With the new IKEA store opening up in Dublin on July 27th this year. GreenMe decided to have a nosey into the flatpack kings green practices and principles. If you’ve ever been to IKEA you know how easy it is to leave with a lorry load of items. So Is IKEA green? Do their corporate policies support a sustainable environment? Well!! IKEA has been actively cutting back its carbon footprint through manufacturing, suppliers, transportation, and materials among some of their actions are:

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The most important thought for your bathroom floor is non slip.  Walking around the bathroom with wet feet creates a safety hazard if inappropriate flooring is installed. You also need to have a warm and soft surface to walk on, for comfort. The top 3 suggestions of eco flooring choices are……. 

1. Cork: 100% natural, renewable, warm & soft underfoot, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, non slip, resistant to indentations.  Some moisture resistant treatments, dyes and finishes are synthetic and contain chemicals that are toxic, check with the manufacturer.

2. Linoleum: man-made, blend of natural & renewable materials (linseed oil, hessian, pine rosins, wood flour, limestone, jute backing), warm underfoot, not as soft as cork underfoot, anti allergenic, non slip. Some moisture resistant treatments, dyes and finishes are synthetic and contain chemicals that are toxic, check with the manufacturer. 

3. Recycled rubber: man-made, blend of recycled & natural rubber, releases low VOC emissions, can contain up to 90% natural materials, recyclable into lower grade products, durable, warm underfoot, textured surfaces (some rubber contains PVC, chemicals such as formaldehyde – check with the manufacturer).

Showers are much more water and energy saving than baths.  However don′t be swayed by gadgets!  Power showers and multiple spa nozzles can use the same amount of water as a full bath in 5 minutes. One gadget you can use is the shut button – you can shampoo without using the shower and then turn back on the same heat without messing around with the taps. Avoid standing away from the shower when shampooing and washing – think of the wasted water!   

Another eco gadget is an air shower control that fits onto your shower head – this mixes air and water to create a similar pressure to a power shower without the same amount of water.  Lastly low flow shower heads are another alternative which reduce the amount of water per minute used – by up to half.   

If your shower is in good condition there is no need to replace it with a new eco gadget.  Reduce the demand for manufacture and just be conscious of the water you are using. The good old fashioned way to save water is to reduce time in the shower.  5 minutes uses only 30% of the water from a full bath.     Lastly consider heat – the more hot water you use, the higher your utility bills are and the more energy needed to heat the water.  

The next article in this Eco Bathroom series looks at baths. Most of us know that baths are uneconomical for water usage.  A nifty way to save water is to salvage your bath water, by diverting the waste water into the garden.  Try to reduce the number of baths you have per week, opt for a shower instead and avoid buying oversized baths with gadgets and gizmos.

When buying a new bath, look for reclaimed iron or steel from your local salvage yard, these can be re-enamelled and hold a classic beauty of their own.  This helps divert waste from landfill and stops the demand for new (virgin) materials and manufacture, which both use a lot of energy and resources.  They will last a lifetime and are recyclable – however they do not hold heat well (30% loss).

Stone is a natural and durable material, although it is expensive and tends to stain.  These are gaining popularity in modern bathrooms, with top end manufacturers selling sleek designs.  However, they don′t hold heat well (50% loss).  Quarrying and the weight of this material reduces the eco credentials with the amount of energy and resources used.  Reconstituted or composite stone baths are a good substitute as they are lighter, cheaper and create less waste during manufacture.  The downside is the added synthetic resins during processing, which are toxic.

Wooden baths hold the heat better and take less energy during manufacture than other bath options.  Easily repairable, although the synthetic resins used for moisture resistance on the surface are usually toxic.  Timber ideally should come from a local sustainably managed forest.

Happy bathing!

The next article in this Eco Bathroom series looks at the tap, small it may be, but it has the potential for a lot of wasted water.  Replace washers and faulty fittings on the basin, bath or bidet.  If your water is calculated on volumes, this could be costing you money for every drip!  Let alone the environmental problems that wasted water creates – think of the energy and resources needed to produce safe and fresh water to your home CONSTANTLY.

The number 1 crime is to leave the taps on when washing your hands or brushing your teeth – potentially as much as 10 litres per minute wasted.  That′s only with cold water, think of the energy used to run the hot tap frequently – damaging the natural environment and creating more carbon emissions.

