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GREEN CLEANING 101
By: Performance Chemical & Supply, Inc.
Updated 01/05/2009
Why Green Cleaning?
In the summer of 2007 Illinois became the second state in the union to pass green cleaning legislation behind New York. In 2008, Missouri become the third state to pass green cleaning legislation and many other states are sure to follow. Other states that have adopted environmentally preferable programs include California, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, & Wisconsin.
The Illinois House & Senate passed House Bill 895 (Public Act 095-0084 Green Cleaning Schools Act). HB895 became law on August 13
th 2007 and went into effect on May 9th 2008. In summary, the law states that all elementary and secondary public and non-public schools shall establish a green cleaning policy and exclusively purchase and use environmentally sensitive cleaning products pursuant to the guidelines and specifications set forth in the bill. The Illinois Green Governments Coordinating Council has identified several core areas that need to be addressed to bring educational institutions into compliance with the Green Cleaning Schools Act. The council has made specific requirements and recommendations for the cleaning of educational facilities. The requirements portion of the act includes the following areas.A) Bathroom Cleaners.
B) Carpet Cleaners.
C) General Purpose & Hard Floor Surface Cleaners.
D) Glass, Window, & Mirror Cleaners.
E) Hand Cleaners and Hand Soaps.
F) Paper Products for use in the cleaning process.
All governmental agencies, buildings, and government-funded facilities will eventually be required to procure and implement green cleaning products and procedures in the very near future.
Green products are safer for all persons coming into direct or indirect contact with the products. The EPA estimates that students, faculty, and cleaning crews are exposed to indoor air quality that is 2 to 5 times more polluted then outdoor air. Children and the elderly are more vulnerable to the effects of toxic cleaning chemicals then young to middle aged adults due to their smaller size and developing or degenerating immune systems. Children spend several hours everyday in a classroom. Studies have shown significant amounts of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) in schools and other institutional and commercial settings, due in part, from routine use of hazardous cleaning compounds. Non-toxic cleaners are now readily available for use in these settings. Cases of asthma in school age children are at all time highs. Asthma is the largest single cause of absenteeism in Illinois schools. The EPA estimates that 14 million schools days are missed annually due to asthma and breathing related illness.
Products or procedures that lessen the impact on our environment and help to contribute to cleaner indoor air quality are generally considered green. Implementing green procedures and practices can save your company or school substantial sums of money on a yearly basis. Creating a healthier learning and working environment will result in reduced liability, lower absenteeism rates, and higher productivity rates. Additionally, going green lessens the health risk exposure associated with people who work within the cleaning industry. Green cleaning simply makes sense.
Quick Facts:
1) The USA comprises about 5% of the world’s population and produces 27% of the worlds garbage.
2) The USA uses 6 billion pounds of chemicals annually.
3) The USA uses 4.5 billion pounds of paper annually.
4) The USA uses 35 billion pounds of plastic liners annually.
5) The USA disposes of 500 million pounds of cleaning equipment annually.
6) The USA disposes of 100 million tons of construction waste annually.
7) 80% of our time is spent indoor.
8) The EPA rates indoor air quality as one of the top 5 health risks.
9) Two thirds of commercial buildings are rated as having “sick building syndrome” and estimates state that this has contributed to 20 billion dollars in workers compensation claims.
10) There are 100 million lost workdays each year do to poor indoor air quality and estimates state a cost of up to 100 billion dollars.
These numbers emphasize the immediate need to be concerned about the cleaning process and its effect on the health of the user, occupant, visitor, and the indoor and outdoor environment.
What is Green Cleaning?
Green cleaning is most simply defined as “cleaning to protect health without harming the environment”. Green cleaning is a comprehensive approach to maintaining a facility that includes procedures, chemicals, equipment, paper, tools, matting, etc. that minimize the impact of cleaning on human health and the environment.
Here at Performance Chemical & Supply, we have been actively endorsing the Green Cleaning movement for the past four years. We offer many products and services to help your facility move in a greener direction. We can help your facility become cleaner and healthier. We can help you comply with the upcoming mandated changes to your maintenance programs.
What are the Advantages of Green Cleaning?
There are several obvious advantages to implementing a green cleaning program. Many of the reasons are obvious, as detailed above. Others however, require a deeper look. Sustainability of our natural resources is critical to our future and the future of further generations.
1) Green cleaning can significantly contribute to lower daily absenteeism rates. School districts can realize significant financial gains.
2) Creates a healthier working and learning environment.
3) Greatly reduces the amount of VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) on building surfaces (such as desks & other commonly cleaned surfaces) as well as the air.
4) Greatly reduces the amount of raw materials, hazardous agents, unnecessary non-hazardous agents (dyes, fragrances etc.), labor, transportation, & fuel costs.
