Updates from the Leading Association for the Cleaning Industry Worldwide

EPA to Focus on Green Claims for Disinfectants, Sanitizers

ISSA has been appointed to serve on a pesticide work group that will focus on the possibility of establishing a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policy that would allow claims of environmental preferability, including the possible use of eco-labels, in conjunction with the marketing of disinfectants, sanitizers, and other pesticide products.

“ISSA is delighted that the agency recognizes that its current policy that precludes ‘green’ claims or the use of eco-labels in connection with EPA-registered products is out of synch with the needs of today’s marketplace,” said ISSA Director of Legislative Affairs Bill Balek, who was appointed to serve on the work group July 18.

ISSA and industry representatives also met with EPA antimicrobial-division officials on July 17 to discuss the need to establish a policy that would allow suppliers and purchasers to readily identify those disinfectants and sanitizers with a preferred environmental and safety and health profile.

Frank Sanders, director of the EPA’s antimicrobial division, acknowledged that the agency’s policy is out of step with the needs of institutional purchasers to be able to easily identify—with a reasonable level of assurance—disinfectants and sanitizers with reduced risks. On the other hand, Sanders indicated that current regulations preclude the agency from allowing claims of environmental preferability in regard to EPA-registered products. Consequently, Sanders stated that the pesticide work group on eco-labels was the appropriate vehicle to devise a reasonable solution.

The pesticide work group on eco-labeling is comprised of representatives from industry, state and local governments, various federal agencies—including the EPA and the FTC—and environmental and public-health organizations. As of press time, the work group’s first meeting was tentatively scheduled for late August/early September, with a follow-up meeting set for sometime in October.

ISSA Expands Facility Service Provider Department

ISSA has announced the expansion of the association’s facility service provider (FSP) department, to be led by Dan Wagner as director of facility service programs.

As part of the expansion, Annie Balonick has been promoted to the new position of market development manager-facility service programs. In her new position, Balonick will be responsible for sales and expansion of the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) and certification program, membership, and services on behalf of the FSP segment of the industry. Balonick will also serve as a conduit with other segments of the ISSA membership to the FSP market.

Wagner will continue to have primary responsibility for all the association’s FSP programs and services as well as serve as the contact for associations and other organizations in the FSP community, including the International Facility Management Association, or IFMA; the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, or APPA; and others. He will also be responsible for directing ISSA’s Building Service Contractor Council.

“In recent years, ISSA has focused on improving the value of services we offer the association’s facility service provider segment of membership,” said ISSA Executive Director John Garfinkel. “The expansion of the FSP department and creation of a new position that is dedicated to the development of existing and new programs will allow us to better serve the needs of the FSP community as a whole.”

ISSA Joins U.S. Green Building Council

ISSA has been accepted as a member in good standing of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the nonprofit organization committed to expanding sustainable building practices and operations.

ISSA joined the USGBC to give the cleaning industry a higher profile within the rapidly growing “green” building community. One of ISSA’s objectives as a member is to ensure that green cleaning maintains a significant presence in the USGBC Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB).

ISSA recently submitted comments to the USGBC, encouraging the organization to forgo its proposed decrease in the number of points green cleaning activities presently contribute to certified status under LEED-EB. In its comments, ISSA noted that by proposing to reduce the credits awarded for green cleaning activities, the USGBC would effectively be reducing the incentive for facilities to achieve higher levels of clean and sanitary conditions, all to the detriment of the buildings’ occupants.

ISSA continues to engage in a wide variety of activities, programs, and alliances to ensure that association members have ready access to the green marketplace, including, but not limited to, the following:

• ISSA co-chaired the Illinois Product Policy Committee that developed the product specifications for the Illinois Green Cleaning for Schools Act.

• ISSA has entered into an alliance with the U.S. EPA Design for the Environment to foster the development and manufacture of environmentally preferable cleaning products.

• ISSA is a sponsor of CleanGredients™, an online database of ingredients for cleaning products with a preferred environmental and safety and health profile.

• ISSA participates on the Green Seal GS-37 Executive Committee that oversees the process of revising GS-37.

• The association provides discounts on green-certification services.

2009 ISSA Board Election Results

The elections for open positions on the 2009 ISSA Board of Directors closed July 30, and the results are in: vice president/president elect: David Holtzman, R3, Carteret, NJ; secretary: Richard L. Rones, Americo Manufacturing Co., Inc., Acworth, GA; manufacturer director: Allen M. Soden, Deb SBS, Inc., Stanley, NC; distributor director-west: Leland Fishman, Fishman Supply Co., Petaluma, CA; director-Canada: Steven Armstrong, Armstrong Manufacturing, Inc., Mississauga, ON, Canada.

The new board members officially took office at the annual ISSA General Meeting on Thursday, September 11, during ISSA/INTERCLEAN® North America 2008.