| Question #1: What Is Green Cleaning, Why Should We Implement It, And What Are Some Of Its Benefits? |
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Green, or environmentally preferable products are often defined as “products or
services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment
when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.” Green Cleaning is more than the use of environmentally preferable products. It is comprehensive and includes the unique needs of a facility and its occupants, as well as the cleaning chemicals, equipment, paper products, procedures, and training programs. For instance, it can and does include:
Today, many facilities have implemented a Green Cleaning program. They have found the following:
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| Question #2: Is there an official definition of Green cleaning? |
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The only thing that really comes close to defining “Green” in general and has been
accepted by professionals in a variety of industries, including the cleaning industry,
is Executive Order 13101 signed by then-president Bill Clinton in 1992.
The primary goal of Executive Order 13101 was to improve waste prevention and increase recycling and the use of recycled content and environmentally preferable products and services in the federal government. In addition, the order “encouraged and promoted” the use of nontoxic, non-chemical substances and the reduction of toxic materials and processes in all federal facilities, which also helps clarify the term Green cleaning. Within the order is what has emerged as the definition of Green cleaning and the use of environmentally preferable cleaning products. It says that Green products or services are those that 'cause less harm to human health and the environment when compared to other competing products and services'. This definition has become an industry standard and serves as a guide for manufacturers developing Green cleaning products. Additionally, it has helped clarify Green products for the distributors that sell them and the end users who eventually put the products to work. |
| Question #3: We hear so much about Green cleaning. But it really started 25 years ago. Why is there so much interest now? |
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Although Green Cleaning is taking center stage in the cleaning, building, construction,
and several other industries today, it has indeed been a slow process, with the
first seeds for the movement planted almost 50 years ago.
In 1957, Olga Huckins saw a plane spraying a chemical mist over her home used to kill mosquitoes. The chemical, DDT, settled over nearby plants and waterways and by the next morning, Huckins found seven dead birds on her property. Huckins wrote a letter to a local newspaper complaining about the mist and sent a copy to her friend Rachel Carson, who worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as an aquatic biologist. Carson was so moved by the death of the birds, and the repercussions this could have on other living things including humans, it led to her write her groundbreaking book Silent Spring. The book caused considerable commotion and forced the government and general public to take a serious look at society’s use of chemicals and pesticides. Eventually, the movement grew and by the end of the 1960s, college students and “hippies” took up the cause for “ecology,” as it was then referred. The first “Earth Day” was held in 1970, reflecting the much greater ecological—or environmental—consciousness that was spreading throughout the country and a few years later, the first “Green” cleaning products began trickling into health food stores in the United States and Canada. Unfortunately, most of these initial product offerings had two things in common: they were expensive, and they were not that effective. Consumers wanted to do their part and use safer, healthier cleaning products, but they were simply disappointed with the products then available. This resulted in years of declining interest in Green Cleaning products. And because consumers had such a poor first impression of Green Cleaning products, it took many years to correct the impression. However, several Green trends have occurred in the past few years that have increased the interest in Green Cleaning and the use of environmentally preferable products. For instance;
It is interesting to note that unlike past movements in the United States and Canada that have often been government initiated and directed, the Green movement has been the result of consumer demand—consumers wanting to use products that are proven safer for people and the environment. These initiatives make it easier for consumers to select environmentally preferable products without requiring them to turn to chemist or spending time verifying claims. |
| Question #4: As a building service contractor (BSC), what opportunities does Green cleaning offer to me? |
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Many experts believe that Green cleaning can be the “platform” by which building
owners, managers, and occupants can appreciate the value and benefits of investing
in a quality cleaning service, and this realization can lead to improved profitability
for many astute BSCs.
