Dettol extends hygiene promise with ‘Clean Hands, Clean Nation’ message

Dettol, a household name for over 55 years, will extend its hygiene promise with the launch of the ‘Clean Hands, Clean Nation’ program. An initiative meant to raise awareness on the societal need for improved understanding and responsibility in waste disposal and management.

The ‘Clean Hands, Clean Nation’ program is built on the premise that most people in Sri Lanka are conscientious of hand hygiene, as experienced by the brand over multiple generations. However, inappropriate waste disposal and management techniques have led to an unsightly build-up of garbage near a number of popular public and unoccupied spaces. 

Reckitt Benckiser Head of Marketing and Trade Marketing Jude Martino said, “According to a report last year, Sri Lanka generates more than five million kilograms of plastic waste per day, and that one-third of the waste is mismanaged; ending up on the side of our roads, drains and waterways ultimately, leading out to the sea. Dettol’s hygiene message has always focused on the family and its immediate living spaces. But now there is an urgent need to extend that message to cover all the places we occupy and enjoy.”

Dettol launched its ‘Clean Hands, Clean Nation’ program at the summit of Adam’s peak in January 2017. And the brand hopes to take its message across Sri Lanka during the year. On the scope of the project, Reckitt Benckiser Product Group Manager Harsha Rathnayake said, “We have already mapped out a plan for the year to increase awareness on responsible waste disposal and management techniques. We hope to reduce the incidence of waste mismanaged during the year by educating people that we need a clean nation to truly have clean hands.”

Adam’s Peak, a sanctuary for many religious beliefs, attracts a large body of tourists and pilgrims each year. The mountain, often scaled from December to May, has seen an increase in plastic waste besetting the historical site. Dettol will continue to place waste bins and plastic collection points along popular routes to the summit. The brand will also hold regular clean-ups and educational programs throughout the year. 

Martino added, “We hope our efforts will bring about a positive shift in the way our people deal with waste and reinforce the message that clean hands are only the first step towards creating a clean nation.”