Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 22nd January 2026 Issue no. 1194
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The original and best - for over 20 years!
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 International News
Products Nilfisk’s Board tells shareholders to accept Freudenberg’s takeover offer
EDANA unveils the professional development and events 2026 calendar
The events are as follows: Nanobubbles market research report 2026-2036 now available
AI's thirst for water: a looming crisis for the cleaning industry
Remote inspection camera secures safer, smarter overhead cleaning
Perfect recipe for cleaning success
ACI hires sustainability manager, strengthening member support and program initiatives
Michael will serve as sustainability manager at ACI, supporting both ongoing programs and the development of new initiatives that advance industry-wide sustainability progress, advocacy, knowledge building and outreach. From aisles to industry: Tennant's new X6 ROVR handles it all
This purpose-built robotic floor cleaning machine is thoughtfully designed for manoeuvrability and versatility, allowing it to clean spaces some other floor scrubbers might struggle with, and to deliver maximum cleaning coverage with minimal oversight in a wide variety of spaces - such as retail stores, supermarkets and logistics & warehousing facilities.
“Service robots, as covered in the new IDTechEx report, ‘Service Robots 2026-2036: Technologies, Players & Markets’, can be used to automate several industries, including logistics and delivery, cleaning, agriculture, underwater exploration, food service, and social interaction. Xenex receives Health Canada Registration for LightStrike6 UV Robot
New partnership is addressing Ghana’s waste management issues
Interclean 2026 just got even better!
Here's a first look at what's new: EDANA wraps up its Sustainability & Policy Forum 2025
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Welcome to the Cleanzine
There are, in my mind, several indicators as to how good (or bad) a place might be to settle in or visit. You can cover it with tubs and hanging baskets of brightly-coloured flowers and shrubs, have architecturally-impressive buildings and lovely parks, waterways and lakes, have a shopping centre filled with independent businesses made easily accessible with plenty of low-cost parking, and even boast a public washroom that sports a Loo of the Year Awards certificate, but if there’s an abundance of litter, graffiti and discarded chewing gum, you’re on a hiding to nothing. As well as encouraging other vandals to follow suit, messy streets give the impression that the residents leave a lot to be desired – and if the problem’s particularly bad it can provoke feelings of unease. Are the streets actually safe?
Cut the number of planters (or get local businesses to sponsor them!) and spend the money instead on a ‘blight team’: a warden or two to tackle litterbugs and graffiti vandals, plus a machine and operator to deal with the gum. No I realise that cutting the former won’t pay for the latter, but help is at hand…
Yet again this year, Keep Britain Tidy has organised a sizeable sum of money that will be made available to local authorities as grants of up to £27,500, to cover the cost of buying and operating specialist chewing gum cleaning equipment, educating locals on the need to dispose of gum responsibly and/or pay for extra street cleansing. Those who’ve availed themselves of grants in the past have enjoyed sizeable and ongoing reductions in gum littering. OK there’s still the litter and graffiti to deal with but purchase a machine that deals with both gum and graffiti and you haven’t got too far to go. Bearing in mind applications for grants close in less than two months I’d suggest you get working on it now (and if you’re merely a resident disturbed by the mess around you, contact your council and let them know about the offer without delay). Details are further down the page.
If you’re one of our many thousands of overseas readers, please answer me this: Do you experience problems with litter, graffiti and discarded chewing gum in your neck of the woods, and if so, what measures do you take to try and prevent it and what systems do you have in place to get it cleaned up?
Finally, John Austen and I hope you’ll join us in congratulating Principle Cleaning Services’ founder and executive chairman Douglas Cooke on having made it onto the ‘Top 100 Influential People 2026’ list. You can read more about Doug’s achievements further down the page and once you have done, we feel you’ll agree that it’s a very well-deserved recognition for one of our industry’s best.
This Week's News
Significant funding proven to dramatically reduce blight of gum littering is up for grabs
In 2025, 52 councils across the country benefited from a special grant fund to tackle chewing gum litter, helping clean an area equivalent to the size of more than 2,406 tennis courts. CHSA publishes fact sheet busting myths about sustainability
The fact sheet forms part of the CHSA's Roadmap to Sustainability. This is the Association's long-term initiative designed to provide members and the wider industry with practical guidance on sustainability.  Not just a man of Principle but a man of influence… Doug makes Top 100!
Following five decades of leadership, innovation and advocacy, Douglas is a highly influential figure in the cleaning & facilities management industry. He founded Principle in 1989, and today the company employs over 3,000 people, generates a turnover exceeding £120 million and is the trusted cleaning partner to many of London's most iconic buildings, towers and mixed-use estates. 75% of UK businesses unprepared for new employee rights rules, lawyer warns
The Bill has now passed through the House of Lords after receiving Royal Assent at the end of 2025, and will deliver benefits to over 15 million people. With reforms confirmed to come into effect on 1st January 2027, the Bill now includes six months' unfair dismissal rights following the controversial U-turn by ministers, as well as stronger protections for zero-hours and flexible workers.  Take a bow, Prochem and Scott & Sons!
Opened in 1968, the Alban Arena has since been providing leisure and entertainment to the local population and hosts more than 250 shows each year, including music theatre and comedy. With a capacity of over 2000 people, this popular venue requires regular cleaning and maintenance. Betco Joins 2026 BSCAI Corporate Partner Program
The program brings together organisations dedicated to advancing the building service contractor industry and supporting BSCAI's mission.  Robert Scott's new robots deliver safer, smarter and more efficient cleaning across dynamic spaces
"For some time, Robert Scott has been championing the MT1, the world's first AI-powered scrubber dryer robot for large-scale environments, such as warehouses, airports, and shopping centres," says Alastair Scott, sales director at Robert Scott. Following its success, we are now excited to announce the launch of the new MT1 Vac and MT1 Max. HSE refreshes and updates waste & recycling guidance The Health & Safety Executive has refreshed its guidance on the waste & recycling industry to make it easier to protect people and places in this sector. Working in close consultation with the Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH), it has: * removed outdated or duplicated information  Enhancing the magic with some extra sparkle
OCS is now delivering Integrated Facilities Management services across 12 of Merlin Entertainments' UK attractions. The partnership spans some of the UK's most popular destinations: Alton Towers Resort, Legoland Windsor, Chessington World of Adventures, Thorpe Park, Warwick Castle, two Sea Life sites, the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, Shrek's Adventure and London Dungeon. Mrs Buckét celebrates 30% growth, secures 30 new clients and expands into new sectors
As part of its strategy to diversify and grow, the company has established a strong foothold in high-demand sectors, with significant wins in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and food manufacturing industries. The Cleanzine Archive Search We keep an extensive archive of news stories and product information that have featured in past issues of The Cleanzine. If you would like to run a search of the The Cleanzine web site using the search tool below please just go ahead by entering in the name of the person, product or company or any other key words that you are looking for. How to contact us at The Cleanzine:
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Our weekly updated Hospital Hygiene features current developments and product solutions cleaning and hygiene industry manufacturers are coming up with. Read More. Recent UK News
Sitemark shapes future of public sector catering and cleaning services
Chemical-free drain seal technology Green Drain to expand UK operations
Where there's muck...Yorkshire Dirt Index 2026 reveals Winter as dirtiest season for workplaces
Key industry leaders commit to making sure the sector's voice is heard by Government
Key cleaning and hygiene industry leaders have held a high-level meeting in London to discuss working together on a strategy for the sector to achieve improved Government recognition. Why Hard FM is sitting on millions in untapped savings
England's waste system to undergo its biggest reform in April
Hooper Services achieves ISO 9001 Certification
Tech Tidings: Mitie’s carolling cobots serenade commuters at London Bridge station
Loo of the Year Awards entries reveal rise in standards for even more facilities
Events & Exhibitions The Cleaning Show Innovation Lab 2026 Clean-Tech Expo Cleaning Expo INTERCLEAN The Workplace Event |
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