Frixo Travel Report - Useful resource for UK travellers & road users
Frixo Travel Report Website
Frixo is a road travel reporting website, that provides its users with the most up-to-date road traffic information. Frixo data is updated every 5 minutes using sensors placed on motorways and common A / B roads.
For the second year in a row, Blue Bio exhibits at the Outdoor Trade Show in Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry in the UK. It is the biggest trade show of its kind in the UK. We had a successful show in 2010 and returned to bring on-board more stockists for our range of products. See some pictures of the show on our Facebook page (well soon!)
Blue Bio products are featured on 365 Camping Caravanning
365 Camping Caravanning website and forum
365 Camping Caravanning take a look at what's on offer from various manufacturers of toilet chemicals and toilet and bathroom cleaners and leave you to choose what's the best for your caravan, motorhome or tent toilet.
Caravanning Amigos caravan forum features Blue Bio competition
Caravanning Amigos Photo Competition to win some free Blue Bio goodies
Enter a photo competition with a nature theme for a chance to win a pack of Blue Bio products. The pack includes all three products delivered to your door for free!
Four free Blue Bio packs up for grabs on the Caravan Advice website
Go to the Caravan Advice website (click link below) for the chance to win a Blue Bio pack. The pack contains one bottle of toilet fluid, one bottle of toilet bowl and bathroom cleaner and one bottle of odour eliminator. Just answer the question on the Caravan Advice website and you could win a pack for free (worth £24.97). Closing date - 5th July 2011.
Blue Bio now has three products in the range. The original Blue Bio toilet fluid. Introducing for 2011 - Blue Bio toilet bowl, shower & bathroom cleaner. Blue Bio odour eliminator. Check out the product pages for more information.
New Blue Bio website
Our new website has launched. The website has been designed by Plastic.
Blue Bio donates to Caravanning Amigos charity event
This year Caravanning Amigos would like to support Cancer Research UK by having a charity meet and raising money from an auction of caravanning related products. Blue Bio has donated bottles of toilet fluid to the charity event.
Caravanning Amigos state: You are all invited to our bonfire meet at Gabbles Farm, Moreton Valence, Gloucestershire, GL2 7ND.
Plenty of pitches on small rural site with or without electric with toilets and showers. From the site you can enjoy 30 min walk along the river to the country pub with good pub grub (5 min drive). The historical town of Gloucestershire is only a 15min drive. We will be arranging a firework display (please donate).
We have received a few emails asking whether we test Blue Bio on animals. As a chemical company we have never done any testing on animals and never will. All our Blue Bio toilet fluid testing is done with human waste (lovely). All our raw materials are sourced from responsible suppliers.
Blue Bio is now advertising on the official Caravan Club website with a click through banner.
We have had some 50 odd website hits in a few days.
Blue Bio toilet fluid features in September issue of Motorcaravan Motorhome Monthly (MMM)
Blue Bio toilet fluid gets two mentions in the September edition of MMM Magazine.
There is a Autumn prize giveaway of Blue Bio toilet fluid (15 bottles to giveaway). Check it out on page 205 of the magazine. Also, Blue Bio toilet fluid has a review with the journalist Mr Barry Crawshaw. The review can be seen on page 222 of the same edition.
Blue Bio now being sold in South Africa
Blue Bio toilet fluid samples were sent to South Africa and the first order has now come through.
As Blue Bio is essentially a live product with living organisms (bacteria), we have found that some forms of medication that come into contact with the bacteria will effect its performance.
Urine can contain traces of medication and effect or even kill Blue Bio's bacteria. We have found that some strong heart medication and antibiotics (designed to kill bacteria) are having a negative effect on the performance of Blue Bio.
Our chemists will continue to do research on this to determine what types of medication will/will not effect Blue Bio.
If you are on strong medication and using Blue Bio please consider whether it will effect Blue Bio. If you would like to find out more information please send us an email or give us a call - Contact us.
More information to follow at a later date.
Blue Bio joins Facebook
Blue Bio has joined Facebook! Feel free to search Blue Bio on Facebook and become a friend.
We will be giving away some prizes to friends in the near future. Will update page with news and competitions.
Blue Bio toilet fluid is made in our very own manufacturing plant.
This ensures the quality of Blue Bio meets our high standards and cuts down the amount of transport/fuel used in the production of Blue Bio. We aren't using wind power to run our factory yet or found a way to transport goods by camel, but as a company we are looking to 'greener' methods of working and recycle all of our plastic, paper and cardboard waste.
Motor Caravan Magazine talks about Blue Bio
The July 2010 edition of Motor Caravan Magazine talks about Blue Bio (page 74).
To view the article, pick up a copy of the magazine or click on the link under 'Press Articles' on the community page of the Blue Bio website (just to the left of this blog).
The image of Blue Bio is last years bottle (2009) but they do mention the dosing bottle upgrade. It was also some free publicity!
Caravan Advice Review
Caravan Advice have now finished their review of Blue Bio. Click on the link to view the review.
Blue Bio works through biological activity (bacteria). The bacteria are micro organisms that multiply in number when put in contact with food (in this case – waste). When using Blue Bio it is important to view it as a live product, which means there are variables that will effect its performance.
We are getting fantastic feedback from the public and trade about the performance of Blue Bio. We have also received a few negative comments, which we believe are linked to the following factors:
Temperature
Blue Bio's bacteria is non-pathogenic (often found in plants, fruit, soils and water). It is often said that non-pathogenic bacteria grows best at room temperatures. We also believe it will perform well above that to at least 40°C. Bacteria often likes warm, damp environments, so we have reason to believe that Blue Bio truly excels at temperatures between 15°C - 40°C. We have had one or two reports that Blue Bio operating in freezing temperatures takes longer to become effective and the recommended dose of 20ml in the waste tank only lasts 48 hours (they did not dose the flush tank in this particular case). In cold or freezing temperatures it may be necessary to charge with a larger dose.
