HORSHAM, PENN.—There are only two weeks remaining to nominate a hardworking individual of a small business or facility for the 2022-2023 Sustainable Hygiene Heroes awards, hosted by Sofidel, a leading global provider of paper for hygienic and domestic use. The contest honors facility maintenance and cleaning professionals who go above and beyond to provide clean and safe facilities, while implementing sustainable cleaning practices. The grand prize winner will receive $4,000 cash and $500 worth of paper products from Sofidel, and the two runners-up will receive $500 cash each. “We are excited to honor cleaning professionals and facility managers across the country...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Its most recent version was updated in February 2015, but the EPA’s Safer Choice Standard remains a go to standard for suppliers seeking a Safer Choice label for their products. According to EPA, “When consumers see the Safer Choice label on a product, they can be confident that the ingredients have been through a rigorous EPA review. The label means that EPA scientists have evaluated every ingredient in the product to ensure it meets Safer Choice’s stringent criteria.” In addition to meeting stringent safety criteria, every product with the Safer Choice label has met high standards of performance. That...

CHANNEL ISLANDS HARBOR, CALIF.—According to Steve Ashkin, the professional cleaning industry’s leading advocate for sustainability, 2023 is going to be a pivotal year for the professional cleaning industry when it comes to sustainability. “While many larger companies have sustainability strategies in place, it remains a ‘slow burn priority’ for smaller companies in the industry,” says Ashkin. “That’s going to change in 2023.” Among the reasons Ashkin cites for this are the following: Awareness of the correlation between violent storms and climate change; Volatile energy costs/inflation; Supply chain disruptions; The need to enhance efficiencies to lower operating costs; Consumer demand; and New...

NEW YORK—Blueland and Plastic Pollution Coalition announced their formal action to petition the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the use of plastic film (PVA) in consumer-packaged goods, including all laundry detergent pods and sheets by requesting health and environmental safety tests of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), and removing it from the Safer Choice List and Safer Chemical Ingredients List until the EPA can complete the requested health and environmental safety testing. They are joined in this petition by Made Safe, Beyond Plastics, Plastic Oceans International, 5 Gyres, Lonely Whale, and the Shaw Institute and hope to garner support from the public with their petition. This announcement follows first-of-its-kind research published in...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab, Inc., a global leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services, announced it has been recognized for climate and water leadership by CDP and named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. Ecolab received leadership-level rankings from CDP, earning an A- ranking for both climate and water security. This marks the fourth consecutive year of being recognized by CDP for water security and second consecutive year for climate. It’s Ecolab’s third consecutive year on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and eighth consecutive year on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index. “Taking action on sustainability, climate...

WOOSTER, OHIO—Wooster Products, an industry leader in anti-slip safety stair treads and walkway products, has added Webstaurantstore.com as a new distributor. For nearly 20 years the company has created and fostered an innovative and easy to use website to serve the purchasing needs of foodservice professionals, and now they are branching out to serve industrial users as well. They will offer the FlexMaster and Stairmaster brands of Wooster Products safety stair treads, as well as Flex-Tred anti-slip tapes, and Safe Stride anti slip paint. These products are ideal for new construction, renovation, and industrial safety. In addition to restaurants...

The idea for the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system was hatched almost 30 years ago in 1993. Today, there are more than 100,000 buildings participating in the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) certification program. Approximately 1,000 of those buildings are lodgings located around the world. According to USGBC, “LEED certified buildings are proven to save money, improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and create healthier places for people. They are a critical part of addressing the climate crisis, meeting ESG goals, enhancing resilience, and supporting more equitable communities.” The most recent version of LEED is LEED...

When thinking about resorts leading in sustainability, you don’t often think about RV resorts but there are some with very green stories to tell—the Golden Village Palms RV Resort in the San Jacinta Valley in California, for example. The property has been certified as the only RV resort within the California Green Business Network. Golden Village Palms Green Practices The use of energy efficient lighting. The use of certified non-toxic laundry, cleaning and building maintenance products in non-aerosol containers to reduce pollution. The donation of previously used furniture, supplies and materials to local nonprofit organizations for waste diversion. The placement...

HORSHAM, PENN.—Sofidel, a leading global provider of paper for hygienic and domestic use, won a 2022 ISSA Innovation Award for its Papernet HyTech Seas dispensers. The dispensers are made using recovered ocean plastic, primarily from fishing lines, and Sofidel earned an Environment & Sustainability Award for its dedication to environmental innovation. “This award demonstrates our commitment to sustainability,” said Giorgia Giove, Marketing Manager at Sofidel America. “We are dedicated to developing products that help protect our planet now and into the future.” Sofidel’s Papernet HyTech Seas dispensers are made by taking recovered ocean plastic and turning it into an injectable material....

SOLON, OHIO—Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), an independent global certification company, and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), the leading patient organization for people with asthma and allergies, have deemed Tarkett Powerbond RS flooring as CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly—the world’s first soft surface flooring to receive this designation. “Powerbond was introduced in 1967 and, decades later, is still ahead of its time,” said Roxane Spears, Vice President, Sustainability for Tarkett North America. “Health and wellbeing are important topics for our customers. Powerbond RS was specifically developed to address potential problems associated with indoor air quality and building-related illness. This...