Sustainable cleaning needs to be tackled in three key steps. Brief guidance on these steps is given below to ensure that cleaning products are bought and used according to best environmental practice. Further detail is given later in this guidance.
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| Step 1 |
Choose products that are designed for sustainability as well as safety. |
How?
The manufacturer must select and formulate ingredients not only to ensure safety but to optimise the sustainability of the finished product when properly and diligently used.
- Require your supplier to follow the guidance on ingredient selection to ensure that the products are formulated to be safe for people and the environment.
- Avoid specifying other ingredient choices for your supplier as these are unlikely to have any significant benefit and may seriously undermine sustainability, such as by reducing the effectiveness of the product.
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| Step 2 |
Work with suppliers so that they responsibly manage their manufacturing impacts. |
How?
Challenge your supplier 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.
- Operating procedures to prevent accidental emissions.
- Operating Occupational Health & Safety systems to protect staff.
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| Step 3 |
Minimise the environmental impacts that arise during your cleaning operations. |
How?
Reduce your consumption of product, packaging and energy by buying effective products and using them efficiently to minimise wastage and disposal to landfill.
- 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. Offer instructions in a choice of languages where appropriate.
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