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Jan-Feb ’132

Heaps of waste greets us quite frequently on the Indian streets. The lack of adequate sanitation infrastructure and the paucity of waste treatment facilities, coupled with our lack of basic civic awareness have resulted in this apathetic and unhealthy scenario. If our streets and industrial sites are two major sources of wastes, bio-medical and radioactive waste are perhaps among the most potentially dangerous forms of waste. Besides these, this technology age without social sensitivity has led us to the perils of unmanaged e-waste.

We should not only reduce our generation of waste, but should try to reuse and recycle our waste wherever possible, and dispose them safely wherever resuse and recycle is not feasible. But for this to become a habit or a culture, not only the state and the business environment should change, but we should also change our attitude towards waste.

We should remember that the hillocks of waste, which if lying untreated and uncared for are causing potential threats to health and hygiene. And we should also remember that they could be creatively managed to generate wealth for the enterprising entrepreneurs and employment opportunities for many people. We may know these things but do not care to realise or remember them in our daily lives. We now have comprehensive laws for management and handling of e-waste and bio-medical waste but simply laws would not be able to help us graduate towards a hygienic society unless there is political will, corporate social responsibility and civic awareness to complement them.

We not only need more sewage treatment plants and waste water treatment plants, but also more creative corporate initiatives towards waste to wealth generation. In our Cover Story of this issue, we explore the issue of untreated waste and highlight some praiseworthy waste management initiatives.

Pesticides are one of the major instruments for reducing food wastage and thereby attaining food security in our country, but sadly still our per hectare pesticide consumption is not very encouraging as compared to the global standards. The rising costs of discovering and development of a new molecule and the cumbersome steps involved in its registration on the other hand are impairing the pesticide production in the recent years.

However, the awareness among pesticide’s utility is rising in our agricultural community, which together with government’s increasing minimum support prices for various crops in the recent times, can contribute towards greater pesticide consumption in our agriculture. At the same time, we as a society should remember that the use of pesticides should not be indiscriminate but judicious.

Overall, despite the challenges posed by the trend of organic farming, genetically modifi ed seeds, high R&D costs, and the rampant usage of spurious pesticides, the market for organised pesticides in India is potentially healthy, especially considering the huge untapped agricultural market in our country. In the Business Story, we have attempted to explore the pesticide market in India, along with a very brief historical background of pesticides, which we hope our readers would fi nd to be informative and useful.

Besides these topical issues of interest, we have covered a wealth of information, opinions and analysis through our regular and additional features, and an exhaustive report on an upcoming laundry facility, which we believe would help sustain our readers’ interest between the covers of this magazine.

E d i t o r i a l

Publisher cum Editor

Rajneesh Sharma

Associate Editor

Swarnendu Biswas

Resident Editor

Sharmila Chand (Delhi)

Ashok Malkani (Mumbai)

Layout & Design

Hari Kumar. V

Narender Kumar

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Delhi: Debabrath Nath, Ashish Jha, Sumesh Sharma

Mumbai: Rajesh Tupsakhre

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Dattaram Gangurde

Director Sales

Sanjay Anand

Director Operations & Finance

Rajat Taneja

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Clean & Hygiene Review is a bi-monthly magazine, printed, owned and published by Rajneesh Sharma from 313, Himgiri Apartments, J-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi. Printed at Print Creations, C-112/3, Basement, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi-110 028.Annual Subscription rate within India is Rs. 450 and overseasUS $110, for surface mail. Single issue is available for Rs.90 in India and US $25 overseas. Cheques are payable to Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.Editorial Policy : Editorial emphasis in Clean & Hygiene Review magazine is on educational & informational material specifically designed to assist those responsible for managing cleaning & maintenance, Laundry, Pest Control, Water & Waste Management and Environment. Articles are welcome and will be published on the sole discretion of the editor.

3Jan-Feb ’13

SECTIONS 4 Event

6 News Scan

26 Washroom Hygiene

28 IAQ

32 Cleaning

42 Product Preview

44 Interview

12

LAUNDRY

34

18

BUSINESS

22

FEATURE

PEST MANAGEMENT

38

Contents

COVER STORY

Jan-Feb ’134

EVENT

Laundry Expo 2013, perhaps the most influential and authoritative annual event in China’s laundry industry, will be held during 8th -10th August 2013 at China International Exhibition Center, Beijing. The international trade show will be showcasing the latest technologies, machines, apparatus and chemicals for laundry, dry-cleaning, stain removing, ironing, dyeing and disinfecting. Exhibiting brands will be from USA, Japan, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Australia, Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Laundry Expo 2012, which was co-organised by China Laundry Association and Unifair Exhibition Service Co., Ltd. covered 1000

sq m with more than 500 booths, and attracted over 200 renowned brands. The area and the number of booths enhanced at Laundry Expo 2012 by 25 percent and 33 percent respectively, over that of its 2011 edition. In keeping with this tradition, Laundry Expo 2013 is expected to be spread across 15,000 sq m. comprising 800 booths. Laundry 2013 is also co-organised by China Laundry Association and Unifair Exhibition Service Co., Ltd. The co-organisers for the forthcoming event are Shanghai Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association, Beijing Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association, Guangdong Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association, Tianjin Laundry and Dyeing Industry Association, The Laundry Association of Hong Kong Limited, Laundry Employees’ Association of Macau, Taiwan Laundry Association, and Laundry and Dyeing Industry Associations of All Provinces in China. China General Chamber of Commerce, and Unifair Exhibition Service Co., Ltd. are the sponsors of the event. Last year the show took the theme of ‘Green Laundry’, while closely following the trend of industry and market; highlighting the latest outcome of energy saving laundry technologies. Laundry Expo 2012 attracted 241 brands from home and abroad, and 10,243 buyers from 22 countries and regions, as well as from 30 provinces of mainland China. The last year’s edition of Laundry Expo 2012 won the support of 43 laundry associations in provinces.

Laundry Expo 2013

Jan-Feb ’136

NEWS SCAN

Railways Take Measures to Improve Hygiene and Cleanliness in Coaches and StationsFor improving upon the standards of cleanliness in its coaches, schemes like ‘Intensive Mechanised Cleaning’ in maintenance depots, ‘On Board House-Keeping Services (OBHS)’ for cleaning of coaches on run and cleaning attention to trains during their stoppage at ‘Clean Train Stations’ etc. have been introduced by the Railways. Mechanised cleaning, rag picking and garbage disposal contracts are being awarded for ensuring cleaning of stations, including platforms. More and more toilets are being brought under ‘pay & use’ scheme.

Besides, regular inspections are being conducted at various levels to monitor cleanliness in the coaches and at stations. Fitment of bio-toilets in new coaches, during manufacturing at Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai and Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala has already begun. Retrofitting these bio-toilets on existing coaches running in service has also been started.

However, retro-fitment in existing coaches requires very specialised methodology and welding practices. Tentatively, the cost of retro-fitment is expected to be in the region of Rs. 15 lakh per coach, as of today.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Railways, Kotla Jaya Surya Prakash Reddy in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, dated 22nd February, 2013.

Hygienic Uniform Fabric by VimalThe in-house textile brand of Reliance Industries Ltd., Vimal has commenced the launch of a technologically breakthrough product named Protector. It is a four-in-one hygiene uniform fabric, equipped with a protection cover that increases the merit of the piece of clothing while proffering supplementary usage.

Protector is catered towards usage in humid nations such as India, which has an environment that facilitates the growth of bacteria and fungi on clothing due to perspiration and other rigorous activities. These micro-organisms generate a characteristic foul smell, and causes discolouration of fabrics, apart from fostering infection, as described by a company official.

Protector, with anti-dust, stain-release, anti-microbial and anti-pollen properties, helps users to tolerate damp and muggy weather, devoid of contact with microbial infection, avowed Anand Parekh, President, RIL, and Textile Division. What is more, the fabrics are even high on fashion.

The Protector does not let dirt to stick on to its exterior and its outcome is good for almost 20 home washes. Stains of ketchup, coffee, tea, or oil are effortlessly cleaned from this fabric, in contrast to unprocessed material, for 20 home washes. Its anti-microbial assets work against fungi or bacteria and stops fabrication of bad odour in fabric for 100 home washes.

Parekh further explained, “The product is ideal for utilisation in various institutions such as hospitals or the armed forces. This unique product gratifies to the fashion and style needs of corporate wear, occasion wear and school uniforms as well.”

DMRC Gets Notice for Dumping Debris in YamunaThe National Green Tribunal has affirmed that regardless of directives to the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh government, garbage dumping along the Yamuna floodplains continues unabatedly. Recently, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been given a show-cause notice by the National Green Tribunal for dumping debris into the Yamuna. The notice talks of DMRC’s role in the encroachment on the riverbed. Based on this notice, DMRC could be subjected to fine if the body is found to be flouting the norms. The tribunal has also slapped notices to the CPWD’s Director-General and the Director of the Horticulture Department, New Delhi, asking them the explanation for dumping debris on the river banks.

The order from the tribunal dated 28th February directs that it is non-permissible for any vehicle, especially heavy vehicle carrying any form of garbage to enter the Yamuna riverbank in Delhi. Moreover, the police personnel have been directed to confiscate such vehicles which are found to be carrying any kind of garbage to the Yamuna riverbank, in Delhi. However, exception has been made for the UP and Haryana registered vehicles carrying debris from the riverbed to other locations, in Delhi or outside.

Here it deserves a mention that over years of being subjected to industrial and other forms of pollution, Yamuna in Delhi has been reduced to nothing more than a dirty canal of sorts.

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Jan-Feb ’138

QUALITYASSUREDCOMPANY

ITC Grand Chola is India’s First Hotel to Receive a 5 Star Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA)

Reaffirming its commitment to the ethos of ‘Responsible Luxury,’ ITC Hotels secured a 5 Star GRIHA, the highest national rating for green buildings, for ITC Grand Chola, Chennai. This 600-key luxury hotel in Chennai is the first hotel in India to secure the 5-star rating from the Association for Development and Research of Sustainable Habitats (ADaRSH) through GRIHA. This recognition was presented

by President Pranab Mukherjee,to Nakul Anand, Executive Director, ITC Ltd., at the annual National Conference on Green Design, at the Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

GRIHA, a green building design evaluation system, is the National Rating System of India conceived by TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) and developed jointly with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. ITC Grand Chola was rated on 34 criteria, categorised under various sections including site selection & site planning, conservation and efficient utilisation of resources, building operation and maintenance and innovation points. Each criterion has a number of points assigned to it and a building is required to score a minimum of 50 points for certification. GRIHA awards different levels of certification (1 to 5 stars) based on the score. ITC Grand Chola garnered 91 points to become the first hotel in the country to secure a 5 star rating.

Speaking on the recognition, Nakul Anand, Executive Director-ITC Ltd., said, “This rating underscores ITC Grand Chola’s accreditation as the World’s Largest LEED® Platinum Green Building and ITC Hotels’ commitment to continue providing inspiration to the green building movement in India.” 100 percent of the electrical energy demands of ITC Grand Chola are being met through renewable energy sources. Efficient fixtures reduce the building’s water use by 35 percent, as compared to internationally benchmarked luxury hotel standards. Almost 100 percent of the hotel’s waste is recycled for useful purposes.

