CM/Spotlight: Sustainability absenteeism and health care costs that can result from chemical exposure. Establishing a labor/management envi-ronmental committee is a good first step. Such a committee is a great way to brain-storm and hear multiple sides of the issues. Communication is crucial so everyone understands their role and how they can contribute to the success of the program. With this in place, you have a good start on making your green cleaning program as effective as possible so it can boost your bottom line, employee satisfaction and retention. The environmental impact of toxic clean-ing chemicals and their containers should be considered. Cleaning solutions should meet EPP standards (Environmentally Preferable Purchasing designated through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). Investigate products that reduce packag-ing, including portion-controlled concen-trates and dosing systems or water-soluble packets that dissolve in water. A recycling program for used containers should also be planned. The environmental impact and cost to manufacture, ship, warehouse and use your cleaning chemicals should also be analyzed. Chemicals are often available in concen-trated form to reduce the environmental impact of excess packaging and to save on freight and storage. How employees use the cleaning chemi-cals is extremely important, as chemicals are often wasted or misused. How you clean can be as important as what you use to clean. Review cleaning procedures to deter-mine if you are “over cleaning” — stripping your floors or shampooing your carpets too frequently — and put a program in place to ensure you clean adequately. To further reduce costs and be environ-mentally friendly, research available tech-nology to reduce the spread of germs — and the need to clean certain areas. Sensor-activated lights, toilets, faucets, soap and towel dispensers reduce the need to clean and help maintain cleanliness. Furthermore, many green cleaning guidelines emphasize purchasing sustain-able cleaning products, materials and equipment such as microfiber mops and cloths to reduce the need for cleaning chemicals. Implement Before launching a full-scale green clean-ing program, start small with a test run to help work out any kinks and ready the plan for implementation on a larger scale. Decide how you will evaluate the pro-gram and set up a practical way to capture the data, keeping in mind that a baseline is necessary to determine the true success of the program. Select products that carry the DfE label CM/Spotlight: Sustainability Products & Services Activeion Cleaning Solutions LLC Activated Water The new Activeion Pro transforms tap water into a powerful cleaner, freeing cleaning professionals, their customers and the environment from the impact of toxic cleaning chemicals. The Activeion Pro is so environmentally sustainable that a carbon footprint analysis from the University of Tennessee and EcoForm showed that switching from traditional cleaning chemicals to just one Activeion Pro for general-purpose cleaning in commercial applications is equivalent to saving 93 gallons of gasoline and two barrels of oil. Visit us online for more information, including a product demonstration video. Circle Product Information no. 130 on page 32 Buckeye International Inc. Floor Cleaner Green Light super-concentrated floor cleaner from Buckeye is a superior cleaner — its formula is effectively pH-neutral when diluted and is ideal for autoscrubber applications with its reduced foam technology. Green Light also works well in a mop-and-bucket application. The product is packaged in 96-ounce squeeze-and-pour bottles that make dilution a sim-ple task. In addition, it is butyl-and ammonia-free and has received excellent human health and safety ratings. Circle Product Information no. 131 on page 32 ProTeam Inc. Backpack Vacuum The most powerful backpack vacuum on the market comes with a 6-quart capacity and a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Get the deepest, greenest clean with this lightweight, ergonomic powerhouse that cleans up to 10,000 square feet per hour. The Super QuarterVac ® provides mobility, superior airflow, static lift and easy-to-reach acces-sories for all your cleaning challenges. Breathe easy: The Super QuarterVac with HEPA Level Filtration™ captures 99.97 percent of indoor pollutants 0.3 micron or larger. Circle Product Information no. 132 on page 32 36 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • June 2009
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