Dycem contamination-control surfaces for critical environments are designed to be fully reusable and have a life expectancy of between three and five years.
They combine a polymeric compound and advanced processing technology to create a smooth, washable surface that can be cleaned with a damp mop and squeegeed dry, leaving the floor covering immediately ready for further use.
The alternative products to Dycem contamination-control surfaces are peel-off mats.
These mats are layered, adhesive-coated polyethylene sheets that are ripped up when dirty and then disposed of as consumer waste.
In a paper by Gerry Prout of Kennet Bioservices, comparison of the use over a two-year period of Dycem flooring and peel-off mats is reported.
Dycem flooring uses 18 tonnes less of raw materials and saves over 3 million MJ of energy in manufacture and use, while reducing emission of greenhouse gases by over 120 tonnes.
A single peel-off mat can produce a ball of waste 20cm (8in) in diameter that is disposed of directly to landfill sites.
Dycem High Performance Contamination Control Zones use less raw materials in manufacture, use less energy in production and have a lower carbon footprint than peel-off tacky mats.
At the end of their working life, Dycem flooring and mats are 85 per cent recyclable and do not contribute to landfill waste.