ITC Hotels’ philosophy is to deliver the best in luxury, whilst enabling planet positive experiences through its ‘Responsible Luxury’ credo, an ethos derived from ITC’s commitment to pursue Triple Bottom Line objectives of contributing to building economic, environmental and social capital. ITC Grand Chola embodies the company’s commitment and ITC Hotels’ ethos, further contributing to ITC Hotels’ unique milestone of being the ‘Greenest luxury hotel chain in the world’.

In addition to the wide spectrum of environment-friendly measures that ITC Hotels implement, the ITC group’s carbon positive, water positive and solid waste recycling positive status ensures that a guest’s stay at any of its luxury hotels contributes to a lower carbon footprint.

At the heart of the ‘Responsible Luxury’ credo lies the product design of green buildings, which are energy efficient, utilise renewable energy, conserve and recycle water, and take concrete steps to preserve the eco-system around them. ITC Hotels have also innovated in the use of materials that utilize renewable sources and are biodegradable or conserve scarce environmental resources.

Jan-Feb ’1310

REPORT

A huge commercial laundry plant endowed with tunnel laundry facility is coming up

in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. It is expected to be operational by November 2013. CLPPL is a Private Limited company incorporated on 18th November 2011 with the primary objective of catering to the linen and garment cleaning requirements of hotels and general public. CLPPL has envisaged to set up this commercial laundry at RIICO Industrial Area, Pathredi, Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. The company has already acquired 1.52 acre land for setting up this commercial laundry plant.

Central Linen Park Private Limited (CLPPL) has tied up with Supershine Laundry Systems Private Limited for successful implementation of the project.Here it deserves a mention that Supershine Laundry Systems Private Limited is a leading turn-key laundry solutions provider in the country with its scope encompassing project planning & assessment, supply of laundry equipments and other allied equipments, installation and commissioning of laundry and other allied equipments, laundry operations and after sales service support. “Supershine Laundry Systems has vast experience in executing similar projects like the above-mentioned one and has executed 400 such laundry projects in India till date. We are confi dent that Supershine will be able to effectively execute the supply, installation, commissioning and the after sales service aspect of this project,” informed Karan Goyal, Vice President, Central Linen Park Private Limited.

This forthcoming impressive facility at the industrial hub will not only be targeted at meeting the comprehensive laundry needs of the five-star and four-star hospitality properties across Delhi-NCR and Jaipur, but would also holistically address the retail laundry needs. The retail services will be provided by CLPPL’s retail arm named Wonderkleen. From room linen, staff

uniforms of hotels, and F&B linen to shirts, trousers, coats, jackets, sarees, suits, etc. the forthcoming unit will cover a huge range of laundry products under its ambit.

The services that would be provided at the laundry will include washing, drying, dry cleaning, and ironing. The laundry operations of this commercial laundry unit will be able to clean all kinds of linen, garments and clothes. “This huge facility is geared to adapt to linen/garment processing demand variations,” pointed out Goyal. The annual capacity of the plant will be 13,870 tonnes, which is amazingly high as compared to the capacity of average laundries in hotels and hospitals or in usual commercial laundries. The daily installed capacity of the laundry unit comes to an astonishing 38 tonnes per day.

The facility will be endowed with world-renowned imported laundry equipment brands like Milnor(USA) and Jensen(Denmark), use best of the laundry detergents, and have impeccable support structure in accordance with international standards. Moreover, the plant spruced with tunnel laundry facility will also be handled by a management and operations team with years of enriching professional experience. Logistics to match expected delivery schedule, and competitive pricing would be other hallmarks of this forthcoming commercial laundry unit.

This commercial laundry plant on the anvil is expected to effectively counter the opportunity cost of in-

house laundry operations, both in terms of space and human resources. Today, outsourcing of laundry operations by hotels and hospitals is gaining currency as it helps save costs and facilitate to focus the units more effectively on generating revenues. We can easily visualise that outsourcing of laundry operations to a state-of-the-art laundry facility that can easily match and even exceed the expectations of laundry services of fi ve-star properties, can enable the given hotel to better and more creatively focus on critical revenue generating challenges like that of selling rooms or better positioning its F&B options.

“Besides, the real estate dedicated to in-house laundry service can be better utilised by the hotel for revenue generating initiatives such as banquet ing opt ions ,

d in ing res taurant/ s or can be even used for developing more rooms, if a state-of-the-art outsourced laundry operations is available at affordable rates, not very far from the given hospitality property. Moreover, outsourcing of laundry needs can improve linen utilisation rates by reducing the

average linen per adjusted guest room,” explained Goyal. Besides outsourcing of the non-critical tasks like laundry operations can reduce the costs of having an FTE on board.

On the expansion plans of this laundry unit, Goyal sounded extremely enthusiastic. He informed that CLPPL is planning to expand its presence aggressively, and over the next fi ve years, the company is envisaging to open laundry units in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. “It is aiming to be a 100 crore company in the ensuing fi ve years,” aired Goyal. CLPPL would diversify into linen hiring concept as well in the future. ■

Geared for Comprehensive Laundry Needs

din ing res taurant/ s or can be even used for developing more rooms, if a state-of-the-art outsourced laundry operations is available at affordable rates, not very far from the given hospitality property. Moreover, outsourcing of laundry needs can improve linen utilisation rates by reducing the

Jan-Feb ’1310

Jan-Feb ’1312

COVER STORY

Waste or Wealth?

Waste is rampant in Indian society, both literally and metaphorically. The heaps of untreated solid and liquid waste on streets present themselves as regular features of Indian urban life. The abundance of municipal, industrial and e-waste in our lives accompanied by callous negligence towards their recycling and reuse can generate detrimental effects on our health and quality of our lives, and are already doing so. On the other hand, this unhealthy trait of ours also leads to huge potential loss for our economy. We can incur huge costs in terms of health and hygiene by wasting our wastes, which through their creative management can easily be translated into profits. In fact, without a comprehensive waste management system in place, no commercial or public facility, or rather no society can address the challenges of ensuring decent clean & hygiene standards, and our waste management system is inadequate to say the least. Sadly, the Union and the state governments, our corporate sector and as well as we the civil society, by and large, are not at all serious about waste management issue. Here Swarnendu Biswas explores the issue of untreated waste in India, and highlights some praiseworthy initiatives towards this endeavour.

In India, municipal, industrial and e-waste of all sorts and forms are having serious affects on our environment. There is no denying the

fact that not only a plethora of households are dumping their day-to-day wastes on the streets, which in turn are routinely neglected by the municipal authorities, but at the same time, several thousands of big, medium and small industrial units are also dumping their industrial wastes in open spaces and/or in the water bodies, and people are often exposed to these harmful wastes, which often do have toxic, corrosive, radioactive and even explosive elements, with potential to seriously

affecting the public health.

Waste of Health The municipal and industrial waste

can and does pave the way for air, water and soil pollution and eventually create an environment conducive for several tropical water-borne diseases and breathing related disorders. As a legacy of continued exposure to air pollution many more millions suffer from breathing ailments, heart disease, lung infections and even cancer.

In fact, when we callously throw our waste on the streets it would do us well to remember that air pollution accounts for more than 20 lakh premature deaths per year, across the globe. In India, according

to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) report is a world-wide initiative involving the World Health Organization, the number of annual premature deaths due to particulate air pollution increased six folds in 2010 as compared to that of 2000. According to the same report, outdoor air pollution happens to be the fifth largest killer in India, after high blood pressure, indoor air pollution, tobacco smoking, and poor nutrition. And industrial waste happens to be a major contributor of outdoor air pollution.

The role of industrial waste in contributing to water pollution is also far from insignificant in India. The untreated effluents from the leather industry and many other potentially

Waste or Wealth?

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COVER STORY

polluting industries in India play a contributory role in decaying the soil and contaminating the water. Both our major rivers—the Ganga and the Yamuna— have become preferred deposits of industrial effluents. As the waters of these rivers are being frequently used by the devotees and the not so devotional, the risk of water- borne diseases through the continually callous treatment of industrial waste is not that insignificant.

The callous and indiscriminate dumping of wastes and leachate is responsible for not only contaminating surface and groundwater supplies but also for clogging sewers and drains which can lead to floods. We should remember that clogged sewers were partly responsible for the floods in Mumbai in 2005, besides of course, the heavily polluted Mithi river, where people of Mumbai regularly and nonchalantly dump raw sewage, industrial waste and municipal waste. Improper solid waste management was the cause behind Bubonic Plague in Surat, in 1994, and was one of the reasons behind the recent outbreak of dengue in Kolkata during August-September 2012, which affected thousands, resulting in the death of 25.

Then there is the hazard of biomedical waste. It primarily includes laboratory or hospital waste, or waste generated from health clinics, nursing homes, dentists’ clinics, clinics of veterinarians, and also funeral homes. They can be broadly categorised as human anatomical waste, animal waste, solid waste, liquid waste, waste sharp such as needles, syringes, glasses,

blades, etc. and chemical waste. Biomedical waste could be

contagious and dangerous, and the extent of their danger can even assume lethal character. The biomedical waste should be managed with great sensitivity and care, so as to not only safeguard the health and well-being of the general public but also of the healthcare and sanitation workers, who could be routinely exposed to the biomedical waste as an occupational hazard.

Tackling e-Waste The rapid advances in technology

without proper civic sense has made us face the environmental threat from piles of e-waste whose tackling has emerged as another challenge to our environment. The old and dilapidated desk and laptop computers, discarded television sets, printers, mobile phones, pagers, refrigerators, electronic toys, etc. can qualify as e-waste or electronic waste.

Generally, Indian homes sell their discarded televisions, discarded computers, and other assorted discarded electronics items to the scrap dealers, from where they meander into unauthorised recycling wards. There these electronic components are usually torn, burn or melted for commercial purposes. In a plethora of unauthorised recycling wards scattered across the country, valuable and reusable metals are extracted from these e-wastes, and the rest are disposed.

The recycling of the parts of electronic waste can expose thousands of labourers in the informal sector

to the toxic-heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and chromium, etc. as these metals are extracted from the e-waste for a variety of uses. Moreover, these toxic metals, when they get mixed with the environment, do have the potential to harm the brain and kidneys. Some of these metals from e-waste could have carcinogenic characteristics too. But despite their potentially precarious implications, our businesses and society continue in their endeavour of rampant production of industrial and e-waste, with very less consideration towards their scientific recycling.

In 2005, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) estimated India’s e-waste at 1.47 lakh tonnes or 0.573 MT per day, notes a report titled ‘E-waste in India’ by Rajya Sabha Secretariat. A report of the United Nations has projected that the e-waste from old computers would escalate by 500 percent in India by 2020, as compared to its 2007 levels.

