by Shane Henson — September 20, 2013—Facilities managers who oversee on-site laundry services or who contract with off-site services to launder their uniforms, towels or other textiles maybe interested in a recent announcement by ASTM International, a globally recognized leader in the development and delivery of international voluntary consensus standards, that the organization has published a TRSA-initiated standard outlining sustainable laundry best practices.
Through the publication, ASTM D7841-13: Standard Practice for Sustainable Laundry Best Management Practices, ASTM says it will recognize key criteria for TRSA’s Clean Green certification as universal indicators of maximum sustainability in commercial laundry work. The Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) is an international organization representing companies that supply laundered garments, uniforms, linens, floor mats, towels, and other related products.
The new ASTM standard codifies the best management practices in the TRSA Clean Green standard as the structural, nonstructural, and managerial techniques that are most effective and practical for a laundry to achieve green objectives (such as preventing or minimizing pollution), while making optimum use of natural resources.
Vetted by ASTM for 19 months, the organization’s acceptance of the TRSA proposal reflects “our industry’s commitment to sustainability and dedication to further reducing our carbon footprint and enhancing our environmental stewardship,” said TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci. “The ASTM standard, implemented through TRSA’s Clean Green certification, encourages every laundry facility to adopt sustainable, green best management practices.”
The best management practices from the TRSA program incorporated in the ASTM standard include:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by capturing heat from the wastewater stream
- Conserving with a water-reuse system
- Using environmentally friendly detergents
- Filtering wastewater before discharging it to the sewer
- Using solar energy and energy-efficient lighting
- Conducting recycling programs
- Re-routing trucks to save vehicle fuel
TRSA says it plans to submit its Hygienically Clean certification for adoption as an ASTM standard as well.
