Sustainability is at the core of BIO-CIRCLE's mission. We are dedicated to making green work around parts cleaning and surface technology for thousands of customers. Our commitment is genuine—no greenwashing here, just pure, unadulterated sustainability. And we are now proud to say that this dedication has been recognised through our achievement of the prestigious GreenCode accreditation, a testament to our adherence to rigorous sustainability standards across eight key operational areas:
1. Management: Sustainability Integrated into Business-as-Usual
At BIO-CIRCLE, sustainability is woven into the fabric of our daily operations. It is not a separate initiative but a fundamental aspect of our business strategy. Our management team is dedicated to ensuring that every employee understands and embraces our sustainability goals. We have established clear roles and responsibilities to foster a culture of environmental stewardship, ensuring that sustainability is a shared responsibility across all levels of the organisation.
For instance, we put sustainability at the centre of the entire life cycle of the systems, products and services we offer - from production, to how they are used, to disposal. In order to conserve resources as much as we can, we generate the majority of the energy consumed ourselves for all the processes carried out at our manufacturing site in Germany.
When developing our cleaning systems and liquids, we pay particular attention to the fact that they not only deliver on cleaning performance, but also have a very low environmental impact.
We begin by evaluating our customer's existing processes and then provide a bespoke set of systems and liquids which will vastly improve their existing processes, so that they have the lowest impact on the environment as possible, and improve occupational safety whilst still maintaining cleaning efficiency.
Our systems and solutions have been developed for many different areas of application and are characterised by special properties that help protect the environment and employees, whilst also controlling costs. These properties include:
the reduction of hazardous substances - powerful alternative to solvents via microorganisms
use of natural active ingredients wherever technically possible
biodegradable and environmentally friendly cleaners
targeted selection, minimisation or complete avoidance of fragrances and preservatives
the conservation of resources
energy saving with powerful cleaning at lower temperatures
aqueous cleaners, reduced waste
refillable PET spray bottles, recycled and recyclable
lower disposal costs – longer service life through recycling systems
occupational safety + environmental protection with VOC-free and label-free liquids
2. Pollution: Leading by Example in Environmental Compliance
BIO-CIRCLE has proudly held the ISO 14001 international environmental standard for many years, reflecting our long-standing commitment to environmental compliance. Our innovative cleaning fluids are designed to perform optimally while protecting employees and minimising environmental impact. These “clever” cleaners, based on renewable raw materials, effectively dissolve strong fats, oils, grease, adhesives, and paints, breaking them down into non-hazardous by-products - making them both powerful and sustainable.
In addition, the European Solvents Regulation (1999/13/EG) aims to significantly reduce the use of solvents and emissions of volatile organic compounds into the environment, thereby protecting the environment and human health. When developing and manufacturing our products, we make sure to develop and produce VOC-free or VOC-reduced products. Aqueous cleaners can completely replace solvents in many applications. For many volatile solvents, we have alternatives to meet the reduction plan.
With efficient systems and non-hazardous products, we optimise our customers' cleaning processes and lead by example in environmental compliance in the surface technology sector. The very complex handling of hazardous substances is no longer necessary and waste chains can be completely eliminated! There is no need for hazardous materials storage and disposal, hazardous materials training or the creation of operating instructions - our label-free cleaners can be used straight away by trainees too. The health of the employees and the environment are protected.
“For us, sustainability means taking responsibility: for our business and social activities as well as for all environmental matters.” Ulrich Berens, Chairman of the Supervisory Board
3. Energy: Pioneering Energy Efficiency
BIO-CIRCLE excels in energy monitoring and management, with stringent consumption reduction targets. We utilise renewables and generate the majority of our own power to carry out the majority of our operations at our Head Office and manufacturing facility in Germany.
In times of rising energy costs and limited resources, the efficient use of energy is becoming increasingly important for all industries. Our low-temperature cleaners have been developed for mechanical and manual use. They save energy and powerfully remove heavy soiling even at room temperature, and the cleaners can be used flexibly for all temperature ranges. Some of our parts washers can measure the volume of parts to be cleaned so that water consumption and the risk of drying on the parts is reduced.
