Diversey offers eco-friendly solutions for green cleaning

Just imagine where we would be today without the means to remove harmful and unwanted contaminants from our buildings. Contaminants like bacteria, viruses, molds and fungi can adversely affect human health. Common dirt dust and soils can be contaminated with pesticides and other chemicals. Poor indoor quality is often associated with improper cleaning products and procedures. Aside from the obvious impact on health issues (respiratory illnesses, allergies, headaches etc) the cleaning products and procedures can also impact an organisation financial bottom line. Without a doubt cleaning is important to protect our health as well as the buildings in which we live and work.
 
Also, users of cleaning products are increasingly aware of the need to conduct cleaning operations in a way that is ‘environmentally friendly’. But this does not just mean using chemicals that are safe for the environment, it means minimising all the many other environmental impacts that arise in making and using cleaning products, such as energy consumption and waste disposal. The term ‘improving sustainability’ is used to refer to making an improvement in the overall impact of cleaning.
 
Three-steps to optimisation
There are three key steps, which are required to optimise sustainability: choose products that are designed for sustainability as well as safety; work with suppliers so that they responsibly manage their manufacturing impacts; and minimise the environmental impacts that arise during your cleaning operations.
 
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In order to select right products, which are designed for sustainability as well as safety, vendors will have to declare the list of banned ingredients, and ensure that the manufacturer produces enough evidence of the fact that the ingredients are selected not just for safety but optimise sustainability of the finished product when used diligently.
 
For second step, one has to work with vendors so that they responsibly manage their manufacturing impacts. It is important to ask your vendor for evidence that they have effective control of impacts during the manufacturing phase. Key areas include:

• Minimising raw material and finished product wastage during manufacture
• Minimising consumption of energy and water
• Minimising emissions to sewer and atmosphere and, in particular, controlling emissions of hazardous substances to avoid risk to people or the environment
• Minimising packaging waste and recycling used packaging
• Operating an Environmental Management System (EMS)
• Operating procedures to prevent accidental emissions
• Operating Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) systems to protect staff

 
Finally, it is important to minimise the environmental impacts that arise during your cleaning operations, as follows:

• Define what task the cleaning products will be used for and buy products which deliver the required performance
• Analyse and reduce rework rates. First time cleaning is essential to minimise waste, particularly in energy intensive operations such as machine dishwashing
• Favour more concentrated products, where applicable
• Dilute and use products according to the manufacturer’s instructions using accurate dosing systems where appropriate
• Service cleaning equipment regularly, particularly critical items such as dosing pumps for automated machines
• Train staff, for example using BICSc courses which detail out the way one handles cleaning chemicals

 
Green way to cleaning
Smart building owners and managers in organisations from across all sectors and industries are taking actions to reduce the negative impact of s of their facilities.
 
Diversey offers Healthy High Performance Cleaning (HHPC) programs which are designed to improve a buildings environmental quality and sustainability with a cost neutral or cost reduction impact on operations. Diversey, which produces and markets a complete range of cleaning chemicals, equipment and mops & tools, caters to a wide range of customers like hotels, hospitals, retail, educational institutes, regional sectors, etc.
 
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HHPC is a unique, all inclusive approach to cleaning that helps ensure a clean and safe work environment, increase employee productivity and satisfaction and enhance the value and integrity of buildings while reflecting organisational mission and values. The HHPC program starts with environmentally preferable chemicals then offers proven cleaning strategies, procedures and purchasing guidelines for consumables, tools and cleaning Equipment. With a HHPC program one can get:

• A clear perspective on the need for green cleaning and green cleaning concepts
• Cleaning strategies procedures and guidelines backed by the most up to date training support tools
• Environmentally preferable janitorial guidelines for chemicals, paper tools and cleaning equipment
• A pathway to earn credits towards certification under the LEED for green building rating system

 
HHPC takes traditional cleaning beyond appearances with procedures designed to make your building the safest, healthiest, and the cleanest it has ever been. The most important step is to understand that cleaning plays a huge role in the health of the buildings occupants. Cleaning also directly affects the asset value of the building. The end goal of the HHPC program is to simplify the lives of customers by providing more than environmentally preferable cleaning products and helping them achieve safe, healthy, high productivity facilities.

(This was featured in Business Standard newspaper on September 27, 2013)