Cintas Adopts Environmentally Friendly Detergent

Cintas Corp., Mason, OH, recently announced that it’s adopting a new environmentally friendly, phosphate-free detergent for use in its 175 laundry facilities across North America.

The company said in a Feb. 6 news release that it has begun working with Washing Systems LLC (WSI), Cincinnati, to transition all of its plants to the new chemical, called ‘Structure.’

“Cintas is committed to being a good environmental steward and seeks to help our customers and communities make positive impacts on the environment in any way we can,” said Cintas CEO Scott Farmer. “We are pleased to lead the industry in promoting the most innovative alternatives available in order to further our sustainability efforts.”

Structure, the new product that Cintas is now rolling out to each of its plants, uses components that are free of phosphates and ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA), which have been found in some instances to alter the oxygen and metallic levels naturally found in the environment. The components of Structure are not only environmentally friendly, but completely biodegradable. Its main ingredient is also naturally based and made from renewable resources.

In 2008, Cintas became the first company in the industrial laundry industry to transition companywide to detergents that are free of nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE), the release said. Two years later, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an Action Plan Summary to eliminate the use of NPE from all industrial applications and consumer products.

Once the transition is complete, Cintas will be the first and only industrial launderer in the industry to employ washing standards that are 100% NPE-free, phosphate-free and EDTA-free at all of its facilities in North America.