5) Promotes education of environmental sustainability and preservation of our natural resources and environment.
6) Can reduce water and chemical consumption by up to 80%+.
7) Can greatly reduce the risks of cross contamination.
8) Lowers liability exposure.
9) Makes sense financially. Many people are under the misconception that going green is more expensive then conventional practices and methods. The clear fact is that there are significant financial benefits of going green. There is a direct connection between improved sanitation and the wellness of building occupants and financial return on investment. Literally, hundreds of millions of dollars are lost annually due to absenteeism, decreased productivity, increased insurance premiums, remediation costs and legal fees attributed to “status quo” and declining cleaning standards.
Why do We Clean?
Ask ten different people why they clean and chances are you may get ten different answers. Some clean for appearance? Some for a paycheck? Some to make the boss happy? To uphold an image? To remove harmful bacteria? All of the above are in part correct, but the main reason we clean today is for health. Cleaning for health should be the central focus of any cleaning and maintenance program. Typically, if we clean for health all of the other reasons we clean will fall into place.
Cleaning for health means just that. Cleaning to provide a healthy environment to live, work, learn, and play in. We must become cognizant of how we clean for health. Cleaning for health may require that we change our habits, chemicals, routines, and equipment. Are we cleaning critical contact points such as switch plates, door handles, handrails, and other common touch points? Are we more concerned about burnishing the hallways three times a week (kicking dust into the air) or are we going to concentrate on sanitizing desktops to reduce cross contamination and the spread of illness. What do we want to focus out time and effort on?
Are you presently cleaning for health? Even if you are, how do you really know what type of job your doing? Historically, the Jan/San industry has been one of the slowest to adopt change and new technologies. Our industry however has been undergoing tremendous change in the past five years. Newer, better, and more efficient products and procedures are currently being utilized. One of the newest technologies is ATP testing. ATP testing provides the ability to scientifically verify how clean a surface is. Just think about how we have been doing things over the past century. In the past if it looked clean we assumed it was. The problem is that we have had no way to verify how clean a surface really is. As a cleaning professional, you are waging war against an enemy that you can’t see. It’s warfare on a microbiological level. With the introduction of fast ATP testing systems, it is now possible to verify what kind of job you are doing. This type of scientific validation will become more and more prevalent in the years to come.
Who Regulates Green Cleaning?
There are several private organizations that have instituted guidelines, recommendations, and regulations, as well as certification and partnership programs. Among the leading and most recognized organizations are the following:
A) Green Seal (GS Standards)
B) United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and it’s Leadership for Engineering and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
C) EPA Design for the Environment (DFE) program.
D) ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS).
E) The Healthy Schools Campaign.
F) Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E).
G) Canada’s Environmental Choice Program.
H) Green Guard.
Additionally, Federal, local, & State governments are now implementing legislation requiring green cleaning practices. You can visit the above organizations on the world wide web to obtain detailed information on how each program works.
Green Time Line
1962 Silent Spring by Rachel Carson is published.
1970 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is formed.
1970 First Earth Day event.
Early 1970’s Major introduction of “Environmentally Friendly” or “Natural” cleaning products for the home market.
1972 First energy crisis (resulted in the construction of airtight buildings and the beginning of indoor air quality problems).
1978 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) as propellants in aerosol cans is banned by the Federal Government.
1988 Terra Choice program is started, later to become The Environmental Choice Program, which certifies green cleaning products.
1989 Green Seal is formed.
1990 President George Herbert Walker Bush signs Pollution Prevention Act, emphasizing the importance of preventing – not just correcting – environmental damage.
1992 First product certifications by Green Seal.
1992 President Bill Clinton signs Executive Order 13101 requiring federal buildings to use green cleaning products by 2005.
1993 EPA/GSA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/General Services Administration) Cleaning Products Pilot Project (CPPP) formed to help identify environmentally preferable cleaning products.
1995 First cleaning product certifications by The Environmental Choice Program.
1999 Santa Monica, California. Becomes first “Green City” in the United States.
2000 President Bill Clinton signs Executive Order 13148, expanding and enlarging the scope of Executive Order 13101.
Early to mid 2000’s, organizations such as Center for the New American Dream, Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, Healthy Schools Campaign, and similar groups are formed.
Early to mid 2000’s States such as Massachusetts, Minnesota, Washington, and cities such as Seattle develop programs to use green cleaning products in public buildings.
2002 Green purchasing groups formed to help standardize green purchasing.
2002 U.S. Green Building Council is formed, which in turn forms LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system.
2003 Canada forms Canada Green Building Council.
2005 Washington State becomes first state to enact green building legislation.
2006 New York legislature requires use of green products in all public and private schools.
2007 Illinois becomes the second State in the Union to pass comprehensive green cleaning legislation for educational facilities.