Hopping at double digit pace, laundry practices in India can no more be surreptitious with no accountability of water and energy consumption. According to an MIT survey, 25% of the global laundry players have accepted that the adoption of sustainable practices has added to their profitability citing “Improved innovation in products & services.” This is widely seen as a ‘Pro-environmental behaviour model’ which includes the combination of knowledge and pro-environmentalism with sustainable laundry practices. The model advocates the latest eco-efficient laundry operations to ‘Go Green’. For Indian laundry operators, the buzz remains around the base model – the Hines Model of Responsible Behaviour Model – to minimise the waste consumption at work place.
Vijay Rodda, Veteran Laundry Consultant gives an account of the understanding of the elements accountable for the sustainable laundry.
There are five stake-holders for sustainability of any business, including Laundry – viz. Customers, Shareholders, Management & Staff, Suppliers, and Society. Laundry, however, has added advantage over manufacturing as it is a service industry and product is to be produced and consumed in a limited area. There cannot be import-substitute.
All five stake-holders are to be comfortable with the working of laundry for its sustainability.
- Customers:
Quality and price commensurate with it are necessary. For quality, steps given in this article are a must. [The steps shown will take care of staff & management requirements]. - Shareholders:
Growth and financial gains are necessary, hence profit needs to be generated through satisfied clients, as above. - Management and Staff:
Staff needs to be looked after, both financially and with facilities. Hence, more sales and profits are required. Only then, staff will feel motivated, & produce better quality product. - Suppliers:
They are to be treated well and paid dues in time. Again, this aspect is related to sales and profit. - Society:
Lesser consumption of depleting resources, less pollution, less noise and community welfare.
Quality will be good if following points are considered. It will be of utmost importance for customers, so that they are satisfied, & there are repeat dealings, a major requirement for any business to grow & sustain. There are other considerations as well, viz. price, delivery, collection, handling etc.
1. Water:
b. Supply: @20kl/tonne for batch water extractors & @8-10 for CBW.
c. Drain: Certain specifications need to be adhered to for draining in sewage like TDS/BOD/COD etc. It is best to treat effluent with ETP before letting off in drain.
d. Pollution: We need to use minimum quantity of detergent and other chemicals for soil removal so that minimum water can be used for rinsing & pollution will be lesser.
e. Recovery: Water can be recovered by using ETP RO or using 2nd and 3rd rinse for 1st wash by choosing certain machines/CBW.
2. Chemicals:
a. Chemicals & constituents are to be eco-friendly, bio-degradable.
b. Effective for soil removal.
c. Correct dosing: Auto-dosing system is recommended so that exact stipulated quantity is added at correct time.
d. Fabrics/dyes to be least affected by chemicals.
e. Easily soluble in water/dry cleaning solvent as the case may be.
f. No deposits or scales with water hardness/TDS reaction with chemicals on wash-goods/ machines or baskets.
3. Machinery:
Washing:
a. Material of construction: compatible with dry chemicals from pH =1.0 to pH=13.0.
b. All parts to be compatible with chemicals, including drains/rubber sealing/gaskets.
c. Perforations on baskets to be smooth.
d. No burrs or protrusions.
e. Well balanced.
f. Easy to go into hydro-extraction.
g. Programmable and capable of including dosing programme.
Drying:
a. Material of construction – compatible with water or pH up to 8.5 to 9.0.
b. Perforations to be smooth.
c. Door closing such that no drying material to get stuck in the door and shell opening.
d. No leakage of air.
e. Insulated
Pressing:
a. To have proper padding – flexible and resistant to heat for hot press.
b. To have perforation besides being flexible for steam and vacuum to pass for steam press and steam vacuum table.
Dry-Cleaning Machine:
a. To be dry-to-dry.
b. To be with refrigeration cycle.
c. To have chilling for cooling hot refrigerant.
d. Adequacy of distillation tank.
Flat work Ironer:
a. Preferred to have chest heated ironer.
b. Vacuum for each roll.
c. Smooth chest and synchronization of speeds.
4. Soil Removal / Stain Removal:
To remove as much soil as possible and stains totally, if possible with proper chemicals and formulae.
5. Electricity:
AC – 415 V – Phase to Phase, 50 hertz with power factor very near to 1.0.
6. Fuel for Boiler:
Liquid: HSD Gaseous: CNG – To have least pollution in air.
To have scrubber for blue gases.
7. Staff:
a. Well trained and focussed, including delivery/collection/logistics.
b. To be provided with uniforms.
c. Ergonomics.
d. Counsellor is required.
e. First-aid and if possible doctor or paramedic on call – for burns/ cuts/falls etc.
8. Fire Fighting:
Equipment and trained staff to operate
9. Lighting:
Adequate.
10. Ventilation:
Proper to have comfortable environment.
11. Toilet and Bathing:
Bathing – especially for health care laundry.
12. Change Room and Resting, Dining
13. Transportation and Parking:
a. The vehicles need to be rustproof and for stacking linens and garments, either on hanger or folded.
b. Parking and loading-unloading space for vehicles at outlets/work place/ hotels/hospitals.
14. Machinery:– as support functions and other accessories
a. Boilers
b. Compressors
c. Water softeners
d. Tanks – underground, overhead and pumps & lines(for water)
e. Chillers for dry-cleaning machines
f. Voltage stabilisers
g. Stability of electronic parts through designs or cooling
15. Computers:
All computers at outlets/workplace/ hotels, etc. connected through LAN.
CCTV – at all workplaces or stations.
16. Extra Treatment for Linen/ Garments:
a. For stains/soil removal
b. Mending – sewing
c. Alterations of minor nature
17. PPE and Breathing Masks/ Apparatus:
a. Personal protective equipment to handle chemicals, pre-treatment of garments.
b. Masks – while working in places with chemical vapours
c. Cleaning gadgets for boilerfurnace, dry-cleaning machine, mopping floors and cleaning machines.
18. Scrubber for Boiler – Flue Gases and Lint from Driers
19. Cyclone Separator for Removal of Entrained Water or Condensate from Steam