Istobal Saves Water

ISTOBAL technologies save more than 16.3 million litres of water per year in car rental businesses.

• Not using water recycling systems in washing equipment would mean an annual waste of water similar to leaving a tap running all day for more than three years.
  ISTOBAL, a leading Spanish group in car wash and care solutions for the automotive industry, enables a car rental business to save more than 16.3 million litres of water per year on average, thanks to the incorporation of water recycling systems in its car wash facilities. With its ultrafiltration biological recycler, the company is able to recover 100% of the water used in each exterior wash for subsequent reuse, thus preventing an annual waste equivalent to five Olympic-size swimming pools per car rental company, as well as reducing the environmental impact of the washing process.
  
  Taking into account an average of 89,000 car washes per year carried out in a car rental company in Spain in the last year, and despite the fact that the usual tourist activity has not been completely recovered, it is possible to avoid wasting 16. 3 million m3 per year, thanks to the installation of a physical recycling plus system for the first stages of tunnel washing, followed by an ultrafiltration biological recycler to feed the osmosis systems for the waxing and final rinsing stages, thus avoiding spillage and reducing washing water consumption to a minimum. On the other hand, not including these water recycling systems would have meant a waste similar to leaving a tap running all day for more than three years.
  ISTOBAL also stressed the importance of promoting sustainability in the car wash sector with innovative solutions that respect the environment and do not impact on the final cleaning finish.
  The incorporation of water recycling systems in car wash facilities is especially important in cities with high water prices, areas with high water discharge restrictions, in localities with limited water consumption due to drought, as well as in locations with a high influx of tourists during holiday periods and which carry out a high number of washes, as is the case of car rental businesses.
  In this line, ISTOBAL has underlined that the inclusion of a recycling system in car wash facilities makes daily activity possible in the face of water restrictions resulting from significant periods of drought.
  ISTOBAL’s pioneering biological recycler with ultrafiltration system achieves zero water spillage in vehicle washing as it recycles up to 100% of the water in each wash in its most advanced version. This is the first biological purification and recycling equipment capable of treating 100% of the water from the exterior car wash and obtaining the highest quality for subsequent reuse in all the washing phases, including osmosis in the final finish, in which fresh water is traditionally used. It also manages to eliminate solids, turbidity, 99.99% of bacteria and viruses, as well as reducing the organic load and the presence of surfactants.
  Pioneer in the development of sustainable washing solutions
  ISTOBAL is a pioneer in the development of sustainable solutions for washing all types of vehicles. Thanks to this effort, in its most recent models ISTOBAL has achieved a 6% reduction in water consumption in automatic industrial washing equipment, an 8% reduction in water consumption in the latest generation of washing bridges and a 33% reduction in pressure washing centres. In addition, ISTOBAL also includes Class I hydrocarbon separation and retention systems in its installations to reduce the presence of hydrocarbons in water by 94% before discharge or reuse.
  

The company also develops its ISTOBAL esens® range of chemicals in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 (“CLP Regulation”), developing environmentally friendly washing products using raw materials that meet the highest biodegradability requirements in force. In addition, many of them have the most important and demanding sustainability certifications worldwide. Likewise, ISTOBAL has managed to reduce the presence of plastic in car wash chemical containers by more than 90% thanks to its Xtract line of super concentrates.

ISTOBAL is a multinational group located in Valencia, leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of car wash and car care solutions. With 70 years of experience, ISTOBAL puts innovation and high technology at the service of products and services that generate great profitability for the car wash business and high added value for users. 

The Group exports its products to more than 75 countries, working with a wide network of distributors all over the world. It has ten subsidiaries and four manufacturing plants in Europe, America and Asia. Currently, 76% of its production corresponds to international sales.