SITEX Products: Our commitment to environmental health
They say no man is an island, and SITEX certainly wouldn’t be able to provide our excellent customer service without a little help. We rely on our outstanding partners to succeed. One of our suppliers, Washing Systems, LLC was honored for their commitment to environmental conservation with a visit from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency last month. The Environmental Protection agency’s mission is to protect and enhance our environment, and individuals who show their commitment to this mission through practice are recognized.
Washing Systems provides SITEX with NPE-free and phosphate-free detergent products, which give all our garments a complete and environmentally-conscious clean. This is better for your clothing and for the planet. This is especially important in an field like industrial laundry, where the need for sufficient cleaning can often overshadow the chemical impact of those cleaning practices.
Take nonylphenol, the “NP” in “NPE”, that Washing Systems has removed from their detergent lines. While useful as a cleaning agent, nonylphenol (NP) has been shown to cause both human and environmental health hazards. It is an endocrine disruptor, particularly noted for it’s ability to mimic estrogen, and disrupts natural interactions with estrogen and androgen receptors. In nature, NP’s effects are seen most dramatically in fish. Young fish survival rate is significantly decreased when NP is present. In more concentrated amounts, NP can cause kidney damage, stress and lower fishes’ body weight. Contact with NP presents similar hormone disruptions in humans. NP can result in various pregnancy complications, disrupt feelings of satiety (leading to obesity) and cause breast cancer.
For Washing Systems to produce NPE and phosphate-free products with the expectation that this will soon be an industry standard is a huge step towards creating a healthier future for our industry and the planet. SITEX hopes to follow in their commitment, making the best ecological choices for our company and our clients wherever possible.
To read the full article about Washing Systems, check out the Textile Rental Service Association’s website.