TRSA Clean Green Certification recognizes companies that demonstrate responsible leadership in sustainability and conservation to protect the environment. The program acknowledges a textile service company’s continuing commitment to improving efficiencies in water and energy conservation and adoption of best management practices for reusing, reclaiming and recycling resources.
Clean Green certified textile services operations meet quality standards for effectiveness in conserving resources, controlling sewer discharges and otherwise minimizing environmental impact. A business that uses uniforms, linens, floor mats and other reusable textiles laundered by a Clean Green facility can point to the certification as evidence that these were washed, dried and finished with techniques selected to maximize sustainability.
Industrial-scale laundries are most likely to meet Clean Green standards because they deploy high-capacity washing, drying and wrinkle-removal equipment, so their processes are far more efficient than those of home washing machines or smaller commercial laundries. To obtain the certification, laundries must document their efficiencies in water and energy use and deploy best management practices (BMPs) such as:
• Recovering heat from drained hot water and heat dispersed from the process of warming water
• Recapturing drained water from rinses for reuse
• Using environmentally friendly detergents
• Removing solids and liquids from wastewater
• Solar energy and energy-efficient lighting
• Recycling programs
• Re-routing trucks to save vehicle fuel
• Spill prevention plans
• Preventive maintenance