ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News has added ChemxWorks to its Green Product & Service Directory. The company’s D-CARBONATOR soak tank removes carbon buildup and the worst fats, oil and grease (F.O.G.) from kitchen equipment (aluminum baking pans, hood filters, baking racks, floor mats and more) using heated water in combination with safe, eco-friendly and proprietary detergent CarbonZyme. The D-CARBONATOR operates at a temperature of 185˚F/85˚C. Equipment removed from the unit is fully sanitized and bacteria free. It saves on labor, utilities, water, equipment and chemicals. The D-CARBONATOR is 12 times less costly to operate than a 3-compartment sink and cleans better...

ChemxWorks Clean & Conserve—Without Scrubbing! The D-CARBONATOR soak tank from ChemxWorks removes carbon buildup and the worst fats, oil and grease (F.O.G.) from kitchen equipment (aluminum baking pans, hood filters, baking racks, floor mats and more) using heated water in combination with our safe, eco-friendly and proprietary detergent CarbonZyme®. The D-CARBONATOR operates at a temperature of 185˚F/85˚C. Equipment removed from the unit is fully sanitized and bacteria free. It saves on labor, utilities, water, equipment and chemicals. The D-CARBONATOR is 12 times less costly to operate than a 3-compartment sink and cleans better than a dishwasher. The stand-alone unit plugs into...

Unfortunately, I have written about carbon monoxide deaths in hotels far too often—most recently last November. The past few weeks I have read about two more incidents at hotels. First, in late June, two men were found dead by a third guest staying in the room at the Best Western Hotel in Asheville, N.C. Police suspect the cause of the deaths to be carbon monoxide poisoning. According to an unsealed warrant, Asheville fire chief Shane Mackey suspects a utility room behind the room was the source of the carbon monoxide. The utility room contained two water heaters and two...

PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., a global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies, has released its 2018 corporate sustainability report, Accelerating Meaningful Change, which highlights its work with leading companies throughout the world to reduce environmental impact and drive cost savings. The 2018 publication is Ecolab’s 12th annual corporate sustainability report. “Whether it’s saving water or reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, there’s a growing realization that these priorities go hand-in-hand with business growth and profitability,” said Ecolab Chairman and CEO Douglas M. Baker, Jr. “By the nature of our work, we help companies achieve their operational and sustainability goals.” Highlights from...

RALEIGH, N.C.—The installation of an advanced bed bug detection system from Delta Five Systems, LLC, a supplier of innovative solutions to stop bed bugs using computer vision, biological science, and cloud technology, has proven to be a smart investment for a newly-constructed hotel located near Hartford, Conn. Realizing early on that traditional bed bug management methods would not provide a sufficiently effective solution for preventing infestations, managers at the Hilton Garden Inn Wallingford had the Delta Five Automated Bed Bug Detection System installed after construction at their property in September 2017, and as a result, there have been zero...

OTTAWA, ONT.—This week at HITEC Minneapolis, the Hotel Communication Network (HCN) will unveil a new green initiative. Called “Guest Choice,” the patent-pending technology enables guests to use HCN’s in-room Navigator Tablets to opt out of room cleaning, potentially saving owners up to $50 per room per month in labor costs. In addition to determining “if” and “when” they want their rooms cleaned, guests are also given the option to request late checkout for a fee. Upselling this opportunity is an easy way to capture potentially lost revenues. “Giving guests a choice in how they prefer to interact with the hotel...

ATLANTA—Human trafficking is a growing epidemic in the United States and across the world. As a response to this problem, neuroscience researcher and seasoned author Laura Otis has released her novel, “Clean”, a gripping story of an abused housekeeper who must overcome her inner fears to help women held at a cheap motel by human traffickers. Abused as a child, Ginny lives an isolated life as a housekeeper at the Run-Rite Inn in a small Texas town. The inn’s manager, Jake, who knows every hinge on every door and the personality of every room, encourages Ginny to think beyond dusting,...

RALEIGH, N.C.—Delta Five Systems, LLC, a supplier of innovative solutions to stop bed bugs using computer vision, biological science, and cloud technology, has been selected for the Qualified Vendor Program of Choice Hotels International, Inc. The agreement supports Choice-branded properties’ access to the Delta Five Automated Bed Bug Detection System, helping Choice franchisees to safeguard their guests’ experience, protect the reputations of their hotels, and receive significant cost savings over traditional pest management methods. One of the world’s largest hotel companies, Choice Hotels franchises approximately 7,000 hotels representing more than 570,000 rooms worldwide across a myriad of brands, including the...

The definition of an allergy-friendly room has often been in flux in our industry. More than a decade ago, PURE Allergy Friendly Rooms were introduced. At that time, the PURE process included steps ranging from ozone shock treatment to an air purification system to a showerhead with a chlorine filter. PURE Allergy Friendly Rooms have since evolved and are now called Pure Rooms as part of a Pure Wellness experience. The current seven steps include: ozone shock treatment, sanitize air handling unit, deep clean soft and hard surfaces, apply Pure Shield Barrier, install air purification system, install antimicrobial tea...

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN—Scandic is the world’s first hotel company to introduce a standard for allergy-friendly rooms. This means that guests booking allergy-friendly rooms can expect considerations including wooden floors and fragrance-free, hypoallergenic toiletries approved by the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Assn. The rooms are also prepared according to strict cleaning procedures and are not located on floors where pets can stay. The new standard will be part of Scandic’s unique 159-point accessibility standard. More than 150 million people in Europe have some type of allergy. Most of them probably do not need specific allergy-friendly hotel rooms. But the fact is that more...