NATIONAL CONTRACT WITH BHS BRINGS TWENTY FIRST CENTURY HYGIENE STANDARDS TO WASHROOMS

Cannon Hygiene, the UK’s leading hygiene services and products company, has won a contract with major high street retailer Bhs to provide washroom services at its 182 stores across the UK as well as at the company’s flagship London head office.

The contract for the provision and maintenance of state-of-the-art hygiene solutions for Bhs customers and staff includes Cannon’s leading edge feminine hygiene disposal units using the highly effective and environmentally friendly Activap germicide.

Activap is effective against potentially harmful bacteria and viruses including HIV and Hepatitis B & C and is part of a new integrated solution to the safe disposal of used feminine hygiene products. The vapour-releasing germicidal system works immediately and has two simultaneous effects. First, it effectively renders safe a wide range of potentially infectious materials having been proven to destroy bacteria in waste by 99.999%. Secondly, the anti-bacterial system provides long-lasting odour prevention, unlike scent-based products which simply attempt to mask unpleasant odours.

Another major advantage of switching to the Cannon Hygiene solution is that Activap uses entirely natural ingredients which pose no threat to the environment in use or disposal. When used as part of Cannon’s closed-loop collection system, Activap has the potential to significantly reduce an estimated two billion items of untreated sanitary waste being flushed down toilets and into Britain’s sewage systems every year.

Announcing the contract win, Pat Gillingham, divisional sales director of Cannon Hygiene said, “We are delighted to have won this prestigious business. It reflects the advanced hygiene solutions we can offer but it also emphasises the importance of minimising environmental impacts whilst ensuring that the risks associated with the washroom environment are eradicated.”

Cannon Hygiene believes that the standards set in washrooms in the retail environment can have an important effect on customers’ perception of the store brand as well as reinforcing shopper loyalty. This is especially important to shoppers with young families or the elderly who are at greater risk from picking up bacteria or viral infections. The company was responsible for pioneering safe feminine hygiene disposal systems in the UK and has more than fifty years experience in the field.

In a study commissioned by Cannon Hygiene, microbiologist Dr David Coates focused on the potential hazards which could affect washroom users when no specialist feminine hygiene unit and germicide is provided. The study revealed that untreated sanitary waste can transmit harmful bacteria to users such as Staphylococcus Aureus, E.Coli and Candida Albicans in highly infectious doses. It showed there is also a potential threat from viruses such as Hepatitis A, B and C. The combined Cannon feminine hygiene system using Activap was independently tested and proved to be efficacious, totally safe to users and non-toxic.

Activap is available as an integral part of Cannon’s latest range of medical, clinical and feminine hygiene disposal units. The system is enclosed within a range of ergonomically-designed waste units incorporating a modesty flap and foot pedal. Cannon’s professionally trained staff collect, clean and replenish the Activap units off-site according to customer needs. However, Activap remains effective even in the event that a bin should remain full.