Environmental management system

HLS Linen Services is committed to operating in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. We work in partnership with our employees, customers, and suppliers to reduce our impact on natural resources while maintaining the high standards required for healthcare linen processing.

Our operations are guided by established industry practices and regulatory requirements across healthcare, infection control, and environmental management. This ensures consistent performance in both service delivery and environmental stewardship.

As resource demands continue to grow, we recognize our responsibility to operate efficiently and sustainably. We continually review our processes, equipment, and resource use to identify opportunities for improvement. Our approach integrates environmental responsibility into day-to-day operations, supporting a safer workplace and a more sustainable service for our customers.

Here are some examples of HLS sustainability initiatives:

Energy & Resource Efficiency

HLS operates high-efficiency processing systems designed to reduce gas, water, and chemical consumption. Controlled wash formulas and automated dosing systems support consistent results while minimizing resource use.

Productivity & Throughput

Ongoing improvements in plant layout and material handling systems have increased processing efficiency and capacity. This allows HLS to meet customer demand reliably while reducing overall resource consumption per kilogram processed.

Wash Process

Wash formulas are optimized to balance hygiene requirements with efficient use of water and chemicals. Automated dosing ensures consistency and reduces waste. Oxygen-based bleaching is used where appropriate as a lower-impact alternative to chlorine systems.

Water Reuse

HLS utilizes water reuse systems within its operations, reducing overall freshwater consumption. Recovered water is treated and reused at appropriate stages of the wash process, lowering demand on municipal systems and reducing discharge volumes.

Health & Safety

Processing environments are designed to support safe and efficient work practices. Ergonomic workstations, conveyor systems, and mechanical handling aids reduce physical strain, while air handling systems improve airflow and control airborne particles.

Centralized Processing

By operating centralized processing facilities, HLS achieves greater efficiency than typical on-site laundry systems. High-volume equipment and controlled processes allow linen to be processed consistently while using less water, energy, and chemicals per kilogram.

Top 10 green initiatives

  • We play an important role in reducing the number of waste products by hospitals and healthcare facilities with the reusable products we ship daily.

  • We use the most energy-efficient wash and drying equipment available from our German supplier Kannegiesser.

  • The plant was designed with skylights to limit the use of lighting to save electricity.

  • We have water and heat reclaim systems that allow us to reduce our water and gas costs.

  • We use environmentally friendly chemicals in our wash process including hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine bleach.

  • Any ragged linen is shipped out or sold as rags, thereby limiting the generation of garbage to a landfill.

  • All of the soiled linen arrives in plastic bags which are recycled after use.

  • We have gas flow meters to monitor gas consumption on our dryers to ensure we are not using excessing amounts of gas.

  • Aluminum shipping carts are washed and reused to reduce packaging.

  • We continue to research methods that will better use and reclaim water that is otherwise discarded, reducing overall consumption per kilogram.

Environmental cost savings

HLS is committed to ensuring that laundry costs are minimized. By operating a centralized linen laundry and processing facility, high-efficiency, high-volume equipment can help to reduce overall operating costs and environmental impact – for HLS and for our customers. Our cost-effective processes allow us to continuously invest in improved methods and equipment, which further improves labour efficiency and ensures lower costs.

A recent benchmarking study stated that HLS Linen Services has the highest plant efficiencies among the 700 facilities studied in fourteen countries. The study showed that HLS Linen Services is one of the most cost-efficient healthcare laundries in the world, and is the best in North America.

ISO 14001

HLS Linen Services is ISO 14001 Certified. Part of the ISO 14000 series, the ISO 14001 certification forms the cornerstone of the family of standards. ISO 14001 Environmental Certification provides a framework for environmental management best practices to help organizations minimize their environmental footprint.

TRSA CLEAN GREEN®

HLS Linen Services is TRSA CLEAN GREEN® certified. This certification recognizes companies that demonstrate responsible leadership in sustainability and conservation by acknowledging commitment to improving water and energy efficiency and adopting best management practices for reusing, reclaiming and recycling resources.