The Environment

As an industrial laundry, we recognize that our business, by its very nature, has an impact on the environment through our use of water, energy and chemicals. However, we continually strive to lessen this impact through the use of modern, more efficient equipment and processing methods and the use of cleaning products and technology from our chemical supplier of choice, Ecolab, the Global Leader in chemical technology and services to the industrial laundry industry. Ecolab works closely with us in promoting a safe, clean, environment with optimal water, chemical and energy use, and improved operational efficiencies for the benefit of all.  

Our modern computer controlled high-tech equipment allows precise measurement and more efficient use of resources and chemicals while still producing optimum results:-

• lower water usage for every kg of linen washed. Our tunnel washers use 5 litres of water per kg of laundry washed, compared with 20-30 litre per kg in smaller washer/extractor machines used in motel and hotel laundries.
• water from the rinse cycles of the process is recycled thus reducing overall requirement for fresh water and lower overall waste water.
• each batch of linen is processed according to type, with its own computer controlled program which calls for precise amounts of chemicals. This reduces chemical wastage while still ensuring the linen is cleaned effectively.
• our large gas heated driers are more economical than smaller gas driers and considerably more efficient than electric or steam driers. Greater efficiency means lower gas usage and lower emissions into the atmosphere.
• we have installed a Heat Exchange system in our laundry, which transfers heat from outgoing wastewater to incoming fresh water.The effect of the Heat Exchanger therefore has a threefold environmental benefit:
  • reduces the energy requirement to heat wash water by 20-25degC
  • reduces the temperature of waste water going to drain by same amount
  • reduces steam (ie: water ) requirement elsewhere in the laundry

Summary

• We continually look at ways to reduce our usage of resources and chemicals, as we recognize that not only does it make economic sense for businesses to reduce costs, it is also critical that we all ‘do our bit’ for the sustainability of our environment.
• Every kilogram of linen processed by Southern Lakes Laundries reduces the impact on the environment when compared with that same amount of laundry processed in smaller, less efficient, and more resource intensive laundry situations such as smaller hotel and motel laundries.
• This equates to less chemicals, less energy and less water used for every kg of linen we process.