The UK's first biodegradable organic spill system is being offered to garages and workshops through Unipart Group of Companies' distributors Partco Autoparts and Brown Brothers. UGC says its Taskmaster Iso18 offers a cleaner, safer and quicker alternative to standard granules, holding 14 times more liquid and absorbing spills three times quicker than traditional clay.

“ It's revolutionary,” says Maurice Miller, Taskmaster brand manager at UGC. “It's an effective solution to spills in the workplace while presenting a host of benefits to workshops and bodyshops in respect of storage, transport, safety and cost.”

The product is based on coir, one of the most absorbent materials in nature. Miller says the system can be used to contain almost any liquid spill including oils, anti-freeze, battery acid, detergents, paints, mild acid and alkaline solutions, thereby avoiding the need for garages to keep a variety of absorbents on the premises.

He also claims that as Iso18 is biodegradable, it is suitable for disposal in landfill sites.