Due to the coronavirus pandemic, health and safety in the workplace has never been more in focus. Meanwhile, sustainability remains a hot topic that’s relevant to companies of all sizes and across every sector, with the reduction of carbon footprints being a top priority. Here at Greenham, we’re dedicated to helping our customers to achieve both of these in a single action through environmentally friendly spill response solutions.

Spills in the workplace

Depending on the nature of your business, there will be specific types of fluid that are used, stored and perhaps produced on your premises. It could be anything from water-based products to a variety of oils and chemicals, all of which pose a major threat to employee wellbeing and corporate compliance if a spill occurs.

Spills in the workplace can lead to all kinds of problems. The simplest example is reduced workflow, with the affected area being inaccessible for a short time and potentially blocking access to products as well as routes for forklifts and other machinery. At the other end of the scale, spills can result in accidents, lawsuits and dangerous substances entering the local ecosystem, all of which come with heavy ramifications.

The importance of spill control

In the same way that you have a business plan in place, a sustainable spill control strategy enables your staff to be prepared for any type of spill. The ability to understand exactly how to contain, control and clean up a spill in an ecologically friendly way isn’t just useful, it plays a central role in maintaining sustainable business practices.

We supply a wide range of spill control products, including numerous sustainable options that are specifically designed using the closed-loop recycling system. This is where used products are transformed into new ones, preventing them from going to landfill or being incinerated.

The advantages of sustainable products

Investing in sustainable products for your business comes with a wide range of benefits. Obviously you can enjoy the feel-good sensation that comes with running an environmentally friendly company, but there are also tangible and strategic advantages that come as part of the process.

  • Sustainable practices are being given increasingly greater attention by companies, local authorities and other organisations. Showing that you take sustainability seriously can help you to make new business connections, create valuable partnerships, enhance your recruitment, gain new investors and satisfy your stakeholders.
  • Using environmentally friendly products on a large scale can substantially strengthen the reputation, trust and public image associated with your brand.
  • Your staff will also be even prouder to work for your company when you demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, as it’s the hallmark of a business that cares about its impact on the world.
  • Protecting the environment may seem like an obvious point, yet it applies on a number of levels. Choosing sustainable spill control products means that the materials used in them are recycled, which greatly extends their shelf life. In the process, this reduces the need for raw materials and takes pressure away from their natural sources. Sustainable products are often more effective than traditional versions too, which means you can use less of them whilst also achieving top results.
  • The added bonus is that the effectiveness of these products can also result in your ongoing costs reducing due to minimised usage.

Closed-loop recycling materials

There are three types of material involved in our range of sustainable spill control products:

  1. Cellulose: This is obtained from wipe manufacturers and recycled to create spill control products for general use, such as socks and pillows. At our current rate, 12,000 kilograms (or 12 metric tons) of cellulose is repurposed every month to create our general maintenance absorbents.
  2. Polypropylene: Plastic-based material with phobic properties from wipe and nappy manufacturers is transformed into a range of oil-only absorbents. Prime examples are oil-only booms, socks and pillows. At the moment, we recycle 9,000 kilograms (9 metric tons) of polypropylene with phobic properties each month. Then there’s polypropylene with philic properties, which comes from the same manufacturers. This substance is ideal for creating absorbents for chemical spills, with 1,500 kilograms (1.5 metric tons) of it recycled every month.
  3. Woodfibre: Last but certainly by no means least, sawdust from sawmills is used as loose absorbent for oil and aqueous-based liquid spills. Currently we recycle 75,000 kilograms of sawdust per month (75 metric tons), making sawdust our primary source of material for sustainable spill control products.

Added peace of mind

As well as the spill management products themselves being sustainable, you’ll be pleased to hear that all of the above materials are purchased from first tier manufacturers that are serious about the environment. This means that all of our fibre material is sourced from FSC approved manufacturers, including the sawmills.

What about clay granules?

Unfortunately, clay granule is still the most prevalent loose absorbent in the UK. However, the team here at Greenham offers a highly sustainable alternative form of granule made from 100% waste material. This is sourced from the paper industry and consists of material that would otherwise go to landfill or be incinerated, so our sustainable spill management granules give it a whole new purpose.

It’s easy to make the switch

In the same way that sustainability shouldn’t be seen as a quick add-on for your business, it also doesn’t require tons of thought and capital outlay. Our sustainable spill control products are designed to be highly effective whilst remaining affordable, enabling our customers to easily replace their existing systems with an environmentally friendly spill management system.

The more attention you put into sustainability, the more your business will get out of it. We make the switch both easy and effective, so get in touch to find out more.

Do it the Greenham way

There’s never been a better time to integrate sustainable practices into your daily operations. To find out more about environmentally friendly spill care products, spill response kits and eco-friendly absorbents, call us on 0845 300 6672 or email the team at sales@greenham.com.