This is because Green cleaning helps provide a healthier environment for all building occupants, allowing BSCs to place a greater emphasis on providing a quality service— allowing enough time and workers to thoroughly clean a facility—instead of concentrating on minimizing services to cut costs and fend off cutthroat competition. It is a win-win situation for all of those that are involved in the process. Green cleaning presents several other benefits and opportunities for BSCs. Among these are: Allows BSCs to stand out in the crowd. Most BSCs offer similar services, and because of this, many of their customers view them as a commodity—one BSC is not much different from another. Green cleaning helps contractors differentiate themselves. It also presents BSCs as being on the cutting edge of the latest cleaning technologies and trends. These contractors are aware of the critical role their work plays not only in a facility’s appearance but—and more important—in the health of the facility and its occupants. Allows BSCs to meet a customer-driven need. All types of facility managers—public, private, educational, healthcare, and office—are now asking that their facilities be cleaned using environmentally preferable cleaning products and systems. This means Green cleaning is customer driven; the facility owners and managers are making the decision to adopt these systems on their own. One reason they are doing so is because they are finding that employing a Green cleaning system often becomes a successful marketing tool. It shows current and prospective tenants that the facility is well maintained and that management has decided to incorporate added measures to protect the health of all who work in or visit the facility. An astute BSC will realize this and adopt Green cleaning to take advantage of these opportunities. |
| Question #5: I own a cleaning service that uses toxic-free and chemical-free cleaning products. Can you tell me the best way to market my service as high end? |
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Running an environmentally friendly cleaning service can be a good way to distinguish
you from competition and create a niche market. But be careful of assuming that
just because you're Green, consumers will naturally be willing to throw more “greenbacks”
in your direction. What actually sells most consumers on environmentally preferable
goods and services aren't the altruistic, feel-good reasons—such as reducing toxic
waste or saving endangered species—but the persuasive personal benefits, such as
improved health. This means it’s not so much about “save the planet” as it is about
“save me.”
But even those reasons are usually secondary to the main draw: good quality products at an affordable price. Some consumers still believe that environmentally preferable products are overpriced and less effective than conventional cleaning products. So it's important to convey to customers that your products are certified by The EcoLogoM Program or Green Seal™ and have been proven they can do the job cost effectively. Another factor that can make marketing Green difficult, is there is no “one size fits all” aspect of Green marketing. The Green marketing concept often must be crafted to fit different situations and facilities accordingly. The best suggestion is to emphasize the health benefits of cleaning with environmentally preferable products. Point to statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency that indoor air pollution can be two to five times more hazardous than outdoor pollution, and traditional cleaning agents emit fumes that can aggravate allergies and respiratory problems. |
| Question #6: We have a recycling program in place in our office building but find we are having trouble getting our tenants to participate. Do you have any suggestions? |
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First, we should clarify that recycling is indeed a component of Green cleaning.
Recycling of paper, soda/pop cans, toner cartridges, and many other products used
everyday in offices and most all other facilities is a part of Green cleaning. This
is because one of the goals of Green cleaning is to protect health, natural resources,
and the environment—much of which can be accomplished by recycling.
Recycling Services Inc., a Chicago-based recycling company, offers this advice to help promote and endorse your recycling program: Educate the Tenant. In order to participate in recycling programs, tenants have to know how they can participate. Send a memo explaining how the program works, what materials can be recycled, and who to contact with questions. Getting Tenants Involved. Implementing a recycling program in your building is a perfect opportunity to meet tenants and occupants while introducing them to the program. Have a display set up in the lobby to present program information and show how some building occupants have already incorporated their own recycling programs. Display Results. Put monthly recycling results on exhibit (including the volume of materials recycled and the environmental benefits associated with recycling that material) in lobbies, elevators, or on message boards. Provide Feedback. Tenants like to know that what they do has an effect. Utilize your building's communication tools—website, Intranet, newsletters, etc., to convey this information By providing feedback, your tenants will have more confidence in the recycling program. And with increased confidence comes increased participation. Making Recycling Standard. Integrate recycling into tenant handbooks. Provide info on how tenants can participate, including steps to recycling large volumes of material from file dean-outs or tenant moves. |
| Question #7: Why are automatic chemical-dispensing systems considered a part of Green cleaning? |
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Unfortunately, when mixing cleaning chemicals and water, custodial workers have
a tendency to use too much chemical or not enough.
