The aim of the preparatory study is to analyse the hand dryers product group for the creation of EU sustainable product measures namely Ecodesign and Energy Labelling. The study will investigate the potential for the environmental improvement of hand dryers, including aspects relevant to the circular economy. During this process, there were forseen two stakeholder consultations. The first took place in January this year.
The European Commission is currently finalising a proposal – to be published by the end of 2019 – for a so-called “Green taxonomy“. Once developed, the taxonomy will be used by national and EU regulators to shape the requirements regarding financial products traded as “green”. Actors of financial markets will use the taxonomy to disclose how the environmental sustainability of investment was defined. To qualify as green, investments will need to contribute substantively to at least one of the six EU environmental objectives and will need to fulfill a catalogue of requirements.
October 15th is Global Handwashing Day: This year’s theme is “Clean Hands for All.” It follows the push to leave no one behind in the Sustainable Development Agenda. Inequalities in handwashing facilities and effective handwashing promotion programs can put individuals at higher risk for diseases that impact their health, education, and economic outcomes (https://globalhandwashing.org).
Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen promised to deliver a European Green Deal in her first 100 days, including a continent-wide “Climate Law” to enshrine the goal of climate neutrality by 2050 into law, in order to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Her plan is not only quite ambitious and urgent at the same time, but it also has the potential to grow the EU’s economy in the long run. The hand dryer market will benefit from new investments in innovation and research as well as from an update of EU’s industrial policy.
On 10 September, Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen has introduced her new team of commissioners. She tryed to balance out experience, poltical backgrounds, age, gender and last but not least, each member state needs a commissioner – size doesn`t matter. The org chart already indicates what becomes important: The New Green Deal will be addressed by Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans (Netherlands). Margrethe Vestager (Denmark) will also represent an important portfolio: Making Europe Fit for Digital Age.
The European Commission continously pushes the Circular Economy. In 2016 an Action Plan was adopeted. It has been fully completed in early 2019. The work will continue beyond 2019. In the long run, CE is also important for the electric hand drying business. Threrefore, we will update this topic frequently to also bring in eHA-know-how wherever necessary.
By conducting the preparatory study with regard to electric hand drying within the eco design framework, there were two stakeholder consultation meetings scheduled by ICF. The purpose of the meetings is to share draft reports and analysis and to collect feedback from stakeholders directly. Please register for the meeting on the 20th of November:
The study has been launched last year and will conclude in March 2020. Right now, it is open for Task 4 and 5. You`ll find the study on www.ecohanddryers.eu Click on “Documents”, there you see what questions need to be addressed. The 2nd stakeholder meeting during this prep study has also been announced:
ISSA Show North America taking place in Las Vegas is the top event for professionals in the cleaning industry and the one show for cleaning and maintenance solutions. November 18-21, manufacturers, distributors, facility managers, building contractors, and residential cleaners will come together for information sharing, relationship building, and product innovation.