Cleaning and Degreasing

Transcription

1 Fact Sheet Cleaning and Degreasing Health and environmental hazards of synthetic cleaning products Synthetic Cleaning Products use chemicals that are not just toxic if we accidentally eat or drink them. The volatile organic chemicals (VOC s) contained in these products enter our indoor air and lungs as we use them, and many other ingredients are easily absorbed by the skin. They also indirectly affect our long-term health when they pollute our water ways. Increasingly these chemical compounds are being associated with allergies and other common diseases that are growing in society. The increased use of chemical cleaning products has placed a significant burden on the environment in terms of wastewater loading and subsequent treatment, the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), resource consumption and disposal of packaging materials. The major active components in general purpose cleaners are: surfactants builders solvents chlorine, bleaches and compounds synthetic fragrances phosphates ammonia These components contribute to many environmental and health effects. For example: They are heavily polluting in their production They can cause allergic reacations and worsen asthma They can irritate skin, lungs, sinuses, eyes and throats (they may even damage them) They biodegrade slowly and incompletely They can cause brain damage at high doses and be addictive They have been linked to infertility and miscarriages They contribute to air pollution and smog The basics of dirt To understand how any cleaning product works we must first understand what dirt is or rather what it is comprised of. Dirt is a actually layer of fine films made up of fats, oils, and grease (FOG), bacteria, fungi, dust mites, non-organic material and other organic micro-organisms. These films are bonded to each other and to the surface by amino and fatty acids. FOG is a combination of plant and animal fats known as lipids as well as mineral oil products which are all organic in origin. The method used in most cleaning solutions is to emulsify FOG, which is to put it into an emulsion or solution such that it can be relocated elsewhere through rinsing. The primary function of cleaning is to reduce dirt, dust, bacteria and moulds from surfaces. Unfortunately modern societies have developed a cleanliness and germ hating obsession which has lead to the development of ever more powerful cleaning agents. Millions of kilograms of general purpose cleaners are consumed worldwide each year. The average household and workplace now has a collection of synthetic chemicals that would only have been found in a laboratory 50 years ago.

2 More specifically, components such as surfactants can accumulate and may be toxic or otherwise harmful to the environment. Surfactants provide a significant load on sewage systems. Builders serve to overcome water hardness and improve surfactant performance. Phosphate and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) are commonly used builders. Phosphate may be a limiting nutrient in some aquatic environments and in some countries, the use of phosphate in detergents has been discouraged to prevent unsustainable plant growth and oxygen starvation (eutrophicaton) of lakes and waterways. Solvents are used either to assist in the cleaning action or to provide solvency for other ingredients. The most widely used solvent is water however organic solvents may also be included. Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from all purpose cleaners are fairly significant in comparison to other household products. These VOC s react with nitrogen oxides (NOX) in the presence of sunlight to produce ground level ozone and photochemical smog. Reducing VOC emissions will thus improve air quality. To reduce environmental and human health impacts, components of general purpose cleaners should either be environmentally innocuous or readily biodegrade and the products of degradation should not pose an increased risk to the environment. By choosing BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser, you can produce environmental benefits by reducing water pollution and the volume of total chemicals (VOC s) and potentially hazardous ingredients, conserving transport and energy. The type and amount of packaging used for BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser also helps to minimize waste production. Cleaning essentials Cleaning activities are however an important part of everday domestic and commercial environments. Not only do clean and tidy premises present a good image to customers, they contribute to a safe and healthy workplace for your employees. However, it is important to keep in mind that cleaning practices and products may also negatively impact on the environment and employees. Occupational health and safety can be improved when appropriate cleaning products are selected. Detergents, solvents, degreasers and other products contain a cocktail of substances that can impact on the health of freshwater and marine life by promoting algal growth and disrupting the balance of sensitive ecosystems. You must ensure that waste water containing cleaning chemicals does not enter the stormwater system because unlike the sewer system, this system is not treated prior to discharge into creeks, the harbour or ocean. Therefore we should all try to undertake activities that involve detergents and other cleaning products away from stormwater drains, roadside gutters or waterways. Positive actions You can keep your business premises clean, protect the environment and avoid costly fines by adopting the following: Use detergents and other cleaning agents that are biodegradable and contain no phosphorous. Use the minimal amount of detergent required for a particular job. Be conservative with water when rinsing and ensure the waste water does not enter the stormwater system. Substitute chemicals and cleaning products for less environmentally damaging ones. BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser is 100% organic and chlorine free (chlorine causes significant harm to the environment especially in marine and aquatic ecosystems). Only buy what you need. Some cleaners are generally flammable and toxic and large quantities can be hazardous to store. Store cleaning products in a secure and bunded area or cupboard.

