Crunching the numbers

With ISSA Interclean Amsterdam done and dusted for another two years (highlights on page 32) the UK cleaning industry is turning its attention to issues closer to home. The London 2012 Olympics are just weeks away and while concerns have been voiced about how and whether it will be possible to deliver cleaning products and services effectively to areas affected by The Games, there is also much for the cleaning industry to celebrate. The role that the industry has played in preparing the country for The Games and the role that it will play in the smooth running of the event is absolutely crucial and will be key to whether or not they are judged to be a success. Approximately 9,000 cleaners have been employed for the Olympic Games cleaning operation during which athletes and visitors are expected to get through 67,200 rolls of toilet paper and 114,000 litres of hand soap. It is also expected to take 6,650 litres of floor cleaner, over 38, 000 litres of sanitiser & washroom cleaner and 2,000,000 bin liners to keep the Olympic site clean and rubbish free. It will take a whopping 500, 000 people a day 30 days to clear up after the event. For more news about cleaning and the Olympics see page 36.

Another recent event where the efforts of the cleaning industry didn't go unoticed was the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. According to Veolia, cleaning up after the Royal Pageant to get the capital sparkling for the rest of the bank holiday was an unprecedented challenge. 85 street sweepers had to be employed on the ground - a 90% increase on the usual area maintenance, 30 tonnes of rubbish were picked up, thousands of plastic bottles disposed of and hundreds of metres of bunting and flags from street parties had to be collected. It's enough to make you need another bank holdiday!

On another note, the industry is also focusing on some more sobering figures this month. Unemployment in the UK has now hit 2.63 million (8.2 per cent of the population). Highlighting the need for action, the Cleaning & Support Services Association has launched a report to make the case for employment in the cleaning industry as a growth generator. Read more on the subject from Andrew Large on page 18.

Georgina Bisby
Group Editor, Cleaning Matters