Too much is wasteful, and too little may produce unsatisfactory results or reduce think—as many of us do—that if the 8 ounces called for in the formula is good, 16 ounces would be better. Either way, dilution mistakes cost money—and can be dangerous. Automatic chemical-dispensing systems, which were first introduced about 15 years ago, have helped eliminate some of these problems. They were initially intended to promote safety among cleaning workers. However, the equipment has provided additional benefits such as improved inventory control of cleaning chemicals, more accurate dilution, lower overall operating costs, and a Greener cleaning process. With an automatic dispensing system, preset amounts eliminate the chance of using too much or too little chemical. The incidence of spills and worker contact with the chemicals has been greatly reduced. Color coding and bilingual instructions also help reduce errors. Automatic dispensing systems also help store cleaning chemicals, reducing the potential for accidents when many chemicals are present and minimizing the potential for harmful fumes to be released. In addition, they facilitate training. And, the simplicity of most of these systems has reduced training time and workers tend to retain their knowledge of the new systems longer. And, the systems have become an important component of Green cleaning. When using cleaning chemicals, whether Green or not, only as much should be used as is necessary to produce satisfactory cleaning results. Too much of a cleaning chemical, even if it is certified environmentally preferable, has the potential of being dangerous, harming the user, building occupants, and the environment. In addition to increasing safety and reducing costs, managers can better track chemical usage when using auto dispensing systems— similar to a store inventory system—essential in Green cleaning because chemicals are such a primary component. And by tracking what is being used, managers can better determine when they will need to replenish supplies. On some dispensing systems, it is relatively easy to determine how much of a specific chemical has been used on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis and in what sections of a facility it is most used. Lastly, dispensing systems lower the overall footprint on the environment. When you consider the amount of plastic (and hence oil), extra shipping boxes, and the added transportation costs of fuel and rubber (tires) that are required to transport these products, the use of concentrates/dispensers can be significant. For example, a two-and-one-half gallon of concentrate at a 32:1 dilution makes 312 quarts. Imagine the difference 312 plastic quart bottles with trigger heads, the extra cardboard, and the required transportation for 26 cases versus one. It becomes even clearer what the cost savings automatic dispensing systems offer. |
| Question #8: We have just started a Green cleaning system. Because the products are safer, does it really matter when we clean? |
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Yes. Whether a facility is cleaned at night, over the weekend, or during the day
when building occupants are using the facility, it is important that all cleaning
operations be scheduled and, when necessary, consistent with building use and activities.
This is true whether Green cleaning products are being used or not.
For example, a multi-tenant office building may include not only offices but a commercial kitchen, dining rooms, day-care center, and conference rooms. Even though the building’s kitchen may close at 3:00 P.M. in this example, it might not be prudent—or healthy—for the custodians to clean the kitchen at that time. Why? The fumes from the chemicals used to clean commercial kitchens, such as powerful degreasers and oven cleaners, can enter the facility’s air-handling system. These fumes can mar indoor air quality (IAQ) throughout the facility and may be especially harmful to young children in the day-care center. If cleaning is performed during hours in which the building is being used, only environmentally preferable cleaning products should be used and even then used sparingly and with adequate ventilation. And if vacuum cleaners are employed, these should by “Green” machines, having advanced air-filtration systems to help protect IAQ. To help protect custodians and building occupants, a well-planned Green cleaning system should include proper scheduling of cleaning services and chemical/product usage. For instance:
One of the goals of Green cleaning is to protect the health of building occupants. The items mentioned here help make cleaning safer for cleaning professionals and building users. |
| Question #9: Could you give us some general guidelines as to starting our own Green cleaning program for our school? |
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Green cleaning is a system and like any system, in order for it to be successful
it needs some structure, organization, planning, and the right products. Below are
a few tips for school facility managers on establishing a Green cleaning program:
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| Question #10: With the thousands of brands of cleaning chemicals now available, are their any general guidelines as to how to select cleaning chemicals? |
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Traditionally, users of cleaning products have based their product selections on
performance and price. Today, it is still wise to consider these issues, but
buyers should be aware of other important factors as well. Indeed, an astute
cleaning professional or manager takes a much broader perspective when selecting
cleaning chemicals.
