Environmental Solutions

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Environmental Solutions

• 2008
•      
•    
•         TRUST BUILDING SERVICES, INC.

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Define Green Cleaning

• products and services that reduce the health and
  environmental impacts compared to similar
  products and services used for the same purpose.
  
  Executive Order 13101

• Green Cleaning Cleaning to protect health
  without harming the environment.

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Define Green Cleaning (cont)

• Green Cleaning is a total system chemicals,
  supplies, equipment, mops, paper
• Currently Green Cleaning is not regulated by
  any Federal governmental agency.

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The Impact of Cleaning on The Environment

• 6 Billion pounds of chemicals
• 35 Billion plastic trashcan liners
• 4.5 Billion pounds of janitorial paper
• 500 Millions of pounds of equipment

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Impact on Cleaners Health.

• Many cleaning products contain chemicals and
  other ingredients that, when mishandled and
  misapplied, can adversely affect human health.
• Data shows that 6 out of every 100 janitors have
  lost-time injuries every year. Injuries common to
  janitorial workers break down into the following
  categories

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How are Cleaning Products Misused and What
Injuries Can Result?

• 40 percent of janitorial worker injuries involve
  eye irritation or burns
• 36 percent involve skin irritation or burns
• 12 percent involve breathing chemical fumes

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How to Implement Simple Green Cleaning Practices

• Starting a green cleaning program does not have
  to mean a big change in how buildings are
  maintained and cleaned. Simple changes in
  products and practices can make a difference.
• Daily or spot vacuuming also cleans up dirt
  before it gets ground in
• Switching from products with highly toxic
  ingredients to ones that are less hazardous
  (chemical odor does not clean)
• Janitorial companies should periodically
  reinforce initial
• staff training

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How to Implement Simple Green Cleaning Practices
(cont)

• building managers can cut back on the amount of
  floor refinishing the janitorial staff needs to
  do
• stain prevention techniques, such as prohibiting
  occupants from eating or drinking in their
  individual offices, also will lessen the amount
  of stains resulting from food and beverage spills
• place a durable welcome mats at all entryways

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Green Cleaning Areas

• Chemicals
• Cleaners EPA or Green Seal GS-37 registered
• Others Low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)
• Floor Finish Heavy Metal-free or low metal
  content
• Hand Soaps Non-antimicrobial
• Paper Liners
• Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines
• EPA or Green Seal
• Chlorine-Free Paper Association
• Equipment
• Vacuums CRI Green Label Program
• Floor Machines Vacuum attachments

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Green Cleaning Areas (cont)

• Entry mats
• Recycling
• Integrated Pest Management
• Energy

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Selecting Green Chemicals

• Choose moderate pH cleaners (4 to 11)
• Choose the least toxic cleaner.
• Choose products that leave little or no residue.
• Choose products that work in cold water.
• Choose floor finishes with no heavy metal
• cross-linked polymers.

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Selecting Green Chemicals (cont)

• Choose products that are non-flammable.
• Choose products that are multi-purpose.
• Choose products that are concentrated.
• Choose products with low or no phosphates.
• Choose products packaged in recyclable
  containers.

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Selecting Green Chemicals (cont)

• BOTTOM LINE
• THEY STILL MUST
• WORK!

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Selecting Green Chemicals (cont)

• All disinfectants are intentionally toxic to
  microorganisms, and none can be accurately
  qualified as green. Any claims of environmental
  preferability by disinfectant manufacturers are
  inappropriate and may even violate EPA and FTC
  regulations

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Selecting Green Chemicals (cont)

• Do Green Works products disinfect?
• A. Not yet. But our scientists are focused on
  evaluating natural disinfecting ingredients. We
  hope to incorporate disinfecting into Green
  Works cleaners in the future.

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Soup Dejour

• 1976
• Swine Flu
• 2004
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
• 2005 - present
• H5N1 avian influenza
• ???????????

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Green Paper Liners

• Select products with maximum recycled content
• Post consumer fiber
• Recovered fiber

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Green Paper Liners (cont)

• Recycled Content Using recycled materials saves
  energy, water, and trees reduces air, water and
  land pollution and creates markets for papers
  collected in local office and community recycling
  programs.
• Postconsumer fiber content is what really counts.
  Look for postconsumer content which meets or
  exceeds the following minimums used by federal
  agencies
• Paper Towels 40 postconsumer content
• Bathroom Tissue 20 postconsumer content
• Paper Napkins 30 postconsumer content
• Facial Tissue 10 postconsumer content

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Green Paper Liners (cont)

• Processed Chlorine Free (PCF) Many paper
  manufacturers use chlorine derivatives to bleach
  paper. Byproducts from this bleaching process
  create organochlorines which contain hazardous
  substances that can act as endocrine disruptors
  when released into the environment.

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Green Paper Liners (cont)

• Unbleached - Another alternative is to simply not
  bleach the products. Personal hygiene papers such
  as bathroom tissue, facial tissue and sanitary
  products do not need to be bright white for use.
  Unbleached products are either brown in color or,
  if high in recycled content, off-white.

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Green Paper Liners (cont)

• Plastic Liners - EPA recommends a minimum of
• 10-25 post consumer content

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Green Equipment

• Vacuums capable of capturing 96 of
  particulates, 0.3 microns in size and operate at
  less than 70 db sound levels.
• This is NOT HEPA
• Extractors capable of removing moisture so the
  carpet will be dry within 24 hours.
• Floor machines and burnishers operate at less
  than 70 db sound levels.

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Green Equipment

• Propane machines have high efficiency, low
  emission engines.
• Automatic scrubbing machines be equipped with a
  solution metering device to control the amount of
  liquid applied.
• A logbook should be kept for all powered
  equipment to document purchase dates, maintenance
  history and equipment
• information sheets.

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Alternative to Green Seal.. the
EPA

• DfE Design for the Environment
• DfE uses the special skills of the scientists at
  EPA who have studied chemicals for 30 years or
  even longer
• DfE uncovers chemicals of concern that can be
  masked by raw material blends or by dilution in
  water
• DfE spots negative synergies between product
  components
• DfE screens all fragrances and dyes for chemicals
  that may present serious health or environmental
  effects
• DfE recommends safer substitutes for chemicals of
  concern
• DfE only allows use of the logo when a product is
  best in its class

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Thank You !!