Did you know that embracing cleaning solutions that have less impact on the environment can improve your business in a variety of ways?
According to data cited in the "Many Shades of Green" Whitepaper, 50% of companies across 15 major markets prefer to use companies with “good environmental reputations”.
As such, an understanding of, and willingness to use, sustainable products can take your business to new levels.
For your business to comply with EU regulations and, in turn, appeal to prospective clients, you need to understand sustainability.
The Brundtland Report (commissioned by the UN in the wake of the environmental issues raised at the famous 1972 Stockholm Conference) defines sustainability as:
“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
This means sustainable decisions should prioritize people, planet, and profit in that order.
For this, businesses need to develop a cleaning strategy that focuses on energy, water, and operation savings.
Running through the heart of these three strategic goals is one fundamental question: how can businesses reduce plastic use? Plastic is a major and often inevitable part of the industrial cleaning industry, so any strategy must aim to reduce its usage and impact.
Why is it important to reduce plastic use?
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation notes that the amount of plastic in our oceans will outweigh the total amount of fish biomass by 2050. To address concerns for the environment, EU targets state that all plastic should be reusable or recyclable by 2030. As a business, you need to remember these things when you’re thinking about how to reduce the amount of plastic you use.
Whenever possible, we aim to remove plastic from our operations and it's likely your business has similar goals. However, in situations when you can’t completely eliminate plastic from your operations, reduction is our goal. Diversey follows this simple motto: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Rethink. We do this by using biodegradable organic materials in our products.
We also offer cleaning products that can help you reduce your carbon footprint, reduce volume requirements and cut transport costs.
You can learn more about how to reduce your single-use plastic usage as a business in the following sections.
Is it possible to reduce plastic use in cleaning?
Environmentally-conscious cleaning involves the elimination or reduction of plastic materials in the cleaning process. How can we reduce single-use plastic in cleaning? In looking at how to reduce daily plastic use in business, we need to focus on four key areas.
1. Use concentrates
Concentrated products from Diversey in a bottle can be diluted many times. This means that the trigger bottle with the in-use solution gets reused multiple times instead of only once such as with common ready-to-use products.
2. Use dispensing equipment to dilute concentrates
Specialist onsite dispensing equipment can be used in conjunction with for example pouches such as SafePack. These dispensing systems make it easier to dilute concentrates and, therefore, reduce packaging waste and avoid overdosing of the product. This reduces costs and your company’s impact on the environment.
3. Use packaging that can be recycled
Use packaging that can be recycled. The plastic from the packaging is then reused to create new packaging. SafePack Pouches from Diversey are made from a single type of plastic. This means they can be disposed of as plastic waste and recycled. What’s more, SafePack pouches are made from a single sheet of plastic. One sheet is blown into multiple pouches, so there is no waste.
4. Use products made from renewable resources
Cleaning products should be made from as few chemicals as possible. When chemicals are used, as many of them as possible should come from plant-based rather than fossil-based materials. Diversey's SURE products are made primarily from plant-based, renewable resources.
Eco-friendly cleaning & certifications
Diversey is committed to developing sustainable solutions that support your targets and raise the bar on sustainability. It’s been that way for decades. We are a member of the A.I.S.E. Charter for Sustainable Cleaning 2020+, and we’ve won various awards for our sustainability initiatives and sustainable cleaning supplies.
It's common to refer to things we think are "good for the environment" as "eco-friendly".Unfortunately, production always has an impact on the environment in terms of carbon emissions. We explore all measures to minimize this impact, as well as consider products and solutions for the customers that can have an overall net positive impact, for example by significantly reducing their water and energy use.
Here at Diversey, we know why it’s important to reduce plastic use. Not only that, our understanding of how to reduce the amount of plastic we use has combined with knowledge and action resulting in notable sustainability achievements over the years:
- 1935 – HF Johnson Jr. develops a way to maintain carnauba palm trees, which contain a crucial ingredient for cleaning products.
- 1975 – Diversey removes CFCs from all aerosol products.
- 1994 – Diversey wins a UN Environmental Program Award: World Environment Centre Golden Medal for International Achievement.
- 1996 – Diversey creates the Marine Stewardship Council with Wild Wildlife Fund.
- 2007 – Diversey launches Pur-Eco, a sustainable line of eco-labelled cleaning products.
- 2014 – Diversey wins a Sealed Air Award.
- 2015 – Diversey launches the SURE 100% biodegradable and plant-based cleaning range.
- 2023 – Diversey wins an EcoVadis Gold Medal for sustainability
Saving energy & water in cleaning
Sustainability isn’t just about finding cleaning solutions that reduce plastic waste. Whenever possible, you should aim to use cleaning products that abide by the four tenets we referenced earlier:
- Use concentrates
- Use dispensing equipment to dilute the concentrate
- Use packaging that can be recycled
- Use products made from renewable resources
Finding products that meet these four goals is the best way to reduce plastic use and have the smallest environmental impact possible. What’s more, using products that meet these goals will also help your business reduce energy and water consumption.
To reduce the amount of energy and water you need to carry out any commercial cleaning routine in three ways:
- The right products can reduce the amount of packaging you use.
- The right products can increase the lifespan of a product and reduce the number of orders you place.
- The right products can reduce transportation costs and CO2 emissions.
In terms of water and energy consumption, the right cleaning solution will use the least amount of packaging possible to reduce the impact you have on the environment. There are three main types of cleaning products, each of which will affect your energy usage and water consumption differently:
- Ready-to-use sprays
- Standard concentrate products
- Super concentrate products
The trick here is to find the right solution for your needs. For example, using a concentrate instead of a spray can reduce your water consumption. It will also require less packaging and cause less pollution through transportation. Although you will also need to factor in whether you have the process in place to use a concentrated product correctly as you build Diversey's range of solutions into your sustainable cleaning strategy.
Operational savings in cleaning
The amount you spend on products and shipping costs is important to consider. The less of something you need and the longer you can make a product last, the lower you can keep costs. Moreover, you’ll have less impact on the environment.
The aim is to reduce the number of products you use (volume impact) which, in turn, reduces the amount of shipping you require (transportation impact). When you reduce your volume and transportation impact, you save money and have a sustainable business. Diversey products help you achieve these goals. Some of the ways we do this are:
- We offer products with minimal packaging.
- We offer solutions so you can move from ready-to-use products to concentrates and super concentrates (concentrates reduce volume impact and transport impact).
- We make sure all our packaging is recyclable.
- We offer reusable spray bottles.
- We offer refillable/reusable packaging and products whenever suitable.
How to reduce single-use plastic: cleaning products
Now you know why, let’s look at how businesses can reduce plastic use with specific cleaning products. As well as helping you save the planet, the right products can help you stay legally compliant.
Laws in Europe say that organic materials must have minimum biodegradability standards. The right cleaning products can also reduce your carbon footprint (lower transport impact). These products can also be safer and more efficient.
Some of the top products and sustainable supplies within the Diversey range are: