As sustainability and ESG goals remain top of mind for many cleaning companies, creating a circular economy can help business owners reach their environmental targets. Transition your cleaning company from a linear to a circular economy by moving to a model that eliminates waste, reuses materials, and continuously cycles resources back into your operations.

What is a circular economy? A circular economy eliminates waste and pollution, focusing on a closed-loop system emphasizing reuse, recycling, sharing, and repair. At its best, this model eliminates waste and pollution from the equation in the planning phase, so products and materials are kept in use.

Cleaning companies can work toward a circular economy by taking steps like switching to refillable and concentrated chemicals, using reusable and biodegradable equipment, offering transparent green certifications, and taking back empty packaging from clients.

Here are some of the ways cleaning companies can implement these changes to the business:

Adjust chemical use

• Purchase cleaning products in greater quantities, partnering with suppliers that offer concentrated cleaning chemicals in large containers that are returnable or refillable. This helps cuts down single-use plastic jugs, eliminating the landfill from the loop.
• Switch to natural products like enzyme-based or probiotic cleaners. These break down organic waste naturally over a longer period of time, rather than using harsh, synthetic chemicals that can be difficult to dispose of, are inhaled, and that wash down the drain. Avoid greenwashing by looking for EcoLogo or Green Seal certifications.

Upgrade tools and equipment

• Upgrade your textiles. Instead of disposable paper products, invest in high-quality, reusable microfibre cloths and mops. To lengthen their lifespan, ensure that they are laundered regularly and properly. If your company uses on-site commercial washers, choose machines that are certified to reduce water and electricity consumption when cleaning cloths and mopheads.
• Can you trade traditional plastic garbage bags for certified compostable or biodegradable liners? This can make a significant difference when installing these in office buildings or throughout facilities, especially for organic waste and light office recycling.
• Rather than investing in all new equipment, source cleaning tools like buckets and spray bottles that are recycled, upcycled, or made from highly durable materials that can be repaired. Lengthening the lifespan of your equipment or giving it new life can reduce overhead, along with reducing your waste.

Get clients involved

• Approach your clients with a collection plan for spray bottles, gallon jugs, and bulk containers. Commit to washing, sanitizing, and refilling these – or returning them to the manufacturer – to extend your sustainable reach. This can also help you connect and engage with like-minded clients, increasing brand loyalty and connection.
• Seek out partners, suppliers, and distributors that also participate in circular programs, to learn, practice, and support other businesses with the same goals.

Reduce carbon footprint

• Convert all washing to cold water for textiles to save energy and lengthen the life of your cloths.
• Think about your teams and their routing. Can you optimize operations and increase efficiency with better planning to reduce driving distances between client sites? Tightening up your routing can lower your company’s fuel consumption and carbon footprint, also improving labour allocation and addressing staffing shortages. Consider switching some of your fleet to hybrid or electric models for short trips to further lessen your environmental impact.

Improve communication

• Get your teams involved. Ask for their feedback and suggestions and ensure they understand why and how you are going to implement these strategies. Train them on any new practices so they can confidently and effectively carry out your instructions and better reach your goals.
• To simply train new team members, create a circularity policy so they can access new protocols easily and practice what you’ve made a priority.
• Client communication matters, too. Include your circular practices in your service proposals and talk to clients about your approach so they understand your priorities and business practices. With so many businesses looking at increasing sustainability, this could help you better align with your clients’ goals and let them know where you stand on sustainability.

Creating a circular economy for your cleaning business improves your sustainability efforts, offers cost reduction, improves connection with like-minded clients, and grows industry brand reputation.  As well as moving closer to your ESG goals, you may even inspire some of your competition to do the same, helping to raise the standard for green initiatives for your industry.