Besides, according to the same UN report, e-waste from discarded mobile phones would increase 18 times in India by 2020, as compared to its 2007 levels. From these above projections, the mammoth magnitude of the e-waste problem that we would be facing in the near future, if we don’t tackle it on an urgent basis, becomes evident. Especially in the light of the fact that the collection and management of e-waste in India is still not very regulated, the challenge seems still bigger.

In this regard, the e-waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, introduced by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, has come as a silver lining in an

Jan-Feb ’1314

COVER STORY

otherwise cloudy waste disposal scenario in India. The law came into effect on 1st May 2012, though the rules were notified a year back. These rules were notified in advance with the objective of giving the various stakeholders sufficient time to prepare themselves and put the systems and the requisite infrastructure in place so that they can effectively comply with the rules.

Every producer, consumer or bulk consumer, collection centre, dismantler and recycler of e-waste involved in the manufacture, sale, purchase and processing of electrical and electronic equipment or components comes under the ambit of these rules. However, the progressive law places the main responsibility of e-waste management on the producers of the electrical and electronic equipment through the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The law has the potential to translate a health menace into an opportunity for development, assuming that there would be sincere political will in its implantation, which however, all said and done, is a rarity in India.

Moreover, simply a legislation to counter e-waste, though absolutely necessary, is hardly a sufficient solution towards countering the health affects of waste. In order to tackle the menace of wastes here, there and everywhere, comprehensive waste management exercise towards varied forms of waste must be adhered to, along with legal teeth and awareness exercises.

The process of collection, transport, processing, recycling or disposal and monitoring of waste materials is termed as waste management. Waste management does involve solid waste, liquid waste, gaseous or radioactive wastes, and there are different methods of managing them. Of course, solid, liquid or gaseous wastes can in turn take varied forms which include industrial waste, e-waste, biomedical waste, wastes of human wastes among others.

Wastes can also be classified as bio-degradable and non bio-degradable. Bio-degradable materials are those wastes which can be broken down into harmless substances through action of microorganisms. They

can be recycled into the life cycle naturally. Paper, wood, rotten fruits and vegetables, wasted food, human waste, manure, slaughterhouse waste are examples of biodegradable waste. Non bio-degradable materials are those which cannot be broken down into natural components, and remain in environment across centuries. Plastics, metals, glass, electronic components are some examples of non-biodegradable waste.

Here it deserves a mention that plastic bags; which are made from petroleum, a fast depleting, non-renewable and scarce resource, are also non- biodegradable. The decomposition of plastic bags takes about a millennium, on an average. Plastics pose a big challenge to the municipal waste disposal system in India.

The Three Rs of Waste Waste management is however,

much more than effective cleaning and disposal of rubbish. It also involves translating waste to wealth, and generat ing employment in the process, besides enriching the environment through natural composting, vermicomposting and reusing. If creatively handled, instead of spreading pollution, waste can create prosperity.

Conventionally, in our society, waste management involves three steps, which are reduce, reuse and recycle, but in Europe, the waste hierarchy has two more steps; that of recovery and disposal.

However, to operate a successful waste management program, we must first of all strive to reduce waste, and reuse a given material or product or a property whenever possible, so that its utility can be maximised, or at least optimised. One of the effective ways of reducing waste is through rejecting of plastic bags. Another way is to use products which entail less packaging. The reuse can take a conventional form, where a given product is reused for the same previous function, or for a new function.

Recycling of waste involves using the discarded products to create new products. The materials of the

original product can be reprocessed into new products. Recycling gives rebirth to a product, from the death of waste. Without recycling, no waste management system assumes a ring of completeness. Aluminum beverage cans, old steel furnishings, paper, polyethylene and PET bottles, glass bottles and jars, corrugated fiberboard boxes, etc. are some of the ideal products for recycling.

Recyc ling of waste entails processing of waste and transforming them into new products, which not only prevents waste of materials, thereby reducing energy wastage, but also significantly contributes towards a clean and green environment, through reduction of air pollution from incineration and water pollution from landfilling, and through the lowering of greenhouse gas emissions.

Treating Bio-Medical and Radioactive Waste

Proper disposal of waste also assumes great importance, especially in the case of biomedical and radioactive wastes. In India, the hospitals should go in for sophisticated technologies for the treatment and disposal of biomedical waste, which include incineration, autoclaving and microwaving, and the Union

Gov e r n m e n t s h o u l d provide adequate assistance to the states so that the requisite infrastructure needed for carrying these facilities are inducted and the right training towards treatment and disposal of biomedical waste is being given to the health personnel without any financial impediments.

Of course, at the same time, the states must also ensure that the private

23Jan-Feb ’13

AppointmentsHOTEL Business Review

Jan-Feb ’1316

COVER STORY

hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries, veterinary houses, blood banks, animal houses and pathological laboratories within their territories must adhere to the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998 scrupulously, and are also able enough to do so.

The disposal of radioactive waste is a critical element of our modern society, which unfortunately, seldom gets its desired attention. Any waste product containing radioactive material/s can be termed as radioactive waste. In small doses, radioactivity is a useful process that has been used by the mankind for development purposes, but its exposure in large doses can be dangerous to human health. Exposure to a high dosage of radioactive waste can cause cancer, birth defects, genetic damage and many other serious life threatening or life altering ailments. Radioactive waste can occur from nuclear, medical, industrial, and even academic sources.

A radioactive waste should never end up with scrap dealers, as the scrap dealers seldom possess the requisite knowledge and the technology to handle this highly sensitive and potentially dangerous waste, which if allowed to spread its influence of radiation in an unimpeded manner, can put many lives to danger. But unfortunately, what shouldn’t be happening does happen quite often in India.

Thankfully, radioactivity reduces over time, and thus an effective way to counter the influence of radioactive waste is to keep the waste isolated over a period of time, until its components no longer pose a hazard. The process of isolation however, can extend from hours to many thousands of years, depending on the level or quantity of radioactive wastes, and also their half lives. Segregation and storage for short-lived radioactive waste, near-surface disposal for low and some intermediate level radioactive waste, and deep and secure burial for the high-level radioactive waste are regarded as widely held safe options.

W a s t e M a n a g e m e n t Initiatives

Though overall, sincere waste management initiatives in India

are few and far between, there are some wonderful examples that needs enumeration. One of the important corporate players which is making noteworthy efforts in waste management is PepsiCo India. PepsiCo India’s solid waste management initiatives in partnership with Exnora, an environmental NGO has provided a clean environment to more than 4,65,000 people across Pammal, Chennai, Nagapattinam, Tenkasi and Cuddalore, in Tamil Nadu, Sangareddy in Andhra Pradesh and Panipat, Haryana.

In this waste management partnership, community members enjoy the benefits of a c lean environment and are educated on how to recycle waste, not just relocate it. Under this programme, households segregate their bio-degradable waste from their recyclable waste, and the programme recycles 80 percent of household garbage. Bio-degradable waste is converted into organic manure through the process of vermiculture. This project has provided livelihood to many in the communities where it is being implemented. Here it deserves a mention that over the years, this unique initiative has recycled nearly 35,000 tons that would have otherwise been relocated to landfills.

Here it deserves a mention that during 2010, PepsiCo generated an estimated 1.25 million metric tons of solid waste from its manufacturing facilities. Of that total, only 15.4 percent was discarded to a landfill, and 84.6 percent of waste generated was sent off-site for beneficial use, such as recycling.

The No ida-ba sed At t e ro Recycling is an important player in the realm of e-waste management. This ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001 certified organisation is engaged in providing customized end-to-end processing of e-waste with zero landfill processes, which includes not only dismantling the materials but also treating them in the indigenously developed metallurgical unit. Using Attero’s unique recycling techniques, valuable materials such as copper, iron, glass, aluminum and plastic could be extracted from electronic scrap.

At Attero, e-waste is recycled in the most efficient and environmentally friendly manner at the company’s automated and integrated electrical and electronics waste recycling plant in Roorkee, which is spread across 100,000 sq. ft. The plant processes WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), that are used computers, cell phones, network gear, TVs etc. in an environmentally friendly manner with very high recycling efficiency.

Hazardous substances recovered during the process of recycling of e-waste are being disposed off through the Common Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage & Disposal Facility, commonly known as CHWTSDF, authorised by the Pollution Control Board, in the prescribed manner. Attero Recycling not only handles the complete processing of e-waste but also provides client friendly solutions like pickup of e-waste from the premises and complete data security. Attero is perhaps India’s only company to establish an offline/online collection channel for e-waste from the end consumer.

Conserve India, a Delhi-based NGO, has turned plastic bags into high fashion statement. Headed by Anita Ahuja, the organisation recycles or rather upcycles the plastic bags that are picked up from Delhi’s dirty and polluted streets to generate revenues and also create employment opportunities for many underprivileged. The NGO creatively upcycles these potential environmental hazards to craft appealing handbags, fashion accessories and footwears, which have great export value. The production process of their handmade recycled plastics is much more environmentally friendly than an average conventional recycling process. Today, Conserve India employs and trains hundreds of people from Delhi’s most disadvantaged communities to clear their streets of the plague of plastic bag waste.

Many more such praiseworthy waste management measures are needed to create a culture of generating wealth and employment from our waste. It is about time, we make our waste more productive. ■

Jan-Feb ’1318

BUSINESS

India happens to be the fourth largest producer of agrochemicals in the planet; it is behind only US, Japan and China in this aspect. However, despite rampant food grain wastage amidst widespread hunger, the pesticide production of technical grade has not witnessed much increase over the last five years. The rising costs of discovery, development and registration of a new molecule can be one of the reasons for this. Ashok Malkani takes a look at the prospects of the Indian pesticide industry and the problems it has to overcome in the near future in order to enable it to progress at a rapid pace. However, if the industry grabs opportunities that come its way, it is set for a bright future.

Pesticides Industry:

Today, India ranks second in the world in terms of farm output, and agr iculture is stil l the edifice of

the Indian economy. Though the contribution of agriculture to India’s GDP is experiencing steady decline with the country’s service sector oriented economic growth in the recent years, yet, agriculture and its allied sectors like forestry and

fisheries together accounts for the highest percentage of Indian workforce. In light of this, the role pesticide assumes increasing importance, as pesticides play a crucial role in modern agriculture, especially in terms of attaining food security.

Inaccurate Perception However, lately due to the growing

popularity of organic farming,

there has been an aversion towards the use of pesticides, especially among some elite sections of the society. The aversion to the use of pesticides can also be attributed to the fact that in the recent times there has been a plethora of published material relating to pesticides which emphasise on the possible dangerous outcomes from the use of pesticides. Though the possible dangers from the use or

19Jan-Feb ’13

BUSINESS

rather misuse of pesticides are well documented, which it should be, but the benefits from the judicious use of pesticides do not attract much media attention.

