Working in the commercial or industrial space means you must always look at ways to reduce your environmental footprint. Even the smallest change can significantly benefit your business’s environmental impact. On a global scale, more and more businesses are taking eco-friendly practices more seriously, both from a humanitarian perspective and keeping in line with new rules and regulations surrounding environmental responsibility. If you run a manufacturing plant or are in charge of ensuring your company remains environmentally compliant, then looking the cleaning products you use may help you take steps in the right direction. It may be time to switch your parts cleaning products over to less harsh solutions like water cleaners.
Why doing an aqueous clean is more eco-friendly
Cleaning products, especially those used in commercial or manufacturing spaces, have typically been formulated to contain harsh chemicals. Producers wanted to ensure they were effective against stubborn contaminations like grease, rust, or oils. However, as more research has been done into cleaning products, these have become less preferable, owing to how staff react to these harsh chemicals and how detrimental they can be to the environment when disposed of.
Water cleaners are far safer for staff members to handle as they don’t emit potentially harmful fumes and cause less irritation if they come into contact with skin. Aside from the safety aspect of using these products for an aqueous clean, water cleaners’ environmental impact is far less than that of other typical solutions.
Water-based cleaner manufacturers prioritize using biodegradable additives when formulating products for climate-conscious consumers. Water is the key element in these cleaners, making them easy to throw away once they are used for cleaning. When combined with other biodegradable solutions, they make effective cleaning products for the automotive or military industries.
What are the other eco-friendly substances?
Some other materials must be added to products used in an aqueous clean for them to be completely eco-friendly but still effective cleaners. Surfactants and additives used to help with viscosity control and enhance performance are often derived from plants or agricultural materials. Most of these contain bio-based carbon materials, meaning they’re far less harmful to the environment when used.
What are some of the standards water cleaners meet?
As an environmental professional in the manufacturing or commercial industry, getting familiar with the various regulations and standards can be overwhelming, especially when they seem to change regularly. Some of the environmental standards you may come across in regard to cleaning products include:
- The GS-34 standard: Broadly speaking, this specifies that cleaning and degreasing agents must meet certain environmental criteria, including reduced human and aquatic toxicity, lower smog production potential, and minimal ozone-depleting substances. This ensures that products perform as they should for their given application but also contribute to a healthier environment.
- EPA Safer Choice Programme: This is a general guide to products deemed after use by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is essentially a stamp of approval from the EPA and allows manufacturers to let their customers know that they’re better for the environment than some of their competitors.
If you’re looking for products that will help you stay in line with some of the environmental regulations you may encounter, the above two will help you make the right choice when looking for water cleaners. Having these products in your inventory will help to ensure that your business remains compliant with changing environmental standards.
Why should you care about environmental standards?
Even if you’re not a manufacturer of products used for aqueous cleaning, it’s still part of your business’s social and climate responsibility to take care when using cleaning products. Being able to show that you’ve taken steps to minimize your environmental impact is great for boosting your business’ brand, as your customers will see you care.
It’s also great for increasing team morale. When your staff see that you’re providing them with cleaning products with their personal safety and well-being in mind, it shows a new level of responsibility over your colleagues or employees.
Getting the right products
If you’re sold on using water cleaners and exploring solutions that may help you implement aqueous cleans into your maintenance schedule, then you need to start looking for products that can demonstrate their effectiveness and environmental considerations. You can speak with your suppliers about the standards their products are made to and enquire about water cleaners and the additional surfactants and additives used.