Sustainability in the vehicle wash sector
A clean vehicle gives a good feeling – and a clean conscience. But the vehicle wash business is about more than just excellent cleaning results. It's also about using systems sustainably and responsibly in the best interests of operators and customers. The objective: a low-consumption approach to water, energy and detergents.
Reducing consumption without reducing performance
Everyone's talking about environmental protection and sustainability. Our wash systems for professional vehicle cleaning use one of the world's most precious resources: water.
As a leading manufacturer of professional cleaning systems, we are aware of the responsibility this brings with it, and of our role in the natural ecosystem. In the pursuit of a sustainable cycle of resources, we have made it our aim to keep optimising the consumption in our systems and to develop new solutions. With our systems, excellent water treatment, minimal fresh water consumption, very ecological use of energy and detergents are guaranteed.
Water reclamation systems – good for the operator and the environment
Water reclamation has become standard practice today in vehicle wash systems. High ecological, economical, structural and legal requirements are placed on the recycling plants – for safe operation, a worthwhile investment and a sustainable solution.
On average 150 to 350 litres of water are required in vehicle wash systems per vehicle wash – depending on the system equipment and selected wash programme. With self-service wash systems the average water demand is roughly 80 litres per wash. This is not only expensive, but also harms the environment. Especially if fresh water is used for every wash.
Modern reclamation systems help with water reclamation and keep the water required for the vehicle wash circulating in the closed loop. The waste water can largely be reused. Only small amounts of fresh water are required, the rest is reclaimed water. With efficient systems up to 98% fresh water can be saved per wash. The benefits of investing in water treatment systems are therefore twofold: for the owner/operator and for the environment.
Car washing – with a clear conscience and 100% climate neutral
The environmentally friendly self-service wash system “Kärcher Clean Park Eco” demonstrates what can be done with ecological requirements and modern technology. Rainwater heated by the sun, solar power from its own roof, biodegradable cleaning agents and the very latest washing technology ensures clean cars – and a clean environment. The biologically treated reclaim water is so clean and odour-free that it is used directly for the next wash via a temperature storage facility. Depending on the wash programme, it is heated via the heat exchanger to a temperature of at least 35 °C. If the high-pressure gun is required, the high-pressure units in the plant room, designed for continuous operation, reliably generate 100 bar.
How cleaning agents help protect the environment
Cleaning agents are essential in many areas in order to achieve a good cleaning result efficiently. Sustainability plays an increasingly important role because compliance with ecological standards is becoming more and more important among professional users. A whole range of aspects must be considered in product development in order to bring a cleaning agent on the market that is sustainable across the entire life cycle. Key points include the selection of the raw materials, the development and manufacturing process, as well as the use of resource-friendly packaging solutions. Because the use of renewable raw materials alone does not necessarily help the environment.
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