This f ac t probab l y par t l y explains the public’s inaccurate perception of the hazard that the pesticides represent, and the low level of appreciation of the benefits that they bring. However there are some exceptions to the predominantly negative perception of pesticides among published materials. Lomborg and Bjorn (2001) wrote, “If pesticides were abolished, the lives saved would be outnumbered by a factor of around 1000 by the lives lost due to poorer diets. Secondary penalties would be massive environmental damage due to the land needs of less productive farming, and a financial cost of around 20 billion USD’’

For the layman, it may be explained that pesticides are chemicals which are applied for the purpose of eliminating or controlling a variety of agricultural pests, which if not addressed to, can damage crops and livestock and reduce farm productivity. The most commonly applied pesticides are insecticides (used for killing insects), herbicides (used for killing weeds), rodenticides (used for killing rodents), and fungicides (used for controlling fungi, mold, and mildew growth).

Pesticides — Then and Now The history of pesticides is not

a new one, and dates back to the days of Mesopotamian civilisation. Even the ancient Sumerians used elemental sulfur to protect their crops from insects. Medieval

farmers also experimented with a variety of chemicals on crops, which included arsenic and even lead among others. In the nineteenth century, compounds made with the roots of tropical vegetables and chrysanthemums were used as pesticides. Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane or DDT emerged on the scene in 1939, and quickly became the most widely used insecticide across the globe. But after twenty years, 86 countries banned its use because of serious concerns pertaining to human safety and the biological affects of DDT. By 1950s pesticide use became rampant in the west. The advent of mono cropping can be held responsible for this. Today the pesticide business is a 12.5 billion dollar industry only in the US.

Pesticides are used to help protect people’s crops from pests. No wonder the global demand for pesticides is projected to increase 2.9 percent per year to reach $52 billion in 2014, according to the research of Freedonia Group, a leading international business research company which publishes more than 100 industry research studies annually. According to Freedonia Group, these gains will reflect a reversal of the substantial declines registered in 2009, caused in part by a precipitous price drop for glyphosate, the leading herbicide product. It is expected that herbicides and insecticides will continue to dominate the

global pesticide industry in the near future.

Indian Pesticide IndustryAs far as the Indian pesticides

industry is concerned – since the country has a predominantly agro-based economy – its growth depends more on the farmers. The happy news is that crop production in India has grown at a CAGR of 3.4 percent during the period 2004-05 to 2011-12. One of the main reasons that can be attributed to the growth in agricultural productivity in India is the control over pests — weeds, insects and pathogens, etc. using crop protection products.

In fact, the challenge of attaining food security for a population of more than 120 crore can only be achieved if we minimise loss of food through pest invasion and this can be done through judicious use of quality pesticides, complemented by the use of high yielding variety of seeds and fertilizers. India loses approximately Rs.100 bil l ion annually as a result of crop losses, and thus pest control assumes great importance.

It is heartening that India happens to be one of the most important generic pesticide manufacturers in the globe. It indigenously manufactures approximately 60 technical grade pesticides. In India, in 2010, there were about 125 technical grade manufacturers (10 multinationals), 800 formulators, and over 145,000 distributors

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BUSINESS

pertaining to the pesticide industry. Today India is the fourth largest producer of pesticide in the world. Only USA, Japan and China are ahead of us in this regard.

However, according to a report on Indian pesticides industry, the per hectare consumption of pesticide is low in India. It stands at a dismal 600 gm when compared to the world average of 3000 gm. The lack of awareness among our farmers to modern methods of agriculture, fragmented land holdings, and inability of the poor farmers to purchase the necessary pesticides are some of the reasons behind this low pesticide consumption in our country. Moreover, the growth of the pesticide industry in India is also not encouraging.

The product ion of Indian pesticides industry has almost remained stable at 82000-85,000 MT during FY10. In value terms, the size of the Indian pesticide industry was estimated at Rs.180 billion for 2010, including exports of Rs.100 billion. According to FICCI, the Indian agrochemicals market grew at a rate of 11 percent from 1.22 billion USD in FY08 to an estimated USD 1.36 billion in FY09.

As India is an agrarian based e c o n o m y, t h e c o n s u m p t i o n

of pesticides is titled towards insecticides. Among the crops in India rice uses the highest amount of pesticide, and rice is an important crop in India. In fact, more than 65 percent of the pesticides manufactured in India are used for rice and cotton. Among the states, Andhra Pradesh consumes the highest amount of pesticide, and it is followed by Punjab and Maharashtra.

Pesticides are being manufactured and sold primarily in two forms — technical and formulations. Technicals comprise the first stage of manufacture where the chemical is concentrated and is unsuitable for direct use. This is then processed with other materials to c rea te formulat ions . The transformation from the technical grade to formulations leads to substantial value additions Presently, the demand for technical grade pesticides in India is approximately 85,000 tonnes per annum and it has been experiencing a growth of 5-10 percent annually.

However, the awareness about the utility of pesticides is rising among the Indian agricultural community. During the last five year plan, the government increased minimum support prices for various crops between 29 to 107 percent.

This can also generate incentive among farmers to use pesticides so that their crops, for which they can get good prices, do not get wasted. “Farmers are now getting higher minimum support prices of crops than they got in the past, and they realise how much they will stand to lose if they don’t check the crops from getting invaded by pest or insect attacks. Besides, as the farm practices are experiencing improvement, the use of pesticide will get an impetus,” affirmed Rajesh Aggarwal, Managing Director, Insecticides (India) Limited. He pointed out that “the government’s renewed emphasis on agriculture, increasing prices of the produce and labour costs are encouraging the farmers to employ better inputs.” He is optimistic that the agro-chemical market in the country is expected to reach about Rs.150 billion by 2015.

“In our country, the crop losses as a result of pest attacks is among the highest in the world, while our pesticide usage is among the lowest in the world ,” informed Aggarwal. From this we can infer that there is immense growth potential of the domestic market for pesticides, which is characterisd by low levels of consumption of pesticides, and this potential can be better tapped in the near future with greater awareness and dissemination of the right knowledge and information about pesticides and also about their appropriate usage. According to the industry experts, the Indian pesticide market is expected to reach 5 billion USD by 2017, riding on higher incomes and better awareness among farmers.

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BUSINESS

Despite the negative propaganda about pesticides in many published writings, there is no denying the fact that India needs a greater emphasis on increasing agricultural productivity and prevention of crop losses in order to feed more than a billion strong population with limited land resources. And to achieve these goals, it needs to depend more on pesticides. Despite the much hue and cry over organic farming, Aggarwal stated that statistics reveal that organic farming is yielding below average results and also leads to affecting the quality for crops.

In the long-run, the ‘real cost of production’ of agriculture also decreases greatly through the use of pesticides. According to an industry study, crop losses worth Rs.26 for groundnut can be saved through every rupee being spent on pesticide. Similarly, the spending and benefit ratio for pesticide usage in the case of mustard is an impressive 1:12, while the spending and benefit ratio of pesticide usage in the case of paddy it is 1:7.

Challenges for the Industry However, the rising costs of discovery

and development of a new molecule and the cumbersome steps involved in the data registration process for a molecule, which is associated with considerable red tapism, needs to be addressed urgently if the government wants to create an facilitative environment towards pesticide production in our country. Besides high R&D costs, excise and VAT are some of the other issues plaguing the pesticide industry. The threat from genetically modified (GM) seeds is another issue of concern for the industry. According to FICCI, genetically modified seeds possess self-immunity towards natural adversaries which have the potential to negatively impact the business of agrochemicals.

Growing demand for integrated pest management from the organic farming lobby is a challenge to the industry in recent years, as is the need for a more efficient distribution system. But perhaps the huge size of the spurious pesticides market in the country is the biggest threat to the pesticide industry in India, as the former can greatly compromise on the latter’s integrity among its target consumers, thereby adversely impacting the revenues of the Indian pesticide industry.

Emerging Market Trends The fear that pesticide sprayed on

the fields affects the environment has resulted in the focus now being shifting towards developing environmentally safe pesticides by the industry. Green pest management is becoming vogue. Some time back, the Department of Chemicals did initiate a nationwide programme for ‘Development and production of neem products as Environment Friendly Pesticides’ with financial assistance from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Some of the other trends in the Indian pesticide industry include organising of awareness camps for farmers by large companies. In the recent past, FICCI had said that increased R&D was expected for development of new molecules and low dosage, high potency molecules. The body had also said that the focus on R&D in bio-pesticides segment with increasing preference for environmentally safe products in the market is another happening trend in the Indian pesticide industry.

The industry has a bright future. With 35-40 percent of the total farmland in the country under crop protection, there is a huge untapped market out there for pesticides. However, in order to tap the potential of pesticide market in India, educating the farmers by conducting special training programmes for them regarding the need to use agrochemicals for their agricultural prosperity is the need of the hour. In this regard, the industry should take more initiatives.

Moreover, the industry should convert the challenges of genetically modified seeds, integrated pest management and organic farming, etc. as opportunities by broadening the ambit of its product range by extending it beyond agrochemicals and including agri-inputs too. ■

Jan-Feb ’1322

Need to Counter Filth in

TourismI

ndia, with its plethora o f t o u r i s t a t t r a c t i on s comprising breathtaking n a t u r a l b e a u t y, r e g a l histor ic splendour and

perennial cultural and religious legacy, does have the potential to be among the top fi ve countries in the world, in terms of international tourist arrivals. From its sun-kissed beaches to the countless temples resonating with timeless religious aura, and from the sombre mountains of the Himalayan ranges

to the majestic forts and palaces, India encompasses an enviable tourism tapestry.

However, despite al l these favourable factors towards tourism, India attracted only 6.29 million foreign tourists during 2011, when the USA garnered 62.33 million foreign tourist arrivals, and France had 79.50 million international tourist arrivals, during the same year. Yes, US happens to be much bigger than India, and France is also not a small sized country, but

that doesn’t only account for their more than ten times foreign tourist arrivals as compared to India, in the recent past.

The Lost Potential Even much smaller countries

like the UK and Germany had 29.2 million and 28.4 million international tourist arrivals in 2011, respectively. China, despite its repressive socialism, generated 57.58 million international tourists during the same year. During

By Swarnendu Biswas

FEATURE

23Jan-Feb ’13

Need to Counter Filth in

Tourism

FEATURE

2011, Italy attracted 46.1 million international tourists whereas for Malaysia this fi gure was 24.7 mill ion. India doesn’t feature anywhere near the top ten countries in the world terms of international tourist arrivals and in the Asia and Pacifi c region also its rank was 9th out of top 10 countries in terms of international tourist arrivals in 2011. All these fi gures are compiled by United Nations World Tourism Organisation(UNWTO).

This is not a scenario of 2011 only but more or less the general scenario of inbound tourism in India for quite some time. Succinctly, our tourism has been faring much worse than its potential, and this translates into huge potential loss of revenues and employment opportunities for the Indian hospitality industry.

D e p r e s s i n g S a n i t a t i o n Infrastructure

One of the many reasons for this failed opportunity perhaps can be attributed to our failure to develop

our sanitation infrastructure to internat ional s tandards . The lack of comprehensive sanitation in f r a s t r uc tu re coup led wi th rampant lack of civic sense has made our roads attract piles of garbage, which include urine and defecation. Unclean roads with inadequate c lean public toilet facilities complement the unclean bathrooms of many unknown hotels in India, which crowd our hospitality scenario, far from the star-rated media attention.

