News, Views & Comments from the World of Building Service Contractors WFBSC ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Diversey Sturtevant, WI 262-631-4001 www.sealedair.com Kaercher Germany www.kaercher.com WFBSC MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS Association de Empresas de Limpieza Buenos Aires, Argentina Norberto Peluso [email protected] Building Service Contractors Association of Australia Crows Nest, NSW, Australia [email protected] Quebec Building Service Contractors Association, Inc. Montreal, Quebec, Canada Roger Gauthier - [email protected] Building Service Contractors Association International Chicago, Illinois, USA Chris Mundschenk - [email protected] Building Service Contractors of New Zealand,Inc. Auckland, New Zealand Marja Verkerk - [email protected] Bundesinnungsverband des Gebaeudereiniger- Handwerks Bonn, Germany Johannes Bungart [email protected] Cleaning and Support Services Association London, United Kingdom Linda Casey [email protected] March 2014 Fresh worries on China growth as factories slow to 8-month low Central bankers and finance ministers in Europe and North America are paying close attention to the Chinese economy as new evidence suggests that manufacturing growth in the world’s second largest economy is slowing. HSBC, said in a statement. “We expect Beijing to launch a series of policy measures to stabilize growth. Likely options include lowering entry barriers for private investment, targeted spending on subways, air-cleaning and public housing, and guiding lending rates lower.” The flash Markit/HSBC purchasing managers’ index (PMI), a gauge of Chinese manufacturing, fell to an eightmonth low of 48.1 in March for 48.5 in February. Most economists, who had expected a much stronger March figure, are now predicting the West’s economies could suffer as result of Chinese stagnation. Although any stimulus is likely to be modest as the Beijing government is wary that the credit explosion that in recent years has sent Chinese debt soaring. In 2007, overall Chinese private and public debt was about 150 per cent of gross domestic product; today it’s about 220 per cent The shrinking PMI suggests that the Chinese government will stimulate the economy to keep its 7.5 per cent growth target intact. “Weakness is broadly-based with domestic demand softening further,” Qu Hongbin, chief China economist at Europe is especially concerned about a Chinese downturn as any slowdown would add to deflationary pressures in the European Union, where the inflation rate is running at about half of the target rate of close to 2 per cent. Febrac Brasilia, Distrito Federal, Brazil Adonai Arruda [email protected] Ricardo Garcia - [email protected] Building Managers Association of the ROC Taipei, Taiwan Kenneth Kao - [email protected] Federation des Enterprises de Proprete Paris, France Carol Sintes [email protected] Japan Building Maintenance Association Tokyo, Japan Keizo Kozen [email protected] Korean Association of Sanitary Maintenance Seoul, Korea Young Hoi Um [email protected] OSB S’Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands [email protected] Page 1 American Cleaning Institute reveal their greenest members The ACI is showcasing members that are doing the best at promoting sustainability. The ACI Member Sustainability Showcase is a one-stop online information source for cleaning product industry sustainability updates. It is an online portal to show the institutes’ member companies’ best sustainability content, including sustainability reports, webpages, press releases, and other initiatives. During the past year it found that four companies: Ecolab, Henkel, Symrise and Unilever were all outstanding in their commitment to sustainability. Over the last 12 months Ecolab provided $1.2 million in in-kind product donations to support global disaster relief efforts. Working in partnership with non-profit organisations, the company quickly mobilised its sanitising and public health products for distribution to areas around the world impacted by natural disasters. Henkel has published its Sustainability Report for 2013. The report details the important environmental and social progress made by the company over the last year. One key aspect is the active involvement and training of employees worldwide. This 23rd report also highlights sustainable product innovations. These efforts are always aligned to the long-term goal of the company: to triple its resource efficiency by 2030. EU reports slight fall in annual unemployment rate A report from the EU has found that unemployment in member states has dropped slightly over the last 12 months. The current unemployment rate in the EU is 10.8%, down from 11% - the figure in February 2013. Unilever, its supplier Symrise and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH announced a partnership to improve the livelihoods of 4,000 vanilla farmers in the Sava region, Madagascar. This unique development partnership includes a comprehensive three-year program that will impact 32 communities and involve 44 schools and colleges, giving it the potential to improve 24,000 lives in one of the world’s poorest nations. The full portal can be found here: http://www.cleaninginstitute.org/ sustainability_showcase The unemployment rate in the euro area as a whole has remained at 12% - no