For instance, today’s user must evaluate a cleaning chemical based on its environmental impact, the health of the user, and the well-being of building occupants. This is true when selecting Green-certified cleaning products or conventional cleaning chemicals, tools, and products. Some general guidelines to follow when selecting and using a cleaning chemical include:
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| Question #11: Why are Paper Products Part of a Green Cleaning System? |
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Green cleaning, as has been discussed previously, refers to much more than just
cleaning chemicals. It involves all types of cleaning products and equipment. And
it also includes paper products. There are many reasons that cleaning professionals,
as well as building owners and managers, should transfer from conventional to environmentally
preferable paper products. The first is black and white: we are cutting down more
trees around the world than we can replace. According to Stephen Ashkin, a leading
Green Cleaning advocate, in the United States alone more than 4.5 billion pounds
of paper are used each year in commercial and institutional buildings. This requires
the cutting down of more than 50 million trees�a huge number to serve the needs
of just one country. Green paper products, on the other hand, are made from at least
30 percent post-consumer recycled paper, which helps reduce the number of trees
that must be destroyed for paper.
There are also many other reasons why a Green cleaning program must include Green paper products. The manufacturing processes that go into making paper require the use of several products found to be harmful to the environment. One of the worst offenders is chlorine bleach. Although bleach has served our industry well and has many helpful uses, it can also be carcinogenic and is one of the most deadly manufactured substances on earth. Another ingredient used to make conventional paper is dioxin, a probable human carcinogen. Bleach is used not only to whiten paper products but also to help make them much softer to the touch, a feature most consumers like. Fortunately, new manufacturing procedures and chemicals can be substituted for bleach, such as hydrogen peroxide, which make them much safer for manufacturers produce as well as protect the environment. Green paper products were initially more expensive than conventional paper products. One reason for this is that the paper used for environmentally preferable products must come from recycled paper, which adds to the cost. Plus, the new technologies and manufacturing processes, as referenced earlier, had to be developed to make Green paper possible. However, as with most environmentally preferable cleaning products, the additional costs have gone down and Green paper products are now competitively priced. Today, Green paper is used throughout North America. We find several states in the United States that now require the use of Green or at least chlorine-free paper. For example, Vermont has been using environmentally friendly paper products for more than 10 years. And a growing number of federal agencies, led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are also selecting Green or chlorine-free paper. Not to be overlooked, Oakland and San Francisco, California, and Portland, Oregon, are also buying chlorine-free paper, and Minnesota and Indiana both promote its use to state agencies. How Can you Tell It's Green? Most Green paper products are now so similar to conventional products that it is no longer easy to tell them apart, either by touch or by visual inspection. Fortunately, selecting them is very easy. Both EcoLogo and Green Seal now certify environmentally preferable products. If the product bears either of these organizations� labels it means your homework has been done—The paper is green |
| Question #12: Should it be Clean or Green? |
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In one word, the answer is both.
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| Question #13: Understanding Green Terminology |
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Some critics of Green cleaning say that one of their concerns, which often adds
negative feelings toward the movement, is that Green terminology is unclear. How
one expert defines ?Green? is not necessarily how another expert may define it.
It is important that Green terminologies are clear and understood. One reason why
many consumers shied away from selecting Green cleaning products in the 1980s and
1990s was because of all the confusion that existed as to what is Green and what
does Green really mean.
