How green technology is cleaning up the hygiene industry’s environmental footprint
As heads of state and government ministers gather in Egypt from across the world for COP 27 (6-18 November), it’s encouraging to see the renewed focus on the need to reduce global carbon emissions dominating the headlines.
With the clock ticking for countries to put sufficient measures in place to meet their 2030 targets, the messaging at this year’s annual climate change conference will be even more pressing than before. And, if COP 26 is anything to go by – an event which inspired a 400% increase in enquiries for one client – we hope it will inspire more companies across the UK to consider how technological advances could change the way they work.
With limited advances over the last few decades, the hygiene industry has traditionally relied on chemical-based cleaning products. So ingrained is this dependence that there’s a genuine opportunity for businesses to understand that there are 100% natural options that can deliver the same high hygiene levels without damaging the world around us.
As an innovator in sustainable technologies, a key part of our role is to help businesses understand how switching to more natural (and affordable) cleaning options can not only reduce their carbon footprint but boost their duty of care commitment for employees and customers alike.
Now, with increased pressure on companies to demonstrate their environmental credentials, and with the rising cost of chemicals and energy, we may have reached a virtuous tipping point that could change the future of cleaning and help avert an ecological catastrophe.
The power of green cleaning options started to come to the fore during the pandemic, when mainstream awareness about the power of natural solutions such as hypochlorous acid (HOCl) – the most powerful natural steriliser – grew.
With its ability to destroy 99.99% of all bacteria, odours and viruses – including 99.994% of Coronavirus – our HOCl-harnessing AquaTeck cleaning systems soon became a go-to for organisations serious about safe sanitisation. This included the Welsh Ambulance Service, who, by using our AquaTeck portable fogging system, were able to reduce the time taken to decontaminate their ambulances from 45 to just 15 minutes – a critical advancement during a global health crisis.
One of the reasons HOCl is becoming increasingly popular is that, aside from being 80-100 times more effective than bleach, it simply uses ordinary tap water and food-grade salt to produce up to 4 litres of chemical-free disinfectant per minute, from just £0.02/litre. This versatile liquid – safe enough to use in food preparation areas – can then be used to refill spray bottles, mop buckets, misting systems and even industrial floor cleaners, before being safely tipped away once finished, where its benefits continue by keeping drains clean.
Best of all, being able to produce this multipurpose sanitiser on-demand helps organisations reduce plastic waste, PPE requirements and operating costs. All while bypassing potential supply-chain issues, boosting employee and customer safety levels (by being non-allergenic) and improving companies’ sustainability credentials.
With green technologies driving a much-needed cleaning revolution, this move away from harmful chemicals could play a significant role in ensuring our industry achieves the UK government’s sustainability targets.
As high-profile cleaning providers such as phs Group and Alliance Scotland work with the GreenTeck Global team to reduce dependency on harmful chemicals by championing COSHH-free systems, it’s clear how the big players are helping inspire much-needed industry change.
So, whilst global leaders debate solutions to mitigate the climate crisis and remind us of the urgent need for everyone to adapt our current trajectory, this feels like the beginning of a green revolution that better reflects our society’s shifting attitudes. And a sustainable approach that we would encourage all our industry colleagues to embrace.
Get in touch to find out how GreenTeck Global’s pioneering range of 100% natural cleaning solutions could help your bottom line.