Swedish ware washing supplier Nordisk Clean Solutions – formerly known as Granuldisk – has been working actively with the UN 17 Global Goals for the past two years, and one of the key initiatives has been to conduct GHG protocols: measuring the company’s and its related products’ impact on global warming.

– Part of the GHG calculations is related to the products we develop and manufacture. To measure their impact we had to make detailed LCAs – lifecycle analyses – for each of the products in our Granule range. As we reviewed the data and more importantly compared it to estimates for the world’s most common pot washing method, the 3-bowl sink, we realized we had to disclose it to help the industry take more informed decisions for their businesses, says Sustainability Manager Åsa Håkansson.

Emissions related to materials and use-phase

The figures released for the granule product line show the emissions caused by both materials – the full contents of the product – and the use-phase: emissions the product is likely to produce during its expected lifespan.

– The material figures are hard facts – we know exactly what components go into our products down to the very last screw. The use-phase is different since it’s an estimation. We have made our estimations based on data gathered in our day-to-day business, which gives us a good global average to work with: 12.5 years lifespan, 320 active days, and approx. 17-25 wash cycles per day (depending on model).

– The use-phase numbers for our granule machines range between 4-18 tCO₂e (tonnes of CO₂ equivalents). Compare that to the staggering 52 tCO₂e when washing by hand in sinks, and the choice should be obvious.

Localized calculations make strong business cases

As a service to the end-client, the dealership, as well as foodservice consultants Nor:disk also offers to calculate expected emissions for individual cases using local data.

– Our LCAs are calculated based on data derived from day-to-day business, and even though they serve a purpose on a wider scale and in calculations such as GHG protocols, they make little sense when estimating impact in individual cases. But by knowing the location of the site and the average number of meals per day, we can edit the variables to align with the customer’s reality and give a more precise number for them to work with.

Sharing knowledge to drive change

At Nor:disk there is a firm belief that knowledge is power, and that sharing knowledge is key to drive change.

– By disclosing our emissions data, we hope to not only help our end users calculate their impact on greenhouse gas and global warming, but also inspire other vendors and business colleagues to start measuring and sharing their own. We think that CO₂ emissions will – and must be – the standard in business going forward.

Next steps – calculations for the Water-Smart range

Apart from Granule technology, Nor:disk also carries a water-based product range – the Water-Smart technology.

– We’re in the process of mapping and calculating impact for our Water-Smart range as well and once we have the numbers, we’re eager to share.

To learn more about how Nor:disk works with sustainability, please feel free to contact Åsa directly at asa.hakansson@nordiskclean.com. If you would like to discuss cases and possible projects for the UK market, kindly reach out to our Country Manager, Keith Broadway at keith.broadway@nordiskclean.com or 0788 064 8055.