Updates from the Leading Association for the Cleaning Industry Worldwide

Surveying The Green Landscape

With the concerns about “greenwashing” and assuring facility service providers (FSPs) that the products they select are indeed environmentally preferable, EcoLogo^M, North America’s largest green certification and marketing organization, decided to ask jansan professionals what they think about green products and the value of green certification.

Approximately 1,500 manufacturers, jansan distributors, building service contractors (BSCs), facility managers, building owners, and in-house cleaning professionals were invited to take a survey covering a variety of questions on these subjects.

Also invited were distributors associated with Enviro-Solutions Ltd., a leading manufacturer of green cleaning products, as well as Pro-Link, a jansan-focused buying group.

There were nearly 200 respondents, of which 46 percent were distributors, 28 percent manufacturers, 16 percent BSCs, and 10 percent facility managers, owners, and in-house cleaners.

More than half of the respondents lived in the northeastern region of the United States or in Canada. The next largest group was located in the U.S. southeast and the rest in the western half of the United States and Mexico.

Outlined here are some of the findings regarding key green and certification issues:

More than 40 percent of respondents indicated that they define a green product as one that has been certified by a recognized certification program. Approximately 22 percent said that the product needs only to “meet the criteria” of a recognized certification body.

An overwhelming 94 percent indicated that the industry does need some recognized standards to determine whether a product can be called green. As to what entity should create these standards, 60 percent said it should be a “third-party, independent organization.” However, 28 percent said that standards should be set by the federal government.

And a whopping 91 percent of respondents indicated that they are more concerned now with selecting green products than they were three years ago.

Surprised... or Not?

“Many people in the jansan industry believe it has been in just the past couple of years that people started taking green cleaning issues seriously,” says Scot Case, vice president of EcoLogo and TerraChoice Environmental Marketing. “The survey, however, found that nearly 60 percent said they were taking a much closer look at green cleaning products as much as five years ago. That was a bit of a surprise.”

Additionally, Case recalls that it was not so long ago that he heard some cleaning professionals indicate that green cleaning was a fad or that it would only interest a specific segment of the industry. “In the survey, nearly 94 percent indicated that green cleaning is not a fad,” he says. “This seems to suggest that green cleaning is here to stay and the direction the industry is going.”

Mike Sawchuk, vice president and general manager of Enviro-Solutions, notes that he has seen a “tidal-wave” change in the interest in green cleaning products in the past few years and was not particularly surprised at the overwhelming belief that green cleaning has staying power.

As to the value of certification, Mike Nelson, vice president of marketing for Pro-Link, says that both distributors and FSPs see great value in it. “If you are making a buying decision for a facility,” he says, “certification helps eliminate uncertainty and makes end users more confident in their selections.”

The Germ Living-Space Quiz:
Do You Know Where Germs Live?

Most people, even many cleaning industry professionals, are not aware of where germs tend to thrive the most. This can be problematic because cleaning for health is no longer a marketing slogan; it has instead become the function and goal of our entire industry.

To test your knowledge about germs and their living spaces, Kaivac — developers of the No-Touch Cleaning™ system and other tools and products for a healthier indoor environment — invites you to take the Germ Living-Space Quiz.

1. What spot in the typical office space is the most germ-friendly?

1. Toilets
2. Telephones
3. Desks
4. The handle on the office chair

2. How many times more germs do women’s offices have than men’s?

1. Three times
2. Five times
3. Studies show they are about the same

3. The germiest item(s) in a woman’s office is:

1. The telephone
2. The computer keyboard and mouse
3. Pens
4. The desk

4. The germiest item in a man’s office is:

1. The telephone
2. The computer keyboard and mouse
3. Pens
4. The desk

5. Which would you say is germier:

1. A woman’s purse
2. A man’s wallet

6. How long can a virus live on a surface, such as a desk or telephone?

1. 48 hours
2. 72 hours
3. Less than an hour

7. Which is usually the most contaminated object in a hotel room?

1. Remote control
2. Toilet seat and handle
3. Doorknobs within the room

8. Of the following, which is the germiest?

1. The kitchen sink
2. The bathroom sink
3. Refrigerator handles
4. Garbage can

9. More than a quarter of all colds are passed by what?

1. Kissing
2. Someone sneezing in close proximity
3. Hand contact

10. What is considered the germiest job in America?

1. Truck driver
2. Garbage man
3. Teacher
4. Custodial worker

Answers: 1. b., 2. a., 3. a., 4. d., 5. b., 6. a., 7. a., 8. a., 9. c., 10. c.

The president of Kaivac, Robert Robinson Sr., has been in the jansan industry for more than a decade and is available to discuss jansan industry issues and trends. He may be reached at 800-287-1136.