Green & Clean Shades of green
Definitions and certification programs abound for eco-friendly
carwash operators; what will work for you?
CARR
Green chemistry and reclaim systems Due to its experience in the janitorial and sanitation markets, Zep is careful to avoid using the term “green” in its literature. “We say earth-friendly because the term ‘green’ in our compa- ny has a much more stringent criteria found in industries with more contact with the general public,” Hart explained. Instead, Zep offers customers an eco-friendly line called EnviroEdge. The program includes a training kit, as well as mar- keting materials to help carwashes educate employees and cus- tomers about the benefits of green cleaning. According to Lloyd Snell, CEO of Annford, Inc., a manufactur-
by l Kate Carr, Editor
Kate Carr is the editor
in chief of Professional Carwashing & Detailing® Magazine.
She can be reached
at
kcarr@carwash.com
For more information Visit
www.carwash.com and type in keyword:
Green
er of cleaning products to the carwash indus- try, the first step in creating a green carwash is recognizing that all components of the car- wash — including water use and treatment — matter in the big picture. The second is identifying the specific chemistry that should be avoided. “ All chemistry should be biodegrad- able,” Snell explained. And he said car- washes should discontinue use of the fol- lowing inorganic materials that are known to be detrimental to the environment and to water management: • Formaldehyde; • Halogenated; • Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons; • Hydrofluoric acid; and • Ammonium bifluoride. For operators who recycle water, Snell recommended avoiding some bio-based detergents that contain ingredients that are pH sensitive and unstable in reclaim sys- tems. “The byproduct is usually an insolu- ble floc of fatty acid,” Snell explained. Other bio-based "solvent" degreasers are also unstable in reclaim systems.