change from twelve months ago. Eurostat estimates that 26.231 million men and women in the EU, of whom 19.175 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in January 2014. Compared with December 2013, the number of persons unemployed increased by 17 000 in both the EU and the euro area. Among the Member States, the lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria (4.9%), Germany (5%) and Luxembourg (6.1%), and the highest rates in Greece (28% in November 2013) and Spain (25.8%). However, the figures for youth unemployment still remain stubbornly high. In January 2014, the youth unemployment rate (under 25 years old) was 23.4% in the EU and 24% in the euro area. In January 2013, it was 23.7% and 24.1% respectively. The lowest rates were observed in Germany (7.6%), Austria (10.5%) and the Netherlands (11.1%), and the highest rates in Greece (59% in November 2013), Spain (54.6%) and Croatia (49.8% in the fourth quarter of 2013) Page 2 Europe’s leading producers of sustainable detergents have agreed on a single sustainability standard An event in India has been held to showcase huge advancements in toilet sanitation and health The event called; ‘Reinvent the Toilet Fair:India’, which was co-hosted by the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and which is supported by the Ministry of Urban Development, aims to stimulate discussion and spur partnerships to improve global sanitation and bring affordable sanitation solutions to people that need it most. A brand new agreement has been reached by Europe’s leading producers of sustainable detergents. Called the Greenway Standard, the focus is very much on economical, ecological and social issues. A number of European companies had been working independently to try and find a solution to the complex problem, but it wasn’t until the winter of 2011, when French, Italian and Belgian producers started working together, that the outline of a mutual concept was drafted and the development began. The following year a non-profit association was created: The Greenway to Life, with a registered office in Paris and a technical office in Pianiga, Italy. In February 2013 the new Greenway Standard was presented during a press conference at the Biofach in Nürnberg, the worldwide most important organic fair. The foundations of the Greenway Standard are the principles of sustainable development. That means a focus on economical, ecological and social issues at the same time, which is quite a challenge. Further developments are to be expected soon and can be followed at: www.thegreenwaytolife.org qualified as “unimproved” sanitation facilities is growing. Today, it is estimated that between 2.1 - 2.6 billion people in developing countries use pit latrines or septic tanks that produce tons of untreated faecal sludge every day. When these tanks and pits are full, the sludge collected is largely discharged untreated into open drains, irrigation fields, open lands, or surface waters. The amount of untreated faecal sludge discharged into the open environment poses a serious public health risk. Brian Arbogast, director of the Water, Sanitation & Hygiene team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “We are privileged to host the Reinvent the Toilet Fair: India with our partners to advance conversations about sanitation - it is a testament to the Indian government’s commitment to improving how we deal with this pressing problem.” The fair is also an opportunity to recognise India’s commitment to improving child health and fostering innovative solutions to persistent development challenges. One of the 50-strong group of exhibitors is DCI Engineering, which is showcasing its Faecal Sludge Omni Ingestor. The FSOI System, which is conceived as a solution for a business owner to use to extract contents of latrines while helping to reduce sanitary risks, is designed to fit on the back of a motor vehicle with an open-top, rear cargo area (a pickup truck or lorry) with a pumping mechanism that can reach distances of 50 metres. Since 2000, reports from the Joint Monitoring Program (WHO/UNICEF) of the Millennium Development Goal targets for sanitation have consistently shown that the share of the population in developing countries that use pit latrines, septic tanks, and systems “Eram Scientific, a Social Enterprise, has taken on the challenge of addressing public sanitation by developing a product that is portable, hygienically maintained, and eco-friendly. eToilet is India’s First Electronic Public Toilet.” The eToilet incorporates full cycle approach in sustainable sanitation by integrating convergence of electronics, mechanical, web-mobile technologies thereby controlling entry, usage, cleaning, exit, and remote monitoring capabilities with multiple revenue options. The insertion of a coin opens the door of the eToilet for the user, switches on a light-thus saving energy-and even directs the person with audio commands. The toilets are programmed to flush 1.5 litres of water after three minutes of usage or 4.5 litres if usage is longer. It can also be programmed to clean the platform with a complete wash down after the toilet has been used, say, five or 10 times. So far the eToilet has won over 25 awards nationally and internationally. Page 3 International marine conference says Oceans need better waste management practices Discarded plastic, industrial waste and unwanted fishing nets are still a growing problem for the world’s oceans; despite decades of efforts to reduce such marine debris. However, a new set of commitments - set out during the recent Fifth international Marine Debris Conference - hope to encourage the sharing of technical, legal and market-based solutions to reduce marine debris. One of the key findings of the conference was the need to improve waste management practices globally. It was said that improvements to national waste management programmes not only help reduce the volume of waste in the world’s seas and oceans, but can also bring real economic benefits. The impact of marine debris is farreaching, with serious consequences for marine habitats, biodiversity, human health and the global economy. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), at least 267 marine species worldwide are affected by entanglement in, or ingestion of marine debris, including 86% of all sea turtle species, 44% of all seabird species and 43% of all marine mammal species. There is also growing concern over the potential impact on human health of toxic substances released by plastic waste in the ocean. Scientists are studying whether contaminants linked to cancer and other health risks, which may accumulate on ‘microplastics’ can enter the food chain when ingested by marine animals. These microplastics comprise disintegrated plastic broken down by the sea into small particles, as well as plastic pellets used by industry. Co-organised by UNEP and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and held in Honolulu, Hawaii, the conference saw major industries and leading marine researchers come together to make a new set of commitments to tackle this widespead problem. In UK, merger of Asset Skills, the CSSA and the FMA, creates brand new FM company The Building Futures Group is the name of the new organisation resulting from the merger of Asset Skills, the Cleaning & Support Services Association and the Facilities Management Association. The Building Futures Group is the only representative organisation for the Housing, Property, Planning, Cleaning, Parking and Facilities Management sectors. The new name reflects the organisation’s commitment to developing individuals working within the industry, as well as safeguarding the buildings where we live, work and play, now and for the future. “The rationale for the merger was that the industry lacked a consolidated, unified voice,” explains the recently announced Chief Executive, Sarah Bentley. “The Building Futures Group will coordinate the sector’s voice and provide a platform that has been so sadly missing. We are fully committed to raising the profile of the industry and transforming the sector.” Steve Davies, Chairman of The Building Futures Group states: “I am very pleased to announce Sarah as our Chief Executive. I know that she will successfully lead the organisation through this exciting new phase as we take our place as a leader in the sector. “We wanted to ensure that our name was representative of the industries we work with. At the heart of the organisation is our commitment to engaging with young people, opening up the industry to new talent and helping them to build exciting careers. The Building Futures Group brand and logo encapsulate this vision. Page 4 The Cleaning Show in London attracts more big names It’s been announced that more leading cleaning companies have signed up for the Cleaning Show in London next March. Big names including; Numatic International, Prochem Europe, Reintec – part of HSS, Selden Research, and Hydro Systems – have all signed up to exhibit at the show, which comes after the recent confirmation as Mitie as a platinum sponsor. The Cleaning Show 2015 takes place from 10th-12th March 2015 at London’s ExCel Exhibition Centre. The event is organised by BCCE Ltd, a company jointly owned by the British Cleaning Council and Quartz Business Media. Steve Diprose, VP of exhibitions at Quartz Business Media said: Organisers are confident that even more big names are set to get on-board in what is now expected to be the biggest Cleaning Show yet. “Our list of stand reservations has grown significantly since the beginning of this year, but what really pleases me is the number of signed contracts we have received. We are now in discussion with the logistics team at ExCel to expand the footprint of the event to accommodate this increase in demand.” For more information about the event visit http://www.cleaningshow.co.uk Amsterdam show set to feature young professionals’ programme This year’s ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam from May 6-9 will feature for the first time a special young professional’s programme. The aim is to enable young professionals build their knowledge and expertise, and get them more involved in the industry. The programme provides opportunities for members to network and learn from industry leaders, as well as participate in physical and virtual events throughout the year. During ISSA/INTERCLEAN Amsterdam, Young Cleaning Professional members will meet leaders of industry and other prominent figures to discuss developments and brainstorm about the future - say the organisers. For more details about the programme visit www.issainterclean.com Page 5