HOUSTON—The Westin Houston Medical Center is the first and only hotel in the United States to utilize LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots to sanitize and disinfect its guestrooms and common areas to help combat the threat of coronavirus. The room disinfection technology, provided by San Antonio-based Xenex Disinfection Services, was developed by two epidemiologists in Houston, with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center as their first customer. The Westin Houston Medical Center purchased two of the decontaminating robots, which are already at work sanitizing rooms inside the building. LightStrike robots have been proven to quickly destroy viruses, bacteria, and fungi using...

PHILADELPHIA—COVID-19 has elevated the need for cleaning supplies, and many suppliers are running out of stock or engaging in price-gauging practices. In times of national emergency and disaster, Monarch Brands has traditionally ramped up production and logistics without raising prices. Recently deployed automation features and a split shift workforce ensures that Monarch Brands continues to meet demand while mitigating exposure to COVID-19. All wholesale microfiber and rags get automatically weighed and wrapped before being carried to the dock by “Fred,” an automated pallet train that moves along a magnetic track. Fred handles 7,500 pounds loaded on his back while pulling five...

The rise of coronavirus infections across the globe has meant that many important events and conferences have been suspended. However, it is expected that once peaks subside and business eventually gets back to normal, the demand for clean, green centers will rise exponentially. Just five days ago, the Council on Foreign Relations canceled a roundtable called Doing Business Under Coronavirus, an indicator of the pause many businesses are being forced to take. When these events are once again in demand, what steps can you take to ensure your hotel’s conference space rates highly on the sustainability index? Follow these tips to stand out...

LONDON—The World Travel & Tourism Council says up to 50 million jobs in the travel and tourism sector are at risk due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “WTTC figures show the stark impact on the travel and tourism sector of the present COVID-19 outbreak with analysis now suggesting that up to 50 million jobs are at risk in the sector globally. When the time is right, WTTC and the global private sector will be ready to help and support the government and countries to recover.” Latest figures from WTTC, which represents the global travel...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—AspenClean announced its collection of nine cleaning products that meet the Environmental Working Group’s rigorous criteria for health, ingredient disclosure and transparency. These are the first cleaning products to earn the EWG VERIFIED mark. EWG is widely recognized as the most trusted and rigorous evaluator of chemical safety in consumer products. EWG awards this prestigious mark only to products that meet stringent ingredient and transparency requirements. “We are very proud that AspenClean is the first home cleaning brand to participate in this initiative,” said EWG President Ken Cook. “Earning the EWG VERIFIED mark isn’t easy, as anyone who has read our exacting criteria can attest. We...

Our industry is certainly going through a challenging time right now. Hygiene and disinfection are top of mind and even a matter of life and death in some cases. I reached out to Stephen P. Ashkin with The Ashkin Group—The Green Cleaning & Sustainability Experts to get his take on the current coronavirus situation and how to address the virus and he contributed the following very helpful six questions and answers relating to disinfection. Please read through his list—especially paying attention to disinfectant dwell time. Are we using the right disinfectant? US EPA has established specific guidelines for disinfectants that are...

CINCINNATI—As coronavirus paralyzes the world with fear, bioscience enterprise The Gilla Co. has developed and independently tested a product shown to be at least 99.9 percent effective in killing the deadly virus. The product, Gilla (pronounced “jilä”), received EPA registration last year as a sanitizer and disinfectant that kills germs such as the flu virus, staph, and MRSA. The Gilla Company’s pursuit of coronavirus testing is consistent with the company’s continued active exploration of the benefits of Gilla. For example, preliminary tests suggest that Gilla protects treated surfaces for a week or more. This gives Gilla the potential to...

FAIRFIELD, CONN.—In ensuring the safest, most sanitized space for your guests—the most protected from the New Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)—ions are your best friend. So says Steve Levine and Tony Abate from AtmosAir Solutions. Their company’s technology has been proven to eliminate the Coronavirus, other viruses, bacteria, fungi and allergens. Levine is President & CEO of the Fairfield, Conn.-based company and Abate is Chief Technology Officer. At the core of AtmosAir systems is Bi Polar Ionization technology. Within an HVAC system or as a standalone unit, ionization tubes are placed. As airflow passes through the tubes, Bi Polar—positive and negative—ions are created...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News has added APEX Steam Cleaners to its Green Product & Service Directory. APEX steam cleaners clean, sanitize and deodorize without chemicals and a minimal amount of water usage. In addition, the high heat kills bed bugs without an exterminator. They are available in multiple models each with a wide range of accessories. APEX fully backs its steam cleaners with a two-year warranty on the unit’s pressure vessels and a 90-day warranty on all other parts. Call APEX Steam Sales at (609) 267-0922 or e-mail sales@apexsteam.com for more information.

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., a global leader in water, food safety and public health technologies and services, has been named to the Water Security List, with an A rating by CDP, the nonprofit global environmental disclosure platform. This year’s CDP Water Security A List recognized 71 companies globally for their sustainable water management initiatives. “Ecolab’s inclusion on the A List is recognition of our work to advance sustainable and strategic water management with our customers and in our own operations,” said Emilio Tenuta, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ecolab. “As we enter this new decade, we are expanding our capabilities to...