Cintas Corp. recently announced that its direct-sale and rental distribution centers (DCs) located in its Chicago facility have been awarded Gold level under the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification system for zero waste. Administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), TRUE helps facilities define, pursue and achieve zero-waste goals while becoming more resource efficient, according to a news release.

As governments at all levels – federal, state and local – look to alleviate any future shortages of important healthcare contact textiles (HCTs), TRSA is ensuring the importance of reusable HCTs is recognized and a part of the supply chain equation. These HCTs include such important personal protective equipment (PPE) as isolation and barrier gowns, scrubs and masks.

UniFirst Corp. recently announced that it has begun generating solar power at its industrial laundry facility in San Antonio. HOLT Renewables, a local commercial solar contractor, performed the design, engineering and construction of the 232.5-kilowatt (kW) rooftop solar system, which will offset more than 25% of UniFirst’s annual energy use, according to a news release.

Nearly 60 executives from leading Northeastern linen, uniform and facility services businesses and supplier partners participated in two TRSA-hosted industry Regional Zoom Meetings on Thursday, Aug. 6. Facilitated by TRSA President & CEO Joseph Ricci, CAE, these regional meetings provide opportunities for members to discuss municipal, state and federal issues, as well as regional concerns. Topics ranged from rates of recovery, and new markets and products, to increased demand for reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gowns and scrubs, to operational challenges and policies to protect employees and customers.

General Linen Service, headquartered in Somersworth, N.H., recently achieved Clean Green recertification. General Linen Service is a family-owned and -operated linen service provider to the New Hampshire and Connecticut healthcare, restaurant, industrial and hospitality industries for over 80 years. This re-certification reflects their continued dedication to operational efficiency and sustainability.

3BL Media recently announced its annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens rankings, recognizing leading environmental, social and governance (ESG) transparency and performance among the 1,000 largest U.S. public companies, according to a news release. TRSA members Ecolab Inc. and VF Corp. both made the list.

With 850 solar panels installed across the CITY Laundering plant’s roof, CITY already is making a significant effort to reduce its carbon footprint and become more sustainable, according to a news release.

Members are invited to join TRSA task forces that will create industrywide resources to support linen, uniform and facility services operators in returning to their previous revenue levels. This will aid them in developing strategies specific to the industry’s four all-encompassing customer market classifications: food and beverage (F&B), healthcare, hospitality and industrial.

From alternative energy to water filtration and a variety of natural resource conservation practices, finding new ways to simultaneously protect the environment and accordingly control costs remains a priority for linen, uniform and facility services companies. TRSA members’ exemplary efforts have been recognized with TRSA Clean Green Innovation Awards, to be presented March 25 at TRSA’s 10th Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC.

Halsey M. Cook, president and CEO of Milliken & Co., Spartanburg, SC, recently appeared as a panelist in a discussion about sustainable practices at the National Geographic Circular Economy Forum in Washington, DC. Milliken was a sponsor of the forum, alongside Waste Management and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which convened approximately 400 thought leaders, to explore solutions for eliminating waste.