Tap fixtures, well two choices – old or new. Second hand taps can be reconditioned and help recycle waste away from landfill.   New taps: look for water saving features.  Self closing / shut off taps are operated by a button stopping the water supply when you release the button.  Try to brush your teeth and leave the tap running with this one – impossible!  Other choices are air sprays, aerators, flow regulators and restrictors to reduce the water flow rate. 

Alternatively controls can be added to existing taps to reduce water usage – avoiding the energy and resources needed for manufacture of a complete set.  Avoid gadgets e.g. infrared taps which operate without touching as they are a waste of electricity.

The next article in this Eco Bathroom series looks materials for sinks & basins. They come in a range of materials each with their own eco characteristics:

Recycled glass: consider suitability for users e.g. children, can be recycled after use into lower grade material.

Porcelain: glaze loses gloss over time, glaze can be chemical or natural.

Enamelled cast iron/steel: heavy, may develop cracks/rust, needs a lot of energy for processing, transportation (unless local) uses a lot of energy, can be recycled after use.

Concrete: non toxic if chemical resins not added, robust, heavy, needs a lot of energy for material extraction, processing, manufacture and transportation, requires sealing – can be chemical/natural.

Stone: natural, non toxic, heavy, material extraction, transportation (unless local) uses a lot of energy, non renewable resource, depending on the type it may be in abundance.  

Copper, bronze and aluminium: heavy depending on metal, processing uses a lot of energy, develops patina over time, can be highly polished.

All of these basins are durable, have a long lifespan, are hygienic, can be made with non toxic materials and release either low or zero VOCs depending on the finish.  Most can be recycled into lower grade materials which is a process known as downcycling.  Avoid plastic sinks & basins which contain high levels of chemicals and toxins. Check with the manufacturer for material content before you buy.

Save water with your basin. You can adapt your basin to collect gray water (waste water from sinks) to use in the garden, or to provide your WC with water to flush with using an integrated pipe work system. 

Your toilet can use up to a quarter of your total household water use and the older your toilet is, the more water it uses per flush.  What can you do to save water? 

1. Add a flush control onto your WC

For WCs with a front flush handle, a control can be added to alter the flush amount.  Reducing water flow in older WCs can reduce their effectiveness and may become unhygienic.  Check with the manufacturer for suitability.

2. Adapt your WC cistern

Place brick or water filled plastic bottle in the bottom – using less water to flush.

3. Buy a water efficient WC

Low-flush WCs do not hold as much water as older models.  Dual flush WCs are common place on mainland Europe. Models are dual buttons or single levels – using the light flush can cut the water use by up to 50%.

4. Use collected rain water fed to the WC

5. Customise your sinks to feed waste water to the WC

6. Dry WC using compost

Seek professional advice for 4, 5 and 6. 

Materials

Typically WCs are made from ceramic and porcelain, both durable and hygienic materials.  These materials use lots of energy during manufacture and as they are heavy, the energy used for shipping is also high. Porcelain can be recycled into lesser worth materials e.g. road base.  Most WC seats are made from plastic which is made by chemical processing and are harder to recycle, although lightweight and hygienic.  Timber WC seats are a popular choice, however over time the finish becomes worn, causing cracks, making them more difficult to clean and less hygienic.

The next article in this Eco Bathroom series looks at sanitary ware.  Sinks, baths and WCs will outlive the lifespan of your home if looked after, so make a wise choice in terms of design and style.  Go for classic styles in white for maximum suitability over the years and trends.

Second hand / factory seconds / discontinued

Contact local salvage, reclamation yards and local second hand facilities to make good use of items like baths and basins. Alternatively opt for factory seconds or discontinued ranges of sanitary ware.  Again these all help reduce the demand for newly manufactured products, the energy used and waste that production creates.  

Avoid synthetics

Plastic products are lighter in weight and hygienic which makes it a popular material.  Made from petroleum substances, as we all know this is a finite resource. The chemical manufacturing process is highly toxic, uses a large amount of energy, creates a lot of waste and the finished products cannot be recycled easily. During manufacturer, installation and consumer use, these products release toxic emissions known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) into the air in your bathroom.  These pollutants lower the air quality in your home and are associated with health problems.  Synthetics are also difficult to repair and ultimately are thrown into landfill sites where they do not decompose.  A poor environmental choice. 

Repairs

Not all types of repairs and refinishing methods are environmentally or human friendly.  Significant chips may require chemical treatments, acid etches and sandblasting which lower indoor air quality levels and can be hazardous to health.  It is always best to check with the subcontractor for the least toxic methods.