1. Implementing a Revolution: “Green” Cleaning in Your Facility
Cameron S. Lory
Carol Westinghouse
INFORM

2. 30-year-old, national, non-profit environmental research and outreach organization
Key research areas
Chemical Hazards Prevention
Solid Waste Prevention
Sustainable Transportation
INFORM works with government agencies, schools and businesses to facilitate business practices that are environmentally preferable.

3. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
“Environmentally preferable products are goods and services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with other products that serve the same purpose.”
- Federal Executive Order 13101

4. January 2005: New York Less-Toxic Cleaning Executive Order
The order directs State Agencies to reduce the environmental impact of cleaning state facilities
Office of General Services provides assistance in procuring products and services
Transition period ends in June 2005
Agencies implement the programs

5. Why Is Environmentally Preferable Cleaning Important?
Cleaning products adversely affect indoor air quality (IAQ)
Janitorial workers experience one of the highest rates of occupational asthma
Cleaning products often contain carcinogens, asthmagens, endocrine disruptors, and…the list is long

6. Health, Safety, and Cleaning Products
A single janitorial worker uses, on average, 194 lbs of chemicals annually, approximately 25% of which are hazardous substances
6 out of every 100 janitors are injured by chemicals each year
20% of those injuries are serious burns to the eyes or skin

7. Mount Sinai Study*
The same chemicals used in common cleaning products were found in the blood and urine of a sampling of Americans and included:
VOCs
Dibutyl Phthalate
*Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Environmental Working Group and Commonweal

8. Chemical-Specific Health and Safety
2-Butoxyethanol
Absorbs directly through the skin
Can affect the developing fetus
Is a suspected carcinogen
Can cause liver and kidney damage
Common in
surface cleaners (glass, all purpose)
specialty cleaners (disinfectant, carpet)

9. Chemical-Specific Health and Safety
Dibutyl Phthalate
endocrine disruptor
reproductive system toxin
mutagen
liver and kidney damage
Common in
floor finishes
floor strippers

10. Eight Key Steps to Successful “Green” Cleaning
Adopt a policy
Establish an Environmental Health and Safety Committee
Evaluate your current cleaning methods
Develop a pilot project to test products
Educate building occupants
Phase in “green” cleaning products
Monitor success
Reward staff for participating

11. Adopt a Policy Establish cleaning for health as your priority
Tailor your policy to your organization’s goals
Let occupants and staff know that you value their health and safety

12. Establish an Environmental Health and Safety Committee
Build a team with representatives of the administration, custodial staff, healthcare staff, union representatives, building occupants
Choose participants knowledgeable about their constituencies’ needs
These decision-makers will develop the program

13. Evaluate Current Cleaning Methods
Conduct an audit of
products
equipment
practices
Include processes in your audit, not just products
Review audit with staff so they can identify ingredients to avoid

14. Develop a Pilot Project
Select a location in the facility for a pilot project
Choose several different environmentally preferable products to test
Ask vendors for product samples
Arrange for product and equipment trainings and demonstrations
Begin a one- to three-month product test in that area
Have your committee develop an evaluation form for the custodial staff to evaluate products
Survey the committee for comments

15. Train Staff
Custodial staff training is integral to successful implementation
Vendors will provide materials and training on new products and equipment
Report any product problems to the vendors

16. Educate Building Occupants
Disseminate materials on why “green” cleaning is important
Post signage about the new policy
Let building occupants know that they can support the policy by using only approved environmentally preferable products

17. Phase In “Green” Cleaning Products
Have the EH&S committee design and fill out an evaluation form to rate the success of the products and the project
Review the information collected on the evaluation form and identify the chemicals and equipment that perform best for your facility
When equipment needs to be replaced, choose environmentally preferable models

18. Monitor the Project
Periodically review the project for continued success
Request that vendors keep staff aware of new environmentally preferable products
Quantify toxic chemicals avoided

19. Reward the Custodial Staff
Making changes is difficult
Seek out and consider staff suggestions for improvement
Give tangible acknowledgement (certificates, t-shirts, hats…)

20. INFORM Resources Cleaning for Health
Implementing Environmentally Preferable Cleaning Practices
General Guidelines to Healthier Cleaning
Toxic Ingredients to Avoid in Cleaning Products
Product Choices and Indoor Air Quality
Cleaning for Home Health
Cleaning for School Health, Asthmagens and Institutional Cleaning Products
Respiratory Hazards and Restroom Deodorant Blocks
Sample Specifications

21. Chemical Hazards Prevention For More Information
Cameron S. Lory
Senior Associate
CHP Program Coordinator
x232
INFORM, Inc.
Carol Westinghouse
Senior Consultant
Cleaning for Health
INFORM, Inc.