Mixing Blue Bio with other products
Whilst Blue Bio is a blue toilet fluid it is important to remember that it works very differently to most other products on the market. Being a live product the following chemicals will almost certainly interfere with the bacteria in Blue Bio making the product less effective or completely ineffective:
• Bleach – Often used to clean the toilet bowl, bleach kills most organisms including our lovely Blue Bio bugs.
• Disinfectants – Like bleach, this will almost certainly kill the bugs in Blue Bio.
• Detergents – Strong detergents should not be mixed with Blue Bio. Some mild formulae (such as a mixture of washing up liquid and water) will probably be ok.
If you are cleaning the toilet bowl it is important to consider what you are using and how it will effect Blue Bio. We are launching a toilet bowl cleaner later this year that uses the same technology as Blue Bio and is compatible (will keep you posted).
We also like to think about the use of all these products down-stream. Sewage farms have to process all of our waste and chemicals such as disinfectants (contained in the majority of toilet fluids), can actually slow the natural process of degradation down by attacking all bacteria (including the good stuff). Having Blue Bio in sewage farms (with the waste) actually stimulates the natural process of degradation, rather than hindering it.
Blue Bio Australia
Our friends in Australia are now selling Blue Bio. They have already secured orders to a large multi-branch national camping/outdoor shop. Their new website should be up very shortly, will post link when the site goes live.
Blue Bio wins award!
Practical Caravan Magazine has voted Blue Bio toilet fluid one of the very best products for caravanners, under the Best Accessories category. The very best products in 2010 and the only toilet fluid in the category.
Glutaraldehyde is an organic compound with various applications. Glutaraldehyde is commonly found as a substance in various toilet fluids.
It shares many similarities with Formaldehyde in terms of its uses. Glutaraldehyde is a disinfectant, biocide/algaecide and a preservative.
Again, like Formaldehyde, Glutaraldehyde is toxic and can cause severe eye, nose, throat and lung irritation, along with headaches, drowsiness and dizziness. Smaller percentages offer less risk, as is the case in some toilet fluids, but it still represents a hazard, when less harmful alternatives are available.
It is interesting to note that Glutaraldehyde is considered more readily biodegradable than Formaldehyde but still takes a significant amount of time to degrade in the natural environment (preservatives are designed to do the opposite).
Something we have been aware of for some time is that toilet fluids containing Glutaraldehyde advertise the product as Formaldehyde-Free. This is of course correct, but is slightly misleading because Formaldehyde can be replaced with another potentially harmful substance (in some instances), that doesn't offer any significant environmental benefits (if any at all). Yet they suggest otherwise. Furthermore, there are products on the market containing Glutaraldehyde that state they are both biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
It is also interesting to note than rather than seek 'friendlier' alternatives, some companies just lower the ratio of these types of substances so they are able to make certain claims.
Glutaraldehyde shares the same problems with Formaldehyde when it comes to actually degrading waste, the environment and sewage farms (see blog on Formaldehyde).
It's certainly opened my eyes to the way products are portrayed in the market place, and how difficult it really is to know what to believe and vice-versa.
There are toilet fluids out in the market that don't contain these harsh chemicals. Blue Bio is just one of a few (here in the UK). We are aware that 'green' toilet fluids have a reputation for not being particularly effective compared with traditional chemical fluids. This criticism is fair based on previous products out there, but we do feel Blue Bio breaks the mould emphatically. We have managed to design a product that performs very well, goes a long way and lets nature degrade waste all at the same time.
Formaldehyde
Many toilet fluids still contain a substance called Formaldehyde.
So what is Formaldehyde exactly and why all the fuss about it?
Formaldehyde is a disinfectant, biocide and a preservative. Common uses for the substance include: Preserving human & animal remains (embalming), medicine/vaccines and film processing in photography.
Formaldehyde is an organic compound which is a naturally occurring substance in the environment made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Formaldehyde can be toxic, allergenic, and carcinogenic. Formaldehyde inhaled at certain concentrations may cause headaches, a burning sensation in the throat, and difficulty breathing, as well as triggering or aggravating asthma symptoms.
In toilet fluids, Formaldehyde is usually at lower concentrations (25% and under), but this still represents a possible health hazard. Toilet fluids using this substance are stimulating production of Formaldehyde which maintains/increases health and environmental concerns.
In the short term Formaldehyde is effective at suppressing odours, but long term it poses a few problems (stops degradation, environmental concerns & hindering sewage plants).
Something that isn't often discussed is the negative effect Formaldehyde and similar substances have in sewage farms. Formaldehyde kills most bacteria including the good ones needed to breakdown/degrade waste. Essentially it's stopping nature from doing its work and so it becomes counter productive.
It's also worth noting that Formaldehyde takes an awful long time to breakdown in the environment. So it's not particularly biodegradable.
There is much talk of Formaldehyde being banned in Europe and the U.S. As far as I'm aware this is merely talk at the moment but it seems to be gaining momentum.
As a business we are obviously keen to promote Blue Bio but we also feel it offers something unique in that it doesn't hinder sewage farms whilst also being highly effective in the toilet bowl/waste tank/flush tank.
I will be blogging about other substances contained in toilet fluids that we consider to be a hazard, and the reasons why we believe alternatives should be sought.
