Organised by the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA), global top bathroom brands gathered at Windsor Castle on November 1 to sign a historic pledge, aiming to cut billions of litres in water waste and reduce the spread of harmful bacteria. Industry leaders committed to advancing product innovations, like water-efficient toilets and touchless technology, to enhance hygiene and address water scarcity, positioning bathrooms at the forefront of health and environmental protection efforts.
By reducing billions of litres of waste water from toilets, taps and showers worldwide and pledging to innovate and design new products to reduce the risk of potentially deadly bacteria like c.diff and ecoli spreading through using bathrooms, the commitments will impact billions of lives around the world and minimise significant and existential threats to humanity.
Up to 400 million litres of water are wasted each day in the UK alone through leaky loos. It adds up to a staggering 1.46 billion litres of water a year.
And switching to a lower flow shower can save up to 60% of the water used.
And while one in five people don’t wash their hands after going to the loo, simply washing hands can hugely reduce the risk of bacterial infection.
According to Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance, more than 360 million lives have been lost to AMR since 1990.
The world’s top ten bathroom businesses talked through these issues and signed the declaration after being locked down in an historic two-day summit at the UK Royal Family’s private residence, Windsor Castle.
All signatories are calling on the global bathroom industry to follow their lead.
Bosses pledged to invest in research and development to develop more efficient toilets and showers, to clearly label products so homeowners can choose options that conserve water, and to lobby governments around the world for support to save water.
They have agreed to design and develop new products that reduce infection risks. This pledge will entail improving hand hygiene and reducing toilet plumes and biofilm growth. Examples include further development of touchless technologies, improvement of flushing systems, and surfaces that inhibit microbial growth.
Owners and executives of global bathroom giants Kohler, Fortune Brands Innovations, Hansgrohe SE, Ideal Standard/Villeroy & Boch, GWA Group, Norcros UK & Ireland, Kohler Mira, Roca Group, Thomas Dudley, Bristan, Sato and LIXIL and Lecico joined the summit.
BMA chief executive Tom Reynolds said the historic summit was so significant because it enabled the global industry to make a landmark commitment to address the critical issues which are existential threats to humanity.
He said: “Water is life. It’s needed by every living thing on the planet, yet climate change means that water scarcity is a growing problem even in wet countries like the UK.
“The situation becomes more complex and potentially more deadly because of the growing threat of bacteria which are not affected by antibiotics.
“Three years ago we suffered a global pandemic. These resistant microbes represent a significant threat to humanity… without water, we can’t be hygienic, and here’s where our summit all comes together.
“The humble bathroom’s contribution to sanitation, hygiene and public health has saved millions of lives throughout history.
“This is the first time the world’s biggest manufacturers have come together, stepping up as a sector to agree to innovate, invest, research and develop products which deliver our mission.
“We’re taking water preservation and AMR to the next level, and as a sector, we will be following up regularly to measure the impact of this declaration.”