Unclean roads and dirty hotels are common features of many of our tourist destinations, particularly religious tourism destinations, and I think this factor discourages many repeat tourists to visit these destinations. The water quality and food hygiene in plethora of unknown restaurants and roadside eating outlets is still of debatable quality, which may make foreign tourists who are not used to such mass scale lack of hygiene feel repulsive about India. The water

crisis is also very much rampant across India, and in a prominent tourism destination like Shimla, water crisis has been a recurring feature, which affected its tourism in last year.

Not only the maintenance efforts of our tourism heritage are found wanting in many places, but we as a society seem to be quite earnest on spoiling our tourism potential, which is not only limited to carving depravities or love interest on our historic monuments in the form of graffi ti. One of them is through indiscriminate littering.

Here I am not talking about dumps of garbage or urine and defecation on the streets which are primarily due to paucity of sanitation infrastructure, and due to lack of control over the huge bovine population of ours, but am pointing at the strewn plastic bottles, chips packets and gutka packets, which mar the beauty and environment of waterfalls and mountains, beaches and forts.

Jan-Feb ’1324

FEATURE

And this can be attributed to sheer apathy and insensitiveness on our part, for it does not require great effort or any cost on our part to collect and take our rubbish back with us for their proper disposal.

C a s e s o f M a r r e d Environment

Our unclean beaches mar the boundless marine beauty to a great extent, and the fast depletion of the serenity of our hill stations due to unchecked pollution and storming of huge numbers of insensitive crowd without the infrastructure to support them have lowered their tourism appeal among high-end inbound travellers. For example, the environmental deterioration of the once pristine Naini Lake in Nainital and its surrounding

ecosystem is very well-known. The pollution which includes unabated illegal dumping of garbage in the lake is making it difficult for the fish in the lake to sustain.

Thankfully, in the recent years, some conscientious citizens have displayed proactive efforts to check the environmental degradation of Naintal, which has perhaps prompted the Municipality and District administration to start the scheme of ‘Mission Butterfly,’ a program for the integrated solid waste management, and making appointment of ‘Lake Wardens’ from the civil society to keep a watch on the polluters.

Take the case of Puri, which with its mighty Bay of Bengal and the Jagannath Temple, is a destination with great appeal for

tourists looking for natural beauty and/or religious solace to seep into their souls. But the roads of the city are unclean as is its crowded beach. At least it was so when I last visited it, some five years ago, and I suspect the things have not changed much.

The rampant uncleanness at the Puri beach has contributed to the lowering of the inbound tourist potential of Puri. No wonder, less than one percent of the total number of tourists visiting Puri per year, on an average, happen to be foreigners. During my visit to Puri, I talked with an US national, whose disgust about the widespread lack of cleanliness did prompt him to exasperate and say that he would never visit Puri again. His travel partners voiced

25Jan-Feb ’13

similar opinion. Though some months back

the state government did slap a blanket ban on the use of polythene and gutkha packets on the Puri beach, but it is hardly a sufficient measure to check the environmental degradation of the Puri beach, on a regular basis. A portion of the beach has been reduced to being a dumping ground for human toilet. Littering of rubbish on the beach is not an uncommon feature at all.

Here it deserves a mention that a group of foreign tourists took cudgels to clean the Puri beach in 2009, which obviously left the Puri district administration embarrassed. Besides initiating a sincere attempt to clean the beach, they also held placards and expressed their displeasure over the shabby condition of the

beach, which induced the district administration to take a few face-saving beach cleaning measures. The decision of the Orissa government in the recent past to introduce mechanised sweeping of the Puri beach can translate into an effective measure in this direction.

Recently, I visited the holy city of Varanasi, an important centre for religious tourism in India. There also as usual, I was disappointed with the rampant squalor on the narrow streets, lanes and by lanes. The crowded ghats besides Ganga

were dirty to say the least, with straying cattle and strewn garbage being their regular feature, amidst the busy microcosm of life. There were many low-priced hotels in the city where basic sanitation standards are not being met. The Ganga flowing through eternity is also far from clean at Varanasi.

Addressing the Culture of Callousness

You can f ind similar stor ies of apathetic lack of sanitation in many of our tourist places. The lack of sanitation infrastructure coupled with the lack of civic sense is a reflection of combined culture of callousness on the part of the authorities and the civilians at large. And its impact has the potential to be detrimental for our growth of

tourism and hospitality industry, for without good clean & hygiene standards tourism cannot bloom to its potential.

A sustained effort in generation of civic awareness towards keeping our tourist places and spots clean should be complemented by the initiative of the respective state governments of the country to ensure that the hotels of its tourist places and as well as its various tourist spots maintain a basic cleanliness standard. Any stringent legislation in this regard is most welcome. ■

Jan-Feb ’1326

WASHROOM HYGIENE

By Bharati Shah

More Room for Cleanliness

The washroom is often the smallest room in a building but its impact on the employees and visitors can be quite

great. Washrooms can be construed as a reflection of the whole establishment. For example, consumer confidence towards a company or an outlet and positive brand recognition of them can swiftly be jeopardised in the event of a bacterial outbreak.

Organisations frequently invest in maintaining slick receptions, work areas, showrooms, etc. but neglect sufficient investment in their washroom facilities. It is commonplace to see that corporate houses apparently working on their CSR policies with the goal of continually improving the management of their social and environmental principles of businesses, while neglecting the crucial issue of washroom hygiene.

Whether good or bad, the washroom makes an impression in every establishment and its cleanliness level does have a potential in maintaining the hygiene of the workers/employees/residents and visitors in/to the building. The cleanliness quotient of the washroom

can also greatly impact the business. For example, nobody wants to eat out again at a restaurant with a dirty washroom or stay at a hotel with a dirty washroom, and thus a dirty washroom may affect the repeat visitors in the hospitality industry.

Attitudes to personal hygiene and toilets differ from person to person. However, the impact of health risks and odour remains common to almost all. A wide family of microbes usually thrives in a plethora of washrooms. The hazardous area (hot spots) could be the taps, dispenser levers, door handles, etc. of the washrooms. It is very important to know the existence of the invisible danger lurking in our washrooms and also their extent of baneful influence on our health, before undertaking the cleaning operations of the washrooms. This prior information or knowledge can endow the washroom cleaning operations with the requisite seriousness or thoroughness.

Responsible management of washroom hygiene, which includes prior information/knowledge of the health risks in microbes and germs infested washrooms can minimise the negative impacts that the washrooms

can have on people and the planet.

Clean Audits Thankfully, media scrutiny and

growing consumer awareness regarding public health issues have increased the need for organisations to demonstrate ‘Good Cleaning Practices.’ A clean and hygiene audit can be conducted as part of ‘Good Cleaning Practice’ or when there are issues related to cleaning, odour, blockages, wastages, etc. A clean & hygiene audit can be the first step towards facilitating impeccable washroom hygiene across establishments, offices, and outlets.

Feminine Hygiene Care Solution

A sanit ised washroom for customers and employees let them know you value their health and safety. One of the most important facets of washroom hygiene is providing of comprehensive feminine hygiene care solutions. Women have specific hygiene issues like menstrual cycles that need to be dealt with great importance.

Feminine hygiene care solutions should be designed after taking a holistic view of challenges faced by

More Room for Cleanliness

27Jan-Feb ’13

females in using a washroom in Away from Home (AFH) environment. It is important to ensure that feminine sanitary waste is disposed off discreetly and safely. Equally important is to provide toilet seat sanitising products and sanitary napkins through vending machines.

A Civic Concern Unfortunately, the most common

notion associated with an average washroom in India is fi lth and stench. Of course, bolstering of sanitation infrastructure and their stringent maintenance by the state and private players is the need of the hour for spreading the culture of clean washrooms across the nation. However, that is a necessary but not suffi cient condition for ensuring clean washrooms in offi ces, hotels, malls, railway coaches, and roads. Simply state and corporate endeavours cannot ensure mushrooming of clean washrooms. For having more and more clean washrooms across establishments, offi ces and outlets, an evolved culture of cleanliness in the society is the need

of the hour. We are put off by messy, smelly

restrooms or urinals, but often due to our lack of civic sense, we as a society perpetuate the culture of unclean washrooms. Washrooms can be germ ridden places if enough care is not taken to adopt good washroom practices by the users. Sometimes it is cultural traits rather than antisocial behaviour which are responsible for misuse of washroom facilities.

Toilet etiquette / good washroom practices entail an array of conventions that an individual needs to adhere to while using a washroom. The proper usage of washrooms and toilet e t iquet te should be ingrained in our day-to-day habits if we want spic and span washrooms a prevailing feature of our clean & hygiene scenario.

The Author is the Chief Executive Officer of Washroom Hygiene Concepts (P) Ltd.

Clog Prevention No washroom hygiene exercise is complete without proper drain maintenance. Drain maintenance is a key factor in keeping the drains clog-free and thereby keeping the stinky drain smells away. Corroded drain pipes tend to create the perfect preconditions for clogs to form. The most common causes of corrosion of pipes are water with low or high pH, the presence of salts or sulfates, suspended solids (sand, rust), disposal of objects like chewing gum, wrappers, sanitary napkins, hair, heavy papers, etc., bacteria or chemical related corrosion and improper installation, etc. There are products towards prevention or rectification of clogs in drains in case of partial or full development of blockages. We highly recommend enzyme-based drain cleaning and maintenance products which are more effective, gentle to the plumbing system, environment friendly and are safe to use.

Jan-Feb ’1328

IAQ

By Swarnendu Biswas

CounteringCounteringMoulds

Jan-Feb ’1328

It is not uncommon to see households as well as commercial buildings being affected by moulds. The mould menace, if goes overlooked, does have the

potential to mar the décor of many stately buildings, and can give rise to ill health among its occupants. Moulds are microscopic fungi which grow in the form of multi-cellular

filaments, called hyphae. Like all fungi, moulds get their energy from organic matter which they inhabit, and not through photosynthesis.

These microscopic absorptive organisms, which are generally characterised by threadlike bodies called mycelium, reproduce sexually as well as asexually, by producing spores in the air. Spores that land on moist objects may begin to grow.

Spores are generally round or ovoid single cells, though in some cases they can be multi-cellular too. They vary in size, and can be colourless as well as pigmented. A spore is almost one hundredth to one twentieth of a human hair in diameter.

Moulds are found anywhere on the biosphere and they can grow on any dead organic matter, if they get the requisite moisture and

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29Jan-Feb ’13

Mouldsoxygen. Moulds can grow on wood, carpet, paper, foods, and insulation. Moisture gives an impetus to mould growth. Despite their omnipresence, their presence gets noticeable to the untrained eye only when mould colonies emerge. The moulds comprise almost 25 percent of the earth’s biomass, so there is no escaping them; but they can be controlled through proper clean & hygiene practices.

