any compromises on ease of use or effectiveness.
3.1 HOW DOES IT WORK? Probio Tabs will make your cleaning routine both waste-free and efficient. All you need is a reusable spray bottle and a small cleaning tablet. No more unnecessary water packaging and transportation.
More tabs. Less hassle. Less waste. How does it work exactly? Easy: • Step 1: (Re)fill your spray bottle with tap water • Step 2: Drop a Probio Tab into the spray bottle • Step 3: Wait three minutes for the tablet to dissolve • Step 4: Get cleaning!
13
Whitepaper - Greenspeed towards a Waste-free future
14
3.2 THE MANY BENEFITS OF PROBIO TABS Probio Tabs make cleaning very easy, but they do so much more. All the benefits are summarised for you here. Circular Our Probio Tabs are a biodegradable mix of probiotics and plant-based ingredients. This means they are safe for you and the environment. In addition, the reusable spray bottle and refill tabs suit the circular economy model perfectly. This makes Probio Tabs a sustainable alternative to traditional ready-to-use cleaning products. Tiny but powerful With Probio Tabs, you’ll always get the right dosage. This saves time and stops you from using too much product. Once dissolved, the formula remains active for three months, ensuring effective cleaning with long-lasting results. What’s more, the tabs take up far less storage space than traditional cleaning products. Sustainable packaging You add the tabs to a reusable spray bottle that can be refilled with tap water again and again. The spray bottle contains 0% disposable plastic. The tabs themselves come in plastic-free paper packaging that is easy to recycle after use. CO2 reduction Probio Tabs require far less energy to package and transport. Unlike traditional cleaning agents, they don’t require large quantities of water being transported. The result? A reduction of up to 99% in CO2 emissions. 15
Whitepaper - Greenspeed towards a Waste-free future
Savings in figures % savings 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50%
81%
92,1%
99%
100%
Volume
CO2
Energy
Single-use plastic
40% 30% 20% 10%
Probio Tabs savings compared to a ready-to-use product (Multi Spray).
3.3 A WASTE-FREE FUTURE This is just the beginning of our journey towards a waste-free future. Our range currently includes Probio Tab Multi (for your interior) and Probio Tab San (for your sanitairy). We believe these small tabs can have a huge impact on the waste we produce. With Probio Tabs, we don’t just offer a product. We see them as the start of a movement towards a world in which waste-free cleaning is the norm. Together, we are building a greener, cleaner future for our planet and its people for generations to come.
16
17
Whitepaper - Greenspeed towards a Waste-free future
4. Literature 1. Saranya, P., Kumari, S., Rao, B., & Sekaran, G. (2014). Lipase production from a novel thermo-tolerant and extreme acidophile Bacillus pumilus using palm oil as the substrate and treatment of palm oil-containing wastewater. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 21(5), 3907-3919. 1. Al-Wahaibi, Y., Joshi, S., Al-Bahry, S., Elshafie, A., Al-Bemani, A., & Shibulal, B. (2014). Biosurfactant production by Bacillus subtilis B30 and its application in enhancing oil recovery. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 114, 324-333. 1. Mnif, I., Ellouze-Chaabouni, S., Ayedi, Y., & Ghribi, D. (2014). Treatment of diesel- and kerosene-contaminated water by B. subtilis SPB1 biosurfactant-producing strain. Water Environment Research, 86(8), 707-716. 2. Wu, C.F., Xu, X.M., Zhu, Q., Deng, M.C., Feng, L., Peng, J., Yuan, J.P., & Wang, J.H. (2014). An effective method for the detoxification of cyanide-rich wastewater by Bacillus sp. CN-22. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 98(8), 3801-3807. 3. Ren, G., Jin, Y., Zhang, C., Gu, H., & Qu, J. (2015). Characteristics of Bacillus sp. PZ-1 and its biosorption to Pb(II). Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 117, 141-148. 3. Wang, T., & Sun, H. (2013). Biosorption of heavy metals from aqueous solution by UV-mutant Bacillus subtilis. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 20(10), 7450-7463. 4. Ren, G., Jin, Y., Zhang, C., Gu, H., & Qu, J. (2015). Characteristics of Bacillus sp. PZ-1 and its biosorption to Pb(II). Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 117, 141-148. 4. Wang, T., & Sun, H. (2013). Biosorption of heavy metals from aqueous solution by UV-mutant Bacillus subtilis. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 20(10), 7450-7463.
18
DO YOU FOLLOW OUR PATH TOWARDS A WASTE-FREE FUTURE?
Tiny tabs. Massive impact on our waste.