Green Cleaning Program
This lesson is intended to offer guidance in improving the indoor air quality of a building while also improving the lifespan and appearance of surface areas in the building through the use of green cleaning practices. It will guide you through the process of creating a green cleaning policy, plan and program. It also addresses standards and options for green cleaning supplies and makes recommendations for chemicals and techniques.
RATIONALE
The commercial cleaning industry in the U. S. uses approximately 8 billion pounds of chemicals annually. Many of these chemicals affect both indoor air quality as well as air and water quality outside of the building.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) released by cleaning chemicals can contain ingredients toxic to human health and may cause long term environmental problems. Cleaning chemicals containing VOCs diminish air quality by contributing to smog, and can pollute groundwater.
Pest management in the U. S. uses more than one billion pounds of chemicals with over 600 active ingredients. Pesticides can pose serious risks to human health as well as wildlife and the environment. These chemicals can collect in lakes and rivers, harming ecosystems and contaminating drinking water. These chemicals can persist for long periods of time causing, cancer, birth defects, and other serious health problems.
By reducing the exposure of building occupants and maintenance personnel to potentially hazardous chemical, biological, and particulate contaminants, good health is promoted inside the building. By reducing the dispersion of these contaminants into the air and groundwater outside of the building, the environment as a whole is better protected from air and water pollution.
EFFORT REQUIRED
Barriers to successful implementation of a green cleaning program vary depending on organizational structure, existing policy, and building type and use. In general, appropriate green chemicals are available on the market. Standard green cleaning techniques and model plans have been developed that make the implementation of a green cleaning program relatively simple and cost-effective for building owners.
BENEFIT
Benefits to building owners include improved indoor air quality, and improved productivity from building occupants as a result of reduced symptoms of irritation from toxic cleaning chemicals. There are also public relations and potential marketing advantages in promoting a building’s green cleaning status. Benefits for the environment include reduced risk of contamination to air and water from chemical runoff and off-gassing.
RISKS
Benefits to building owners include improved indoor air quality, improved productivity from building occupants, reduced symptoms of irritation from cleaning chemicals for facilities personnel and building occupants. Benefits for the environment include reduce risk of contamination of air and water from chemical runoff and off gassing.
ACTION AGENT(S)
Building managers and owners, janitorial staff, supply purchase manager.
COST
In general there is no significant cost for implementing a green cleaning program beyond any increased cost of green cleaning supplies versus toxic cleaning supplies.
A basic unit of nature that includes a community of biological organisms and their nonliving environment linked by biological, chemical, and physical processes.Unwanted elements that may reduce the quality of natural systems (air, water, land). The quality of air inside a building space that affects the health and wellbeing of building occupants.