Affecting Décor and Health Water is an essential element in

clean & hygiene, but moulds can dampen the aesthetics of your room or building, by making the building look and smell bad. They can deface the walls and fi nishing with clusters of dungy green patches, which permeates a nauseating stench through the indoors.

Mould pollution can occur in commercial buildings as well as residential complexes, and eventually they potentially adversely affect the health of their occupants, and in some cases, can even lead to the damage or destruction of the structure itself. The health problems from moulds occur generally because of inhaling of the mould spores. A prolonged exposure to moulds and other assorted microbes can get you headaches, asthma, nausea, allergies, running nose, eye irritation, and skin rashes among other ailments. Moulds produce allergens, which can facilitate allergic reactions or asthma bouts. People with weak immune systems, newborns and the elderly, can be seriously affected by moulds.

Then there are some toxic moulds

which excrete hazardous toxic compounds known as mycotoxins. Research indicates that these toxins influence memory loss and serious lung problems among the infants and the elderly. However, mycotoxins are produced usually under specifi c environmental conditions.

Sustained exposure to very high dosages of mycotoxins can give rise to neurological disorders in some cases, and even assume lethal proportions. Fortunately, such high exposures of mycotoxins rarely occur in normal exposure scenarios. Even residents of those residences which have been encountering serious mould menace for years together are not likely to encounter such high exposure to mycotoxins. The most common and infamous of the toxic moulds is Stachybotrys chartarum. This greenish-black mould grows on moisture-laden materials which contain cellulose, such as wood, paper, etc. and such other similar products.

Measured Moisture A building which is affected by

water seepage, leaks from roofs, frequent fl ooding and condensation is likely to be attacked by moulds. Generally, fifty to one hundred different types of moulds are found in water-damaged buildings. There is a high likelihood of mould growth on moist walls, frequently wet carpets and wet furniture.

One of the easiest ways to control moulds is to control moisture in your indoors, as moulds are active under high humidity and running surface

Jan-Feb ’1330

IAQ

water. Not only the moulds, but a vast array of microbes needs moisture to survive and thrive. A room with high humidity will attract much more moisture and consequently would attract a much greater number of moulds and other microbes, in its woods, fabrics and carpet than a room with less humidity. Hence controlling of humidity is an effective solution towards addressing mould problems.

Ideally, the indoor humidity should be controlled within 30-60 percent in order to prevent the possibility of untoward microbial growth. A high degree of humidity and moisture in the buildings is often the result of poor construction methods of the buildings. The lack of waterproofi ng or improper water proofing of the walls facilitates seepage of the walls, which in turn encourages moisture and moulds.

A p o o r l y d e s i g n e d a i r -conditioned system can also be the reason behind high humidity in the rooms during the monsoons. Improper drainage systems, leading to frequent clogging up of water in bathrooms and other places of the buildings can also give rise to moulds. Such unwelcome deposits of water can also be a breeding ground for other microbes, posing potential health hazards for its inhabitants.

Water problems in buildings can also occur as a result of leakages from roofs or plumbing problems, condensation, and fl ooding. These problems, on their occurrence, need to be addressed with due

urgency to prevent the invasion of moulds. The ventilation of many rooms, particularly of bathrooms, often leaves a lot to be desired, and improper ventilation is another cause of mould pollution. The rooms in general should be preferably sunny and airy, which would discourage mould growth.

A house or a building made of wood can be particularly prone to mould problems, if proper and sustained care is not taken. If the structural wood in buildings is continually exposed to wetness, it encourages the growth of particular types of moulds known as dry rot moulds, which are the natural decomposers of leaves, stems and trees. The protection of the wood can be ensured through the application of chemicals like creosote or through the usage of sealants.

Prevention and Cure Prevention is always better than

cure and refraining from carpeting the perpetual ly damp rooms, insulating pipes and other cold surfaces with an objective to prevent condensation, and installing storm windows to eliminate condensation on glass are some of the pragmatic precautionary steps to counter the mould menace. Controlling the indoor humidity within above mentioned ideal levels, keeping the air-conditioners and refrigerators clean and dry are other precautionary measures.

However, sometimes cure does become necessary. If a building or a house or a room is affected by mould pollution, the obvious remedy towards it is to correct its cause.

As discussed before, the moisture or water related problems are in most cases the reasons behind the occurrence of moulds in the first place, and thus fi rstly correct steps should be taken to eliminate the water or moisture related problems.

The solution should depend upon the nature and the extent of the problem. For example, if there is no standing clogged water in the room with only damp conditions prevailing

due to some strange reason, a simple dehumidifi cation of the room would be enough to drive the moulds and other microbes away. Installing a dehumidifi er in a perpetually moist room is also one of the enduring solutions to keep the mould at a safe distance. However, in some other cases, urgent mending of leaking pipes, leaking roofs, seepages, etc. needs to be done.

After sorting out the water related or moisture related issues, the next step is to wash off the mould colonies from the mould-infested areas, using proper protection. After washing the affected areas with detergent and water, clean the area and then let it dry. In some cases, the heavily mould-infested materials or structures need to be demolished or replaced. If the mould problem is severe, professional help is advisable. It is always better to know the types of moulds present and the extent of mould pollution before undertaking the cure of a mould infested property or a room. ■

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Jan-Feb ’1332

CLEANING

By Nitin Bhatt

Though not many people know that biological enzymes have been in the cleaning field since

quite some time, they are gaining popularity among people who are more focused on green cleaning. In

earlier years working with enzymes had little success in soap bars. The purpose was to introduce emolliency into the bar for improved feel and to accelerate soil removal. Prior research had been done pertaining to the usage of enzyme in laundry detergent, but there also the success was limited.

Only recently enzyme chemistry has expanded its infl uence into diverse fields. Now enzymes are having increasing application in research and development, and their effectiveness has increased in cleaning processes. Enzymes, however, are extremely sensitive to high temperature and require wet/humid conditions to function. Functional between 30 degree centigrade to 40 degree centigrade, temperatures above and below this range render enzymes inactive, and they are eventually destroyed. They also require time exposure for optimum performance and maximum effectiveness. They are not tiny molecules that absorb everything on contact. But given time, they yield excellent results.

The majority of enzymes are complex proteins that are not to be considered living organisms. They are sensitive to extreme temperature, pH and exposure to heavy metals like

mercury or lead. When enzymes are applied in a proper manner, they can absorb various proteinaceous soils, which can then be eliminated by hot water extraction or other forms of cleaning processes. Often the formulator will infuse a fragrance to facilitate hiding of any residual malodors that protein soils generally emanate.

Enzyme technology has improved over the years. Now the enzymes can withstand high heat stability up to 74 degree centigrade. However, higher temperaturesthan this will cancel the usefulness of enzymes. Therefore, it is extremely essential that the application of enzymes be below that temperature, and more importantly, be applied as a pre-spray. This way, the enzyme’s activity will not be negatively infl uenced and exposure time would be enhanced. It should do well for us to remember that the time of exposure is directly related to the performance of the enzyme. Therefore, when an enzymatic cleaner is introduced on a heavy fi lm of restaurant grease and oil, for example, time exposure becomes crucial in breaking down the proteins present in the soil.

When a formula is conceived and being translated into reality, the

33Jan-Feb ’13

CLEANING

enzymes introduced are demarcated into broad categories, such as hydrolytic or oxidizing, and are dependent on the type of reaction they control. Hydrolytic, meaning water type, will break down simpler compounds utilising water molecules while oxidising (reducing enzymes) will accelerate oxidation reactions.

The three basic enzymes primarily used in cleaning formulas are Protease, which breaks down amino acids in proteins, Amylase, which breaks down sugar molecules in starch, and Lipase, which breaks down the fats.

For some types of stains, enzymes are the only way out. Let us explore on the particularly challenging condition of urine extraction. If you were to extract urine with the use of a urine remover formula this would be effective only if the urine is within one month old. For carpets heavily stained with pet urine and left for longer duration of time, the problem with matting and substrate would arise, which would necessitate greater attention.

The carpet can be restored to its original level of cleanliness, however, if an enzyme that controls urea can be applied to it. An enzyme known as urease could be appropriate in such cases. The usage of the urease can control the decomposition of the urea, which in turn would facilitate easy removal of urea content and also most probably, the yellow urine stains. Additionally, the use of oxygen release agent would bleach out residual yellow staining in particularly diffi cult cases.

However, urease’s effectiveness

is recognised for its reaction to urine and nothing else. Its activity is further impeded by the fact that it requires a cofactor to function. A cofactor is a non-protein chemical compound that is bound to a protein (generally enzymes) and is necessary for the protein’s biological functions. As a rule, enzymes do not attack living cells, but once a cell is dead, it is rapidly digested by dedicated enzymes that breakdown the protein.

There are several benefits of enzyme cleaning. Enzymes display great efficiency in their targeted purposes and can duplicate in minute qualities which would take higher temperatures for stronger chemicals to achieve. Furthermore, proteinaceous stains don’t readily react to ordinary cleaning chemicals; but can be addressed effectively through enzyme use. However, the one basic thing that is required in enzyme cleaning is time. Enzymes are unable to function in real time the way chemicals respond.

It is also worth noting that fatty acids, oils, milk, ice cream, body fluids, etc. will not react to conventional c leaning agents. Similarly, blood stains locked in the fabric of the upholstery piece would not be removed through conventional cleaners. In such cases, enzymes can be effective by breaking down or chemically changing the particles for their easier removal.

Moreover, enzymes increase a chemical reaction tremendously. As to safely using them when cleaning, care and concern must always be taken. Use appropriate eye and inhalation p ro t e c t i on , a s defi ned by the label. If there are no safety directions, contact the manufacturer immediately for directions on their exposure and health effects.

The Author is the Manager, Strategic Planning, Pro Cleaning Company (P) Ltd.

Jan-Feb ’1334

LAUNDRY

Operational efficiency means ensur ing optimal results at minimum possible overall cost. Let us

understand what constitutes the total cost in the commercial laundry operations. The total cost in the commercial laundry operations is a combination of utility cost (steam/water/electricity), the cost of labour and time, the cost of chemicals, the cost of linen replacement/textile, the cost of depreciation, and

maintenance and transportation costs. Let us understand in detail the various parameters, their impact on the overall cost of commercial laundry operations, and how to keep the same under control. These cost control steps can also help in checking the cost of operations of institutional laundries, located in hotels and hospitals.

WaterThe impact of water to the

overall cost of institutional laundry

operations is approximately four percent. Now the challenge is to control the water usage in order to check this cost. Water supplied to the laundry should be of below 50-ppm water hardness, as this would not consume excess detergent. If the hardness is more than 50 ppm, the use of softener is recommended.

Many machines have the facility to reuse rinse water, which can be reused in pre-wash/main wash/ first rinse. Check that the washer extractor has two drains. Otherwise the reuse of water is not possible. Reusing of rinse water can lead to almost 60 percent in water saving (10 liters/kg versus 25 liters/kg in case of bed sheets).