4. Transport: Elevating Standards in Fleet Operations
BIO-CIRCLE UK is a proud member of the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS), proudly achieving the FORS Silver accreditation which promotes safety, efficiency, environmental protection, and excellence in fleet operations. This membership underscores our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our transport and travel activities while ensuring the highest standards of safety and efficiency, and meets the safety and sustainability partnership requirements for many of our customers.
In addition, BCUK have partnered with TREE-V to carbon balance all of our vehicle fleet and vehicle emissions for all commercial activity here in the UK.
5. Water: Championing Resource Conservation with New Innovations
Water management is a critical aspect of our sustainability efforts. At our manufacturing site in Germany, we generate the majority of the energy and water consumed during our processes. This self-sufficiency reduces our reliance on external resources and underscores our commitment to conserving water and energy, essential for sustainable operations.
In addition to this, one of our hero water-saving systems is the BIO-CIRCLE EKO - a direct replacement for water-guzzling high pressure washers. The EKO reduces water consumption by 99.9% - a standard high pressure power washer outputs 40ltrs of water per minute, whereas BIO-CIRCLE EKO outputs just 400ml per minute!
The majority of our cleaning systems and platforms deliver optimal cleaning results with reduced water consumption via internal filtration systems that recycle the dirty water and cleaner into fresh cleaning fluid.
6. Waste: Streamlining Waste Chains
BIO-CIRCLE prioritises waste reduction and innovative waste management solutions. We develop and manufacture VOC-free or VOC-reduced products, ensuring that our aqueous cleaners can directly replace solvents in many applications. This not only eliminates hazardous waste but also aligns with our commitment to reducing the overall environmental footprint of our products and cleaning processes in general across industry.
For example, the use of filters and circulation systems means that the cleaning media used can be used for longer, which in turn means less waste is produced. Any waste that is produced is non-hazardous or low-risk and does not require specialist storage, handling or disposal.
In addition we have an joint partnership with CleanHub initiative and are working to actively remove non-recyclable plastic waste from coastal regions, to prevent it from ending up in the oceans.
In Kerala, India, CleanHub has a partnership with the Green Worms. The Green Worms' focus is to collect plastic waste from households and supermarkets before it can enter the environment. This partnership allows waste to be captured and disposed of at the source, helping to minimise environmental impact and achieve the goal of reducing plastic in the oceans.
Our partnership with CleanHub not only lowers the environmental impact of plastic waste, but also has a positive social impact in the affected areas. By creating clean and safe working conditions, sustainable jobs are created.
7. Procurement: Ensuring Sustainable Supply Chains
Our procurement policies reflect our dedication to sustainability. For instance, all our plastic bottles are made from PET that has been recycled, and in turn are refillable and completely recyclable too.
Recently BCUK have become a member of the Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme (RISQS), we ensure that our supply chain aligns with recognised sustainability standards. This commitment extends to all our procurement activities, ensuring that every aspect of our operations supports our environmental goals.
8. Biodiversity: Responsible Land Use Management
BIO-CIRCLE is dedicated to preserving biodiversity through responsible land use management, not only from our own operations but also by removing hazardous waste from our customer’s cleaning processes.
We continuously assess our impact on the natural environment and implement strategies to protect and enhance biodiversity. This approach ensures that our operations support the health and vitality of the ecosystems and localities within which we operate:
We have operating subsidiaries located around the world to ensure accessibility and reduce air miles
In cooperation with Saropack AG, BIO-CIRCLE Surface Technology GmBH has successfully offset 12.36 tons of CO2, by investments in local moorland protection projects in the Alps, in the Königsmoor in northern Germany and in international climate protection projects by myclimate. These projects meet the highest standards such as the Gold Standard and Plan Vivo and contribute to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Conclusion
Achieving GreenCode accreditation is a significant milestone for BIO-CIRCLE, reaffirming our unwavering commitment to true sustainability. By integrating sustainable practices into every aspect of our operations, from management and pollution control to energy efficiency, waste management and reduced water consumption, we continue to lead by example. Our dedication to making green work is evident in our innovative products and responsible business practices, ensuring a greener, cleaner future for all.
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