Understanding Carbon Footprint in Laundry Operations

 

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are (including carbon dioxide and methane) generated by our actions.

 

July 10, 2024
 
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Understanding Carbon Footprint in Laundry Operations
 

The GHG inventory covers the seven direct greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol, let us look at two of those that could be used in a laundry, Carbon Dioxide and Methane.”

Investigating ways to exhaust avenues to improve the carbon footprint of a laundry facility, collectively we should be actively speaking about this, creating awareness and sharing ideas ensuring the textiles industry is visibly seen as a positive contributor to reducing that footprint.

Let us first simplify the meaning of a carbon footprint.

‘’A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that are (including carbon dioxide and methane) generated by our actions.

The GHG inventory covers the seven direct greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol, let us look at two of those that could be used in a laundry, Carbon Dioxide and Methane.

Methane is one of three main elements found in Natural Gas, methane being the highest of the three.

LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) main elements, propane, butane has an energy content similar to petrol and twice the energy of Natural Gas.

Overall, propane stands out as a more environmentally friendly option than other fuel types, including natural gas and diesel, due to its high efficiency, lack of toxicity and minimal emission production.

LPG produces 45% less CO2 (carbon dioxide) than diesel and emits no black carbon, arguably the second biggest contributor to global warming.

Central boilers supplying the energy to the laundry production equipment, which way should we go when choosing the type of burner on the boiler(s), diesel oil, natural gas or LPG?

Efficiency through calorific values, considering GHG and the unit price to purchase the fuel, the obvious choice would be LPG but how do laundry owners, management teams see this? 

A change of burner on the boiler, added to that, those local laws of gaining permission for installing an LPG tank, along with the correct pipework from the tank(s) to the factory. Indeed, this takes time and investment but the rewards of investigating such changes would provide a good return on investment and assist in a positive way to the carbon footprint.

The heat, energy produced by a flatwork ironer when in operation, drying/ironing bed sheets and duvet covers, we can think about capturing what is sent out from the ducting and out of the building to the skies.

Why would we do this? 

The energy we capture can be used to heat water for other uses and by purchasing specific equipment, thus reducing the GHG, improving our efficiency by heating our water through FREE energy.

Water filtration and recycling is another way to reduce your carbon footprint by up to 20%, once again by using specific equipment.

Those delivery vehicles, small vans (3 tonne), bigger trucks (7 – 16 tonne), hybrid is available, even the company vehicles we choose to use, we have the tools at hand.

Lavendery are actively researching and providing support for us all to make sure we achieve out our goals, leading the way in the Textiles industry, ensuring the cleaning industry will go above and beyond to reduce the regional, global Carbon Footprint.

About the author:

Gary Teeley is the Group Operations Manager at Lavendery.