Green and lean still keeps hotel clean

• For small hotels, meeting Ecolabel criteria can be a call to action
• An opportunity to use green alternative cleaning agents and review the volumes needed while maintaining high cleanliness standards

Casale Romano is an Italian hotel based on an 11-hectare property/farm situated within the Alcantara River National Park that was awarded an EU Ecolabel in 2012.

The EU Ecolabel criteria for tourist accommodation require the hotel to minimise the use of chemicals and chemical products for cleaning, dishwashing, sanitising, laundry and other special cleaners. They can be used only where they are necessary and dosage limits must be strictly followed.

Moreover, instead of conventional cleaning procedures, alternative techniques are recommended under the scheme; for instance, use of micro-fibre products or other cleaning materials with similar effects.

Key results

Aware of the strict criteria and determined to meet the environmental standards expected of the label, Casale Romano undertook a detailed review of its cleaning procedures and now proudly states that no harmful chemicals are used on the farm.

In terms of cleaning products, the volume of products used has also been improved; 20-30 % less than when it was still using conventional chemical products. The hotel attributes this achievement to the effectiveness of EU Ecolabel dishwashing detergents and industrial dishwashing and laundry detergents, as well as all-purpose green cleaning products.