Below are some common Green cleaning terms that are associated with the ongoing trend toward environmentally preferable cleaning products; be sure to provide customers with the following tools so they can make knowledgeable decisions. Green is used to describe cleaning products, building materials, and scores of other products designed and manufactured with minimal negative impact to the environment. Compared to similar conventional products, Green products have a significantly reduced impact on human health, the environment and emphasize conservation of resources, energy efficiency, and healthful interior spaces. Sustainability refers to the concept that the use of products or ingredients today will not compromise their use for future generations. Sustainability is measured in three interdependent dimension – the environment, economics, and society – often referred to as the triple bottom line. The concept of sustainability can be traced back to President Theodore Roosevelt, who stated in 1910, ?I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us ? Sick Building Syndrome, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, is defined as situations in which building occupants experience acute health and/or comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a particular building, but where no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone, or may be spread throughout the building. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) evaporate at room temperature, causing poor indoor air quality, and are often hazardous to human health. Sources of VOCs include solvents, cleaning products, and paints, among many others. Many materials commonly used in building construction, such as carpets and furniture, also emit VOCs. Eco-friendly is a term distributors should probably avoid. However, if your client asks what it means, most experts interpret eco-friendly to refer to products that have little impact on the native eco-system. One problem with using this term is that it can lead to more confusion. For instance, who determines what is or is not eco-friendly? Is eco-friendly the same as environmentally preferable? Does eco-friendly mean the same as Green? Environmentally preferable is best described as products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. This may involve raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance, or disposal of the product or service. Environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) is defined by the Federal government as placing a greater emphasis on multiple environmental considerations of a product when making purchasing decisions or when comparing Green and conventional products. This includes the product?s recycled content, energy and water efficiency, renewable resource use, toxicity considerations, environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of the product, and disposal of the product. However, it also includes recognition that the product must perform as well as, if not better than, comparable products used for the same purpose and be cost effective. Green Certification can best be described as a process that evaluates a product based on how it is manufactured, used, and its eventual disposal. Among other measures, an independent, thirdparty laboratory analyzes the product?s ingredients, which is analyzed once again by a recognized certification organization, such as EcoLogo or Green Seal. If the process and the examination prove the product meets specific criteria?indicating it has a significantly reduced impact on the environment when compared to conventional products – it may be honored with Green Certification. |
| Question #14: We are just now considering going Green. How do we find out more about the process and what is involved? |
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Regarding such things as conserving energy, reducing water use, and making a facility
more sustainable, numerous resources are available, and facility managers can turn
to what are called “building commissioning” or project management services that
can suggest ways to turn a conventional facility into one that is high performing
and healthier. Professional and experienced commissioning agents will have a lot
of practical knowledge with regards to mechanical and electrical systems and how
they can be adjusted or changed to cut costs.
When it comes to cleaning, some manufacturers, such as Enviro- Solutions, are taking a leadership role by developing programs, seminars, and text references for their distributors so that they can help educate their customers on the Greening process. There is a lot to learn and a lot to know. Fortunately, the process provides so many benefits for the health of a facility that most facility managers find the experience to be well worth the time and effort. |
| Question #15: Connecting Sustainability and Green Cleaning? |
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Recently, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Foundation released
a new book, “The Business of Green Cleaning,” specifically to help facility managers
around the world connect sustainability and cleaning practices. The book makes
the case that the origins begin in 1993 when U.S. Presidential Executive Order 12873
(reauthorized in 1998 as Executive Order 13101) focused the purchasing power of
the U.S. Federal Government on “environmentally preferable” products. This Executive
Order defined “environmentally preferable,” which is used interchangeably with green,
as “reducing the health and environmental impacts compared to similar products and
services used for the same purpose.” Based on this definition, green cleaning in
its simplest form became defined as “cleaning to protect health without harming
the environment.”
