How can we make washrooms more eco-friendly?

In our current climate, global warming is rarely out of the headlines and experts across the world are predicting extreme consequences if environmental issues are ignored. Governments and businesses alike are realising that they need to be implementing changes to become more sustainable and ecofriendly.

This has led to a surge in demand for more efficient buildings and many architects, builders and designers are amending their practices in order meet these new requirements.

An area that is often overlooked in this respect is the washroom; in recent times however, this is one area that has become highly wasteful and damaging to the environment and should be one of the first places that is assessed in an effort to minimise environmental impact. Most companies consider various projects to reduce their environmental impact but tend to focus on large, lengthy projects which cost a lot of money, take a long time to implement and rarely come to fruition. Companies that want to make a difference can now implement quick, simple, cost effective changes to their washrooms that will not only help to reduce their carbon footprint but will also improve the washroom perception.

The washroom should be carefully considered in any business as it can be an indication of how clients and visitors judge the company’s outlook and first impressions do count. If the washroom is a clean and pleasant environment for both employees and visitors this creates a positive perception of the company, from both inside and out. There used to be a misconception that a green, eco-friendly washroom meant that style and hygiene would be compromised, but today the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

Save water, save money In the commercial market where urinals are fitted as standard in most premises, the amount of water used is staggering.

Not only are we experiencing water shortages all over the world, but each time water is wasted we must consider the energy that will be used in order to re-purify the water ready for human consumption.

There are also financial costs incurred.

A typical urinal flushing an average of four times an hour will use 157,680 litres of water per annum. Based on the national average combined water and sewerage charge of £2.15, this single urinal will cost approximately £339 in one year.

To save on water consumption, companies can implement urinal systems which only require one flush per day. Over one year this dramatically reduces water consumption down to 156 litres for each urinal and also dramatically cuts costs to just 33 pence. The eco-cube and the McAlpine cartridge are examples of systems that require far less water and are also chemical free. This means that they are not only cost effective but environmentally protective as well.

Big buildings, bigger benefits The Prupim chain owns some of the UK’s largest shopping centres and has already started to benefit from implementing the eco-friendly washroom products in a number of its buildings. With huge operations, high profile tenants and extensive visitor numbers; shopping centres have the ability to raise awareness of environmental issues amongst consumers and businesses alike.

Clare Raybould, procurement co-ordinator for Maclellan’s Prupim shopping centre portfolio, is constantly on the lookout for new ways to improve efficiency and perception. Whilst company efficiency and cutting costs are some of Clare’s principle aims, addressing and raising awareness of the centres’ environmental impact is also high on her list of priorities.

This combination resulted in Clare highlighting the Prupim centres’ washrooms as an area of operation that needed careful consideration.

Clare realised that washrooms are often areas that get overlooked, she said: “People often forget how much water and energy is wasted in the washroom and with such big operations and high volumes of customers we really wanted to raise awareness by bringing our washrooms to the forefront and addressing their huge environmental impact.”

The product package that was employed included the energy efficient Veltia hand dryer and the eco-cube urinal system, which have subsequently been implemented successfully in a number of Prupim shopping centres throughout the UK. Already the various centres have reported massively reduced water consumption and savings on electricity bills as well as a huge improvement in washroom perception due to the big improvement in smell which has been noticed by customers and workers alike.

Forget paper towels This has been an ongoing debate for many years but back in 2001 a study by Environmental Resources Management proved that hand dryers were in fact more environmentally friendly than paper towels. The study was originally carried out on hot air hand dryers, but modern technology now offers energyefficient alternatives that operate without a heating element that have an even smaller environmental impact.

The Veltia is one such model, drying hands in just 10-15 seconds, it is twice as fast as a conventional hand dryer and uses far less electricity. The Veltia is also more hygienic as the absence of intense heat means that bacteria struggle to breed and multiply. It is also a prime example of how going green can be cost effective, as per 1,000 uses it costs less than £1 to run compared to an average of £30 when using paper towels. In the past style has often been compromised when it comes to hand dryers, but the Veltia comes in twelve different colours enabling architects and designers to incorporate the dryers within the design scheme.

Avoid nasty chemicals Harmful chemicals and acids are extremely damaging to the environment but are still used as standard practice in washroom cleaning regimes. Acids and chemicals entering into the sewerage system will stay in the waterways for years, reducing nature’s ability to naturally digest biological waste and causing contamination.

Conventional chemicals that are used for washroom maintenance can be particularly harmful to both the environment and also to staff. Replacing these cleaning chemicals is therefore a priority if you are going to clean up your washroom’s act. There are ranges of highly effective microbiological alternatives, such as the GPn range of products that use friendly bacteria and enzymes to clean instead of chemicals.

The GPn product range is an effective alternative as it contains unique stabilised bacteria and enzymes which digest organic waste, eliminating the source of bad odours which are generally the main cause of complaints about a negative washroom perception.

It’s easy being green As well as cutting costs and boosting your company’s green credentials, using eco-friendly products can also cut down on paperwork. Under the REACH directive, companies are required to register any harmful chemicals used by workers or the company; however this does not usually apply to genuinely eco-friendly products as they are typically chemical free. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) legislation also requires companies to report on the use of harmful substances so they can monitor and help to control exposure, protecting the health of employees. This reporting involves time consuming form filling and failure to comply can result in legal action, however companies that use ecofriendly products are exempt, therefore avoiding the process and saving company time.

You shouldn’t be scared of change as becoming more environmentally friendly will benefit your business as well as the environment. You should however be fearful of not making changes because if you don’t start planning them now you may risk damaging your reputation in the long term. It is much better to be seen as a forward thinker who is committed to doing what they can to make changes than someone that’s stuck in their ways and is ignoring their responsibilities.

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