3 Prevent children from gaining access to cleaning chemicals by keeping lids on all solvents, cleaners and other chemicals to limit their polluting effects. This will prevent the likelihood of spills and prevent odors and fumes from escaping into the air. When using odorous chemicals or solvents ensure there is adequate ventilation for the safety of your staff and customers. Dispose of all chemicals and solvents appropriately - never dispose of them down the stormwater drain. Enzymes & cleaning products Enzymes hydrolyze or breakdown the amino and fatty acids that bond the bio films that harbour dirt together and to the surface being cleaned so that they can be transferred completely off the surface. Enzymes are simply nature s catalysts that accelerate the natural biodegrading or breakdown of organic substrate. More specifically enzymes are naturally occurring proteins that are generated by all living organisms such as plants, animals and microbes. Their purpose is simply to breakdown non-living organic matter such that it can be eliminated from or digested by the organism that produced the enzyme. It is this natural dust to dust recycling process continually performed by bacteria and their enzymes that stops plant, animal and human waste from over-running our environment. Enzymes perform their catalytic function on contact with no effect to themselves. Enzymes are non-toxic, non-irritating, nongaseous, non-flammable, non-pathogenic and non-hazardous. There are hundreds of thousands of enzymes with each having specific individual characteristics. For example, an enzyme that causes proteins to break down will not react on fats and oils. Therefore any effective enzyme cleaning system must contain enough different classes and types of enzymes to ensure proper catalytic reaction to speed up the natural dust to dust process. The four basic classes of enzymes of most relevance to cleaning applications are grouped as follows: 1. Lipase: those that break down fats and greases 2. Protease: those that break down proteins 3. Cellulase: those that break down cellulose such as wood, cotton & paper 4. Amylase: those that break down carbohydrates and starches Types of enzyme cleaning products It is common today to hear of cleaning products containing enzymes. There are two basic types of enzyme cleaning products. Products such as BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser are active microbial enzyme products. This type of product contains actual strains of microbes that produce the required digestive enzymes when added to organic waste material. Most products within this group are single strain products, meaning that they are comprised of a single type of microbe with a limited range of enzymes and therefore are only effective on a limited range of substrates. BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser is based on a specific grouping of beneficial microbes that have the ability to produce a wide range of catabolic enzymes which can degrade any material within the organic spectrum. A benefit of active microbial formulations for cleaning and waste management is that the microbes will multiply to accommodate the volume of waste they are presented with. This scalability of the technology makes active microbial products more effective and importantly more cost effective than enzyme only formulas. As the microbes multiply they have an ability to adapt to the specific types of waste available and in the process they hone in on the specific wastes thus improving their efficiency in removing it.

4 A second benefit of active microbial cleaning products is that they cannot only breakdown waste material through their enzymatic action, but they can fully digest it as a microbial nutrient source (after the enzymes have broken it into small molecules) completely removing the contamination. The by products of this microbial digestion are inert natural compounds such as nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide, oxygen and water. This is exactly what nature would ultimately do with the contamination. You are just making it happen much sooner and preventing the use of chemicals to relocate the waste for later bio-degradation. The majority of enzyme based cleaning products available today belong to the second group known as pre-formed enzymes. These contain the protein manufactured enzymes and emulsifiers and no active microbes. Naturally the most powerful products: 1. Contain active microbes to provide scalability to meet the cleaning task at hand; and 2. Contain a blend of microbes and enzymes so that they are effective on a wide range of dirt and waste. Enzymes actually out-perform germicidal cleaners because they digest the host material where the germs and odor causing bacteria live and reproduce. Germicides will kill germs and odor causing bacteria but because they do not eliminate the host organic material, new bacteria can and will begin to reproduce very soon after the germicidal has been applied. Enzymes also out-perform degreaser or detergent based products in the removal of fats, oils and greases (FOG) because they completely digest the host material. Degreasers and detergents are basically wetting agents that emulsify the FOG s and assist in their removal, but it is simply moved elsewhere often causing a blockage or deposit. One of the greatest benefits of products such as BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser is that as a floor cleaner it rapidly removes FOG. This provides a huge improvement in occupational health and safety for staff and customers as the risk of slips and falls is greatly reduced. BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser with its unique cleaning properties is the ideal cleaning solution for Home, Hotels, Schools, Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Restaurants, Health Clubs, Laundries, Carpet Cleaners, Rest Rooms, Animal Areas, Urinal Traps, Grease Traps, Septic Tanks, Holding Tanks, Portal Toilets, Sewage Plants. BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser and odor control As BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser rapidly digests all organic and many inorganic contaminants and waste products, it removes the cause of malodor. It has a dual action in that it works at both the gaseous level and at the level of the substrate. It is this dual action that allows BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser to remove odors within minutes. Natural bacteria do not perform well in anaerobic conditions causing intermediate by-products that can be very malodorous such as ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, amines and mercaptans. For example, there is a particular type of natural bacteria that digests sulphur deposits known as sulphur reducing bacteria. One of the by-products of the digestion of sulphur (which is naturally occurring in all organic matter) is hydrogen sulphide gas which is objectionable to the human olfactory sense at very low concentrations. BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser provides rapid and complete digestion such that noxious by-products are not produced. Therefore there are no malodors and the environment is left clean and free of contamination.