Refining the Definition of Green Cleaning This definition characterizes green as simultaneously addressing environmental and health impacts. This is particularly important because of cleaning’s labor-intense nature, and the need to reduce harmful exposure to both cleaning workers and building occupants in addition to reducing environmental impacts. The definition further characterizes green as a comparison. It does not suggest that traditional cleaning products purchased or specified by facility managers are inherently bad for health or the environment. Rather, the definition aligns with the process of continual improvement where the emphasis of the improvement is health and the environment, rather than a more traditional selection criterion, which would place performance and cost as the highest priorities. The definition goes on to state that the “comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance, or disposal of the product or service.” While it clearly points to the entire life cycle of the products, it also recognizes improvements can occur during the operation and maintenance or use-stage of the products or service. This is particularly important because cleaning is labor or process intensive, and if used incorrectly, the potential benefits of a green cleaning program can be negated. This can actually result in increased health and environmental problems. Furthermore, life-cycle assessments of cleaning products typically indicate that the use-stage of cleaning products can represent more than 50 percent of the total impacts. This recognition has led to a further refining of the definition. Evolving Concepts Minimize Harm Green cleaning has evolved beyond just a specific product or service, and is best thought of as a concept or thought process that focuses on creating a healthy, safe and attractive building while minimizing harmful impacts. It encompasses many concepts such as continual improvement, stewardship and other issues beyond just those associated with cleaning, health and the environment. Operationally, green cleaning is tied closely to the concept of sustainability and the triple-bottom line (economic, social, environmental). The concept of sustainability is derived from the United Nations, which, in 1987, published the Report of the Brundtland Commission, “Our Common Future.” The Brundtland Commission defined sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” While the cleaning industry is certainly not primarily responsible for today’s global environmental problems, its impacts are significant due to the sheer size of the industry. Facility managers who specify and purchase cleaning products and services can make an important contribution to addressing these issues. This is especially true as green cleaning products and practices are now widely available. Facility managers can ask more from their suppliers, and ultimately purchase green products and services from green companies by insisting that their suppliers integrate these practices themselves. Supplier Best Practices In the U.S., the commercial, industrial and institutional cleaning industry (non-residential) is comprised of approximately 100,000 companies. Many of these have multiple buildings and numerous trucks, cars and other delivery and service vehicles, and all of which consume fuels and contribute to environmental impact. This represents an opportunity to select suppliers based on that supplier’s sustainable practices. The industry itself manufacturers and consumes approximately 6.2 billion pounds of chemicals. Most are made from valuable but limited and nonrenewable natural resources. Some can be harmful to human health and the environment during the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, use and disposal. Supplier selection can be based on how they use more sustainable practices in their chemical purchases, use and disposal. The industry consumes approximately 4.5 billion pounds of janitorial paper products, most of which are made from virgin tree fiber, resulting in a loss of approximately 30 million trees. Plus, the manufacturing, bleaching and disposal of these products have large environmental impacts and offer many important opportunities for improvement. However, a supplier’s use of sustainable practices in its selection of janitorial paper products and dispensers can be used in the selection process. With green advances in the jansan industry, it is now easier and more important than ever to have a facility cleaned using sustainable techniques. Finally, and perhaps most important from an unmet or under emphasized part of today’s sustainability effort, is that the cleaning industry employs approximately 4.2 million cleaning personnel. These workers may have long-term exposure to cleaning and maintenance chemicals, again, some of which are known to cause health problems. Plus, they use equipment that can cause musculoskeletal problems such as back injuries. Compounding that, many work part-time for low wages and without benefits — especially in the service sector — where the lowest bid is required for service companies to successfully compete for a facility manager’s business. Consequently the opportunity to select suppliers based on how they use more sustainable practices to provide wages and benefits allows all workers in a building to have a sustainable quality of life. The Role of the Facility Manager Accordingly, there is a sizable opportunity for facility managers to use green cleaning as an important part of their sustainability efforts. Today, green chemicals, paper, janitorial equipment, plastic liners and other items used in the cleaning process are widely available and cost competitive compared to their traditional counterparts. Product distributors and service providers offer outstanding training programs and can even assist with occupant education. But the real challenge is for facility managers themselves. Today, poor cleaning programs and unkempt buildings are typically due to a lack of resources, will and commitment. The cleaning industry possesses the products and skills necessary to clean and “green” a building. The challenge to change by addressing the products, the environment and the people ultimately results in a facility manager’s commitment to a functional program. After all, facility managers are the customers of the cleaning industry, and as the old adage goes “the customer is always right.” If facility managers want their building to be green cleaned, today it is easier and more important than ever. By: Stephen Ashkin |