Measure and optimise the water level at the various stages of wash process. If required do recalibration. The ideal way to monitor water consumption is to use water meter to check water consumption per process.

Optimise the total number of rinses. Maximum three rinses are required. However, many a time it is seen that 4-5 rinses are used to remove the excess alkali or the chlorine from the fabric, which can be done by using good quality neutraliser, thus saving on water, time and energy. The application of a good neutraliser will help in saving water and will give the desired 5.5 to 6.5 pH. It will also facilitate to control minerals in the final rinse, thereby preventing

Operational Efficiency in Institutional

By Brijesh Rathore

Laundries

Jan-Feb ’1336

LAUNDRY

encrustation and controlling iron. Use the recommended wash process from the chemical supplier.

EnergyThe impact of energy on the

overall cost of institutional laundry operations is approximately eight percent. There are various ways to control the energy cost in laundry operations. Firstly, optimise wash times. The main wash after reaching the desired temperature should not exceed beyond 12 minutes.

Energy (heat) used in the washing machine is 1/3rd of the energy (heat) used in the dryer/calendar. Optimise tumble-drying time and temperature. Also to achieve energy efficiency, optimise vacuum and speed of the calendar. Clean lint from the dryer at regular intervals to provide clear airflow as excess lint deposition can also be a fire hazard.

Moreover, to save energy the machine needs to be loaded optimally. Under loading of the machine will lead to excess mechanical action and overloading may lead to poor soil removal and mechanical damage.

Labour and Time In order to effectively check

the labour and t ime costs in institutional laundries, check the wash process of different linen categories in the laundry. One process for all is a waste of time, energy, and chemicals, and leads to high maintenance cost of the machine. A narrow fill line and poor water /steam pressure can lead to unnecessary waste of time.

Check if the mixed/hot water fill line is used when high temperature is required. This will cut down the time required to raise the temperature of the water to the desired level. Also check if the optimum time/temperature combination is used in the dryer and the calendar.

How the people in the various shifts are being used, how are they trained to do various laundry jobs, whether they are trained to handle different jobs at the work place and how are they being monitored are some of the other issues whose proper handling can lead to saving of

labour and time costs in institutional laundry operations.

TextileThe impact of textile on the

overall cost of institutional laundry operations is approximately 32 percent. Purchasing the right type of textile, and analysing textile before its purchase are important steps to save textile cost in laundries. Ideally, the laundries should have COA (certificate of analysis) of tensile strength/lifetime of textile. It is important to get specification of the linen being purchased.

Thereafter, to check the cost of textile in laundry operations, the right wash process should be used, especially the bleaching process. Ensure that bleach is being used at the right pH, temperature, concentration and for the right time. Any of the above parameters going wrong can lead to irreversible fabric damage.

The water and steam being used should be free from iron. High iron content (> 0.1ppm) may cause yellowing of linen and iron particle deposition (from the steam lines) in the presence of chlorine bleach can lead to pin holes.

Maintaining current accurate records and conducting physical inventory of the linen at least twice a year can curtail the linen replacement cost. Management should know exactly what linen is needed to maintain service standards, when the new linen should be inserted into service, and above all, where critical losses pertaining to linen are being incurred. Accurate linen replacement cost is calculated with the help of the following formula:

Linen at last inventory + New linen inserted into service = Total linen

Total linen – Present inventory = Linen replacement cost

DepreciationImpact of depreciat ion on

the overall institutional laundry cost is approximately 13 percent. Maintaining the machine in the top running conditions at all times is one of the ways to check depreciation, but that is easier said than done. The laundry machine should not be having any leaking problems or

soil deposition. Furthermore, it is prudent to keep stock of critical machine spares to prevent high downtime. Also maintain the proper preventive maintenance schedule of the machine. Staff should be trained to report any machine failure. All these factors can together significantly help to control depreciation in laundries.

ChemicalThe impact of chemical on the

overall laundry cost of institutional laundries is approximately six percent. Using formulated detergents in the laundry is one of the ways to control chemical cost, and preventing it from going out of hand. Good quality formulated detergents along with right wash program play the most important role in reducing the overall operational cost of the laundries.

Good formulated detergent should consist of alkali, surfactants, sequestrants, optical brighteners, and anti redepositing agents. Alkali helps in maintaining the pH of the wash bath, neutralises the acidic soil, and helps in faster removal of the soil (swelling of the fibre). Surfactants act as wetting agent and also help in the removal of fatty soil. Builders or sequestrants facilitate in binding heavy metal and hard water ions in the wash bath and prevent their precipitation onto the fabric. Optical brighteners make the linen appear brighter than it ‘actually’ is. It absorbs the UV rays and re-transmits it into the visible spectrum. Anti redepositing agents give overall negative charge to the fibre and thus prevent deposition of the negatively charged soil onto the fabric.

So, we have seen how following the correct procedures at each step of the linen flow can control various cost parameters in the institutional laundry operations. This not only ensures a long linen lifetime but also facilitates optimum utilisation o f r e sou rce s a t disposal.

The Author is the Director, Hospitality & Healthcare, Diversey India Pvt. Ltd.

49Jan-Feb ’13

Jan-Feb ’1338

PEST MANAGEMENT

By Sarang Savalekar

Know Your Label(s)

Th e p u r p o s e of this article is to highlight the importance o f l a b e l

and labeling instructions, specifically for the use of pesticides/insecticides, for enabling or at least facilitating structural pest management. F irst of al l we need to understand that the terms ‘ label ’ and ‘ labeling’ may not be used interchangeably, they have different scopes and meanings, especially in the world of pesticides/insecticides. Insecticides’ labeling includes the actual label attached to the pesticide container, any s u p p l e m e n t a l i n f o r m a t i o n accompany ing the pes t i c ide conta iner, and any manua l s referenced on the label. Whereas

the insecticides’ label is limited to the document (including printed or embossed) that is actually attached to the container.

The Essential Difference Pesticide product labeling is the

main method of communication

b e t w e e n a p e s t i c i d e manufacturer and pesticide users . The information printed on or attached to the pesticide container is its label. Labeling on the other hand includes the label plus all other information you receive from the manufacturer about the product when you purchase it.

The labeling may include brochures, leaflets, and other information that accompanies the pesticide/insecticide product. Pesticide labeling gives you comprehensive

instructions on how to use the product safely and correctly.

In simple terms, label means the written, printed or graphic matter on, or attached to the pesticide or device or any of its containers or wrappers. The label of insecticides

39Jan-Feb ’13

PEST MANAGEMENT

tells us explicitly that where an insecticide can be used, what pests are controlled by the given insecticide, directions for mixing and application. Furthermore, it briefly highlights how toxic the insecticide is to the people, and discusses the precautions to reduce the risk. The label embodies the law regarding the use of the product.

Any separate leaflet or booklet designed to accompany the container

and which may be attached to the container (e.g. ‘fold-out’ leaflet) or be loose within the outer packaging of the container comes under the ambit of labeling. Succinctly, the term labeling includes all labels and all other written, printed, or graphic matter (a) accompanying the pesticide or device at any time; or (b) to which reference is made on the label or in literature accompanying the pesticide or device, except current official publications (of specified federal or state institutions or agencies).

Labeling Nuances Some labeling, particular ly

pertaining to rodenticides, may not indicate a specific site and any interpretation of application sites could be quite broad. Similarly, some labeling of insecticides may recommend specifically for termite management in agriculture field or in landscape areas and any interpretation of application sites could be different like industrial sites, airports, residential townships

and other structures. However, if use sites were indicated as ‘Non-cropland industrial sites, such as airports, fence rows, roadsides, and associated rights-of-ways,’ then the user could use the product on any place that would fall under the category of ‘non-cropland industrial sites.’

Pest control is divided into two categories i.e. agricultural use and non-agricultural use by listing. This classification is important because it is used to determine the applicability and implementation of pesticide sale and its use requirements. All pest control use that does not fit into the listed non-agricultural use categories is intended for agricultural use. When interpreting pesticide labeling statements such as, “for use in agricultural areas” or “for use in non-agricultural areas” the key factor is whether or not the pesticide is being used to produce an agricultural commodity.

The insecticides which are reg i s tered , recommended or manufactured and sold for pest

management must contain printed label on them. Besides this , additional information has to be provided in form of ‘labeling’. The labels and labeling together must carry all the necessary information required for the safe use of these insecticides, such as dosage, dilution ratio, storage, transportation of these insecticides, besides treatment areas and the disposal of empty containers, etc. that are necessary as safety aspect related to the pest control operators.

Insecticides labeling of ten directs applicators to avoid drift, implying that any drift would be a violation. Given the reality of insecticides’ applications, this is not a reasonable standard. More appropriately, labeling may direct the applicator not to apply products when environmental conditions favour drift.

The regu la tor y s tandards of insecticide usage entail that applicators need to use Insecticides in a manner that will prevent substantial drift to non target areas. The regulations define the term “substantial drift” as meaning that the quantity of Insecticides outside the area treated is greater than that which would have resulted had the applicator used due care.

Here it deserves a mention that the practice of increasing the dosage rate of an application by ‘tank mixing’ two separate insecticides products containing the same active ingredient is a use in conflict with that labeling and a violation. For example, an analysis of the tank mix would indicate there is a higher rate of AI than allowed by the

Jan-Feb ’1340

PEST MANAGEMENT

registered labeling delivered with either product (an overdose).

Mandatory and Suggestive There are some mandatory

statements and instructions on the label and they are very important from the legal point of view. The mandatory statement will contain such key words as “must”, “shall”, and “will”, or it will use an expression such as “do not”, “use only”, or “for use only by..” Besides these, there are suggestive words like “should”, “may” and “it is recommended that”. As these are merely suggestive terms, the pest management professional may not use these directives in their usage of given pesticide.

Here it deserves a mention that labeling statements preceded by terms such as, “it is recommended,” “users should” or “for best results” are considered advisory statements. Information about health or environmental hazards included in the labeling can be used as evidence that the user (or adviser) knew or should have known about the

hazard. However, advisory labeling statements do not create a specific enforceable obligation upon the user.

Approved and Other Text The contents of the label of

pesticide/insecticide include both ‘approved text’ and ‘other text.’ The approved text of the pesticide label must include introduction of the product and product Identity. The product identity includes product holder/ marketing company details, formulation type, amount and name of the active substance(s), identity of any ‘dangerous’ coformulants, net quantity of the product, and product batch number, biological use phrase, etc.

The approved text on the label also specifies the statutory area of operations which include field of its use, crops and situations where the pesticide can be administered, the maximum individual dose of the usage of the pesticide, maximum number of treatments or maximum total dose, latest time of application, and other specific restrictions.

The approved text also includes safety information, which in turn covers hazard symbol, risk phrase, safety precaution on the product label, safety precaution on treated areas, and medical advise. Besides all these, the approved text on the pesticide/insecticide label includes direction for use, whose purview covers specific purpose of the use of the product, expected coverage of the product specified by the formulator, and the methodology of the use of the product.

