Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 31st October 2024 Issue no. 1136
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 International News
Products New EU legislation tightens sustainability reporting & clamps down on greenwashing:
New EU legislation - the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the EU Green Claims Directive - is to tighten sustainability reporting and combat greenwashing. The purpose of the legislation is to enhance transparency, accountability and sustainability in business practices. All businesses with operations or a market presence in the EU are affected.  Lone workers face increased aggression, EcoOnline research finds
Robert Scott launches 100% compostable wipe for sustainable cleaning
Culture change: how becoming people-centric can transform a business
Kärcher spotlights incredible work of cleaning teams with its annual Thank Your Cleaner Day campaign
Celebrating 50 years of innovation from Harrison Wipes and Chicopee
Changes at the top of the pile for WoolSafe
Is it time your business systems had a refresh?
New study shows that closed pipe systems can reduce hospital bacteria
Safer Surfaces & Preventing Transmission - IDTechEx explores antimicrobial technologies
Sasse Group acquires Capital Maintenance
i-team Global launches i-walk: co-biotic wizardry that’s retrofittable with any i-mop XL!
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Welcome to the Cleanzine
Within months of joining the cleaning industry some 30yrs ago it dawned on me that our cleaners weren’t earning nearly enough - and it’s a feeling that’s grown stronger over time. It’s not just being tasked with cleaning up other people’s mess, which can be hard work and soul-destroying too, but also the unsocial hours which can mean walking out alone to the workplace, bus/tram stop or train station when the streets are quiet and dark and perhaps unsafe. Many also face working in isolation for much or all of the shift. Then there’s the lack of acknowledgment by, and respect from, the general public.
Many contractors have made a commitment to paying their cleaners the much-deserved Living Wage, which is a good bit higher than the Government’s Minimum Wage. I admire them for their commitment as I can imagine it takes quite some negotiating and can so often put them out of the running! Hearing the UK Government confirm yesterday that from April, minimum pay for over-21s must increase by 6.7%, (from the current £11.44/hr to £12.21/hr) and that 18 to 20-year-olds will enjoy a 16% increase - taking their current minimum pay from £8.60/hr to £10/hr, initially excited me, (and especially so since the Government’s also removing the cap on single bus fares in much of the country, allowing them to rise by 50%!). Then the reality set in... How will employers afford it - particularly those being forced to contend with higher National Insurance contributions? After all, those seeking cleaning services so often award the contracts to those who can seemingly do the same work for far less money than all the competition professes to need! Far too few can willingly accept that great service and results don’t cost mere peanuts. How do we persuade them otherwise? Or will jobs have to go and cleaning standards be reduced as a result of pay rises that just can’t be maintained?
Could The British Cleaning Council’s latest initiative provide the answer I wonder? It’s calling for minimum standards of cleanliness and hygiene for UK workplaces to be legislated by Government, with premises subjected to regular inspection. It says that this could help reduce the national bill for employee sickness, (reportedly £103bn in 2023!) thereby supporting economic growth. It argues that although employers currently have a legal duty of care to provide clean workplaces, standards are too vague. Mmmm… Could ‘minimum standards’ legislation force everyone looking for services to pay what the job’s actually worth, so that all those involved in providing the services can enjoy a decent standard of living? It’s a brilliant idea, but one that I’m not 100% sure is likely to be workable, when it comes to the reality of staffing and policing it. Your thoughts please?
This Week's News
Honoured in the ISSA 2024 Achievement Awards are…
The four will be recognised on November 19th during the ISSA Spotlight Event and Awards ceremony at ISSA Show North America 2024, which takes place November 21st – 24th at the Mandalay Bay Convention Centre in Las Vegas. The value of lightweight backpack vacuum cleaners in care homes
"In care homes, the significance of lightweight and compact backpack vacuum cleaners cannot be overstated. These devices offer ease of use, allowing cleaning professionals to manoeuvre through various environments with minimal physical strain. The portability and reduced weight of these vacuum cleaners contribute to increased efficiency and higher productivity. Whether it's for tackling tight corners in resident rooms or cleaning communal areas, having a compact vacuum cleaner ensures that tasks are performed quickly without compromising on effectiveness.
Sands Cares Ambassadors and other Sands China team members joined volunteers from four organisations for the service activity: local green enterprise Macau ECOnscious, Green Future, the Bosco Green Store of Bosco Youth Service Network, and the University of Saint Joseph.  Simon Wells appointed as Phs Wastekit's national operations manager
With over 20 engineers and supervisors under his responsibility, Simon will be running day-to-day operations as well as managing health & safety, customer service, team development and sales team liaison. 
Positioned discreetly next to the toilet, StepFresh uses a hands-free, foot-operated system that dispenses bleach or toilet cleaner in a 360-degree stream around the entire bowl. With one press, the solution coats the bowl, breaking down stains and marks effortlessly and replacing ineffective rim blocks and unsightly brushes. New tool combats costly bin contamination – in seconds!
To combat this, waste tech pioneer, Peasy, has come up with an innovative AI tool that can be used on any smartphone. ‘Instant Bin Audit’ provides an assessment of any bin's level of contamination, and can even identify the offending waste streams - within four seconds.  P-Wave launches limited edition urinal screen for high-end hospitality venues
"Our new Slant6 Midnight Coast limited edition is more upmarket than a celebrity chef's tasting menu," quips Mark Wintle, P-Wave's brand manager from Robert Scott. "The sleek, black urinal screen allows guests to indulge in a refreshing aquatic fragrance, balanced with green palm leaves, fruity and floral hints, all layered over driftwood and white musk. Landmark partnership for sustainable food waste management
Since July, Keenan Recycling has successfully collected food waste from all Heart with Smart Group's Pizza Hut Restaurants across the UK. Spotless acquires South East-based hospitality sector cleaning specialist
Based in New Malden, Surrey, FH was set up in 1993 by its managing director Alister Gregson who now joins Spotless as a non-exec director. BICSc experts share industry insights at Clean & Tidy Home Show
As well as helping man the BICSc stand, the Institute’s group managing director, Neil Spencer-Cook, was joined by some of the BICSc who took part in presentations, Q&A sessions, and supported the Show's awards, with commercial director, Denise Hanson, taking part in the awards council to help highlight and select this year's worthy winners. Proud moment as Slicker Recycling officially receives King's Award
It was announced in May that the company, which collects and re-refines over 75 million litres of used lubricating oil every year, had been awarded the King's Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2024, recognising Slicker's outstanding year-on-year growth as it helps companies operate in a more sustainable way. OCS UK secures four-year contract with Alstom for Voyager fleet cleaning services
This new contract enhances OCS's existing portfolio of services for Alstom, further solidifying its partnership with the Rolling Stock manufacturer and train services provider. 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
Safe methods of isolation of platform controls on mobile elevating work platforms
The investigation is ongoing but in the meantime, the HSE has been working with the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) to develop the following guidance on the safe methods of isolation of platform controls for MEWPs. Liberty Hygiene cleans up environmentally with BigChange Job Management System  Liberty Hygiene is using a BigChange job management system to achieve its carbon neutral aspirations.
Offering linen and floor care, as well as pest control and washroom services, Liberty Hygiene uses the six-in-one, cloud-based solution to improve the utilisation and management of its fleet as it transitions to all electric. Metsä Group's 2025 Sustainability Awards submission window closes with 91 entries
Meet Jangro AI Beta: The Smart Cleaning Assistant
Celebrating success at the BICSc Awards
Recycling stations take pride of place at Haringey libraries
Events & Exhibitions WFBSC Global Summit London Cleaning Show The Workplace Event ISSA Pulire 2025 Hygienalia ISSA Show North America |
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