5 How does BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser work? Microbes which are single cell living microorganisms are present throughout our bodies and our environment. Microbes can be disease causing (pathogenic) or friendly (non-pathogenic). Friendly microbes help to degrade waste, control odors and remove stains. In essence, the microbial cultures are eating machines whose sole purpose is to decompose and digest organic matter. As living organisms, microbes must eat to stay alive. Unlike multi-cellular organisms, microbes do not have an internal digestive system and they digest their food source extracellular or outside their cell wall. To do so microbes produce and excrete enzymes which break down organic waste into liquids that can then be absorbed and digested by the microbes. The microbes convert the absorbed liquids into simple elements such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and water which are naturally occurring and consumed in the environment. After a short period of feeding on liquefied waste matter, each microbe divides into two identical and fully functional duplicates of the original in a process known as binary fission. This replication process will continue for as long as an adequate food source exists to fuel the process. Increased microbial count means increased enzymatic activity, which results in faster decomposition and digestion of organic waste. This natural scalability means that the BiOWiSH microbes and enzymes multiply to meet the requirement to digest the amount of waste present. When the waste is consumed the microbes are self-limiting and break themselves down into simple organic elements which are consumed by other microbes in nature. The role of microbes is to eliminate organic waste and consequent odors. They are ideally used for drain and trap maintenance, odor control, stain removal and cleaning action. Compared to some of the caustic and potentially harmful chemicals currently used, microbes and their workhorse enzyme secretions are safe to use and safe for the environment. Microbial preparations with enzymes are the preferred and most effective natural solution to a wide range of cleaning and pollution requirements. They are ideally used to eliminate organic odors, stains from fat, oil, grease, urine, vomit, feces, blood, grease, wine and sewage. BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser is a cocktail mix of many active microbials that provide a powerful combination to digest many types of substrates. Environmental conditions BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser can operate in a wide range of environmental conditions as outlined in the table below: Paramater Range Benefit Alkalinity ph Wide range of operative conditions Oxygen Content 0.5 ppm + Facultative Anaerobe / Aerobic Salinity Up to 65,000ppm Effective in Saline Conditions Temperature F (0-65 o C) Wide temperature range Chlorine Up to 3ppm Operative in moderate chlorine

6 Benefits of Use Rapidly digests a broad spectrum of organic wastes Waste begins to digest immediately on contact Has the ability to rapidly multiply providing a scalable sanitizing effect When waste is digested the microbes and enzymes are self-limiting and fully biodegrade Posseses powerful anti-bacterial properties which remove many harmful pathogens such as E-coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Lysteria and Cholera Rapidly digests FOG s reducing volume in grease traps and the need to engage pump-out services Digests amines which are the compounds that attract many insects such as flies and cockroaches Cleans drains of non-living organic matter and fat build up, preventing blockages and malodor, thus reducing costs of plumbing call-outs Does not mask or cover-up odors instead removes the molecules that are the cause of a broad spectrum of malodors Safe to use, non-corrosive and non pathogenic Safe for the environment - non-polluting, organic and contains renewable ingredients Addresses OH&S issues by removing toxic chemicals and the need for hot water Packaging 3.5oz / 100g 2.2lb / 1kg 11lb / 5kg 22lb / 10kg Storage and Handling Avoid excessive storage temperatures and direct sunlight and store in cool dry location. Store below 149 F (65 C) at all times to maintain product effectiveness. Once opened BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser must be kept dry and in an airtight container to prevent activation. Once in solution BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser has an effective life of hours in the absence of a food source. Effective life in solution can be extended if solution if stored at < 41 F (5 C).

7 Safety Toxicity testing conducted by independent testing and outside laboratory revealed no acute oral toxicity, no acute dermal toxicity and no acute inhalation toxicity at maximum dose. Acute dermal sensitization studies classify BiOWiSH - Cleaner / Degreaser as non-irritating and it does not elicit a skin sensitization reaction. We strongly feel that as manufacturers it is our responsibility to care and respond to the overwhelming environmental concerns facing us today. Our products perform not just equally but better than many well known brands and drastically reduce the need for excessive wasteful use of harsh chemicals. We thank you for supporting environmental products. More Information For more information on this or any of the revolutionary products based on the BiOWiSH technology, please visit We also welcome your feedback or questions on our products. Please us at contact@biowishtechnologies.com Biological help for the human race BiOWiSH TM is a registered trademark of BiOWiSH Technologies Pty Limited CHFSCD9MY02