The other text on the pesticide/insecticide label is the additional

advice that may be supplied on or with the product label, and which is not within the remit of the regulations o r requ i red to be supported by safety and efficacy data. The other t e x t i n c l u d e s a d d i t i o n a l health and safety concerns, usage

and agronomic information which the applicant may wish to present to the user but which does not need to appear as a part of the ‘approved text’ on the label.

The approval of label and labeling are the two most important aspects of the registration process for any product, including insecticides. Hence, contents of the labels and the labeling are scrutinised very carefully. The text of the label is an extension of what has been practical ly tr ied by the manufacturers during its research state and often endorsed by the official testing laboratories.

Today a new concept of green pest control has emerged wherein pesticides are used only when necessary, and only those pesticides are used which pose reduced risks to people, pets and the environment. Monitoring for pests and conditions contributing to pests are of critical importance and hence in green pest control more time has to be spent in inspecting the facility rather than decimating the pest.

There is no list that tells which pesticide may or may not be used in eco-friendly pest control measures, and the decision is taken on the conditions of each site. Such pesticide may be a spray, dust or aerosol. The product itself or its residues that are left should pose lowest possible risk to the people concerned. But there are no separate labels or labeling for such green pest control products.

The Author i s the Director, Paramount Pest Consultants Pvt. Ltd. (India).

Jan-Feb ’1342

PRODUCT PREVIEW

Th e i n f o r m a t i o n p u b l i s h e d i n t h i s s e c t i o n i s a s p e r t h e d e t a i l s f u r n i s h e d b y t h e r e s p e c t i v e m a n u f a c t u r e r / d i s t r i b u t o r. I n a n y c a s e , i t d o e s n o t r e p r e s e n t t h e v i e w s o f Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

CLEANING MACHINES Aman Cleaning is one of the leading manufacturer and importer of floor cleaning machines in India. The company manufactures floor scrubber machine and other types of floor cleaning machines. It has a tie-up with two Italian and two Turkish companies

for other range of products. The primary tie-up is with Lavorwash Italy for its FASA Brand Products and with Ghibli Italy for its floor scrubber’s only. The third tie-up is with Tektem Makina and Star Makina from Istanbul Turkey for its scrubber drier range and vacuum cleaner range. The products manufactured by Aman Cleaning are catered to major industry sectors like heavy industries, auto workshop, multiplex, hotels, hospitals, educational institutions, railways, housekeeping companies, offices etc. The company has pan-India presence with dealer located in all major towns of India. The complete range of product includes - single disk / three brush floor cleaning/polishing machines, industrial wet/ dry vacuum cleaner (1-2-3 motors), automatic scrubber drier machine (mini and standard) electrical and battery operated and ride on type, road/ floor sweeping machine (walk behind and ride on type), high pressure water jet cleaner, carpet driers, upholstery cleaner, back pack vacuum cleaner, foam generator, glass cleaning tools and manual cleaning equipments and tools. The company has introduced a unique offer for its customers to provide combination of three machines at the package rate of Rs. 58,000 + Tax. The package includes High Pressure Washer, Single Disc Floor Scrubber and Wet/ Dry Vacuum Cleaner. This offers a comprehensive set of equipment for a company at economical price. This offer is valid till 30 April 2013.

Aman Cleaning Equipments Pvt. Ltd.aman_marketing2002@yahoo.co.uk

PAPER PRODUCTSWith a lineage that stems in the paper industry for over two decades, Scraft was founded as a company that is dedicated to producing high value and innovative paper products. The change in consumer buying pattern and a definitive shift in consumables of home and personal care have made a tremendous growth in the respective industry. Taking care of the same Scraft is engaged in different market segments namely Home Care (Food Wrapping Aluminium Foil and Cling Film), Tissue Care (Napkins, Hand Towel, Kitchen Roll, Toilet Paper Roll, Face Tissue Box, Industrial Roll), Hygiene Care(Hand Sanitizer Gel & Wipes, Adult Diapers, Adult Under sheets, Kitchen Wipes), Baby Care (Baby Wipes), Beauty Care ( Wet Wipes) With a passion and dream to serve all consumer segments, Scraft has rigorously maintained the reputation of serving the consumer with innovative paper stationery products. This in turn also serves as an effort to contribute to the education sector. Scraft’s paper stationery range includes Exercise notebook, Drawing book, Spiral and hard cased diaries, conference pad etc.With the wide range of product line Scraft is present all over India catering to all market segments like General trade, Modern trade, Institution, Govt. bodies, HORECA and others.

Scraft Products Pvt. Ltd. info@aegle.co.in

TURNKEY LAUNDRY SOLUTIONSSupershine has been successfully installing and maintaining Commercial Laundry Equipment since 1990, in India and its neighbouring countries. Supershine offers Turnkey Solutions for any kind of Laundry projects. It represents world’s leading brands specialising in Laundry and Drycleaning equipments. The company has pan-Indian presence to provide quality services and spares as per the requirements of the clients. The list of our clients range from the best in Hospitality Industry - Oberoi, Taj, Hyatt, Sheraton, Le Meridien, Radissons, Marriots, Leela etc., Healthcare Industry - Apollo, Escorts, Medanta - The Medicity, Bombay Hospital, AIIMS, etc., Defence - Major Hospitals, AFMC, various establishments and units of Army, Navy, Air Force & Assam Rifles and Garment Exporters & Commercial Laundries.

Supershine Laundry Systems Pvt. Ltd.corporate@supershine.in

43Jan-Feb ’13

A D V E R T I S E R S I N D E X

AMAN CLEANING EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD. ......................23

APPLIANCES EMPORIUM ......................25

ATLANTIC PASTE & GLUE CO., INC. ......................05

BORGHI BRUSH MACHINERY PVT. LTD. ......................21

COSMIC HEALERS PVT. LTD. ......................17

DIVERSEY INDIA PVT. LTD. ......................01

GRAND CHEMICAL WORKS ......................33

HBF 2013 ......................06

IFB INDUSTRIES LTD. ......................11

ITPO ......................37

KARCHER CLEANING SYSTEM PVT. LTD. ......................BC

MIRACLEAN TOOLS (P) LIMITED ......................31

* BC - BACK COVER * GF-GATE FOLD * FIC - FRONT INSIDE COVER * BIC - BACK INSIDE COVER

COMPANY PAGE NO. COMPANY PAGE NO.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITYBUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

NAVIN POLYCON ......................08

PEST CONTROL (INDIA) PVT. LTD. ......................09

QUARTZ HOME CARE (I) PVT. LTD. ......................04

RAMSONS GARMENTS FINISHING EQUIPMENT PVT. LTD. ................15

SCRAFT PRODUCTS PVT. LTD. ......................27

SNOOZER BEDDING LTD. ......................FIC

SUPESHINE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS PVT. LTD. ......................07

UNIQUE TRADING COMPANY ......................29

WALSONS FACILITY SOLUTIONS PVT. LTD. ......................BIC

WASHROOM HYGIENE CONCEPTS PVT. LTD. ......................35

PRODUCT PREVIEW ......................42

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Jan-Feb ’1344

By Sharmila Chand

INTERVIEW

Housekeeping Needs Greater Recognition

Kindly give a brief overview of the domain of housekeeping in hotels

The purview of housekeeping operations in hotels is primarily and broadly demarcated into fl oors, public areas (lobby, restaurants, etc.), heart of the house areas, horticulture, pest management, laundry operations, and linen & uniform management.

As is evident from above, housekeeping penetrates each and every area and section of the hotel. It provides the base for all the functions in the hotel. The domain of housekeeping is very vast and diverse.

What is the method of housekeeping operations at your hotel?

At our hotel maintenance and cleaning of all areas is controlled by periodic cleaning schedules. These are devised in great detail, covering each and every item in that area. The cleaning schedules include daily, weekly and fortnightly schedules. Following these schedules religiously ensures that none of the areas/ items are overlooked or neglected.

Standard operating procedures have been laid down for cleaning processes of all areas. Furthermore, our regular briefi ng and training classes ensure that the maintenance is as per the set standard.

What are the new trends in housekeeping? Please comment on the latest housekeeping scenario from the point of view of technological developments

Modernisation and technology have made their mark in housekeeping for a long time now. Machinery and equipments pertaining to housekeeping are getting better and better each day.

The most remarkable thing is that now the ergonomics and the team members’ health play a major role in the designing of the machines, which was not a point of consideration earlier.

Housekeeping requires rigorous training. How much of an emphasis does your hotel place on this?

The hotel focuses a great deal on training and development. It has very systematic laid down procedures and mandatory training schedules which need to be adhered to.

Regular audits for the same are conducted by internal as well as external auditors.

Due to its very nature of work, the housekeeping staff is spread all over the hotel. Thus constant monitoring of the staff is very diffi cult and hence the dependability factor of the individual plays a major role.

To ensure operational excellence in this scenario, training plays a very signifi cant part. It helps team members to act and take decisions independently, which in turn enhances guest experience.

Housekeeping has greatly evolved over the years. How has its perception changed in the present day India?

Housekeeping as a domain has come a long way, but its perception in the Indian society has not changed much. The recognition of housekeeping in the country still has a long way to go. Cleanliness and hygiene are the only two basics which people understand when they perceive housekeeping. It is still viewed as a fi eld in which a person needs minimum qualifi cation and skills.

But without the sense of aesthetics, a sense of balance and harmony, understanding of guests’ needs in the room, without using creativity at every step it is not feasible to make a place look beautiful just by keeping it clean.

However, at the same time, the expectations from a housekeeper are increasing manifolds each day. I hope the recognition for the housekeeper also starts evolving proportionately.

What elements you take into account to recruit staff in the housekeeping department?

They are education, level of physical fi tness, previous experience, reference checks for getting a clean chit in terms of integrity. The person should also have a pleasant personality and positive attitude.

What are the challenges you have to face in your job responsibilities?

The challenges include high attrition rate among the staff, motivating the staff, and continual education and training of the manpower, which is necessary for good communication and effective guest interaction.

How important in your opinion is housekeeping to hospitality?

Visual appeal gives the fi rst impression to the hotels. Housekeeping imparts the ambience and aesthetics required for the same. Housekeeping is crucial for giving the fi rst impression to the hotel guests and also helps in giving pleasant memories that the guests carry back from their stay at the given hotel.

Jan-Feb ’1344

Housekeeping Needs Greater Recognition

With over 16 years of rich and insightful experience in housekeeping, business operations, and client servicing, Nivedita Avasthi — Executive Housekeeper, Eros — Managed by Hilton New Delhi Nehru Place, is presently spearheading the housekeeping department of the hotel. Nivedita began her career from Rajputana Palace Sheraton, Jaipur as Floor Supervisor and now with her efficiency and hard work, has reached a position where she is leading around a 40 people team. “I believe in ensuring quality services, resulting in customer satisfaction and optimum resource utilisation. This is to facilitate maximum possible service quality,” she stated while defining her mantra for success. The excerpts of the interview follow: