To strengthen the environmental sustainability of its services, Exemplar Health Care is spearheading a transition to plant-based cleaning products with the launch of a new pilot
Leading complex care provider, Exemplar Health Care, has begun a project to overhaul its supply of cleaning products and switch to using plant-based solutions.
Working with chemical supply company Blueleaf, Exemplar Health Care is currently trialling the use of Blueleaf’s N-kind range of products at five of their services, with plans for them to be rolled-out across all 52 Exemplar Health Care homes.
To further support the environmental sustainability goals of the project, Exemplar Health Care ensured the solutions already in use across the homes had run out completely before the N-kind products were introduced to mitigate against unnecessary waste.
As well as environmental considerations, one of the key drivers behind the decision to adopt plant-based cleaning solutions is the significant reduction in risk offered by the products. As a complex care provider, Exemplar Health Care must be conscious of the risk chemicals pose to some of the people they support who may attempt to ingest cleaning products.
Since they are plant-based solutions diluted with water, the N-kind products are 99% risk free. Not only does this create a safer for environment for individuals across Exemplar Health Care’s homes, it also provides peace of mind to colleagues and creates a more welcoming environment by reducing the need for locked storage areas.
The transition has been well received across the trial homes, with many colleagues noting the positive impact that the change has already had on their day-to-day work. As the cleaning solutions are multi-purpose, the number of different products needed at the trial homes has reduced from ten to just three. Arriving in the form of five litre concentrates, use of the solutions has also created significant savings on both transportation and storage.
The transition comes as part of a wider initiative across Exemplar Health Care’s estate to consider the sustainability of all the suppliers and products it relies on. They are also making meaningful steps towards ensuring the sustainability of the homes more broadly, including a programme of purchasing exclusively recycled composite garden furniture.
Dave Daniels-Ekarte, Head of Hotel Services at Exemplar Health Care, said:
“We are incredibly proud to be one of the first care providers in the sector to be making the transition from standard chemical products to plant-based solutions.
“This initiative represents not only our commitment to continuously identifying opportunities to further ensure the safety of the people we support, but our dedication to making cleaner, greener choices across our homes.
“The trial has already shown fantastic results. We will continue to analyse the benefits discovered through the pilot whilst drawing up plans to use the products across all of Exemplar Health Care’s services.”
Image depicts, a worker with new cleaning product, Blueleaf