There are many floor and carpet care chemicals available — in packages that read “100% biodegradable,” “green,” “made of recycled material,” etc. The “green” category of housekeeping chemicals is still pretty much in the process of inventing itself.

Since there are no universal “green” regulations or laws for manufacturers to follow, housekeeping managers must take on the responsibility of checking the labels on so-called “green” products and researching ingredients to be sure these products do not contain toxic or carcinogenic materials, for example.

“When purchasing [green] chemicals there are a multitude of things to look for,” says Steve Ashkin, industry consultant and environmental health expert. He points out that managers should find out if the chemical formulation contains ingredients that are harmful to those who might breathe in its vapors. Will the chemical will burn skin? Does it contain carcinogenic, or known cancer-causing ingredients? How will the product impact the environment?

“It’s incredibly complicated,” he says.

Ashkin says managers should “be dubious about single-attribute claims” on products: Just because a product is safe in one way by not containing a certain ingredient, it might be harmful in another way by including something else.

Helping hands
Environmental groups and agencies have online lists of chemicals housekeeping managers should watch for — and avoid — when looking for safer, healthier chemicals.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Green Seal, a non-profit organization that tests and evaluates products based on their environmental attributes, are just two helpful resources for specifying environmentally preferable products.

According to the EPA, Federal Register Executive Order 13101 defines environmentally preferable as “products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.”

The EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing guidance includes cleaning product recommendations.

Green Seal tests and evaluates cleaning products for toxicity, carcinogens, skin and eye irritation, skin sensitization, combustibility and environmental impact.

Purchasing entities, such as the state of Massachusetts, follow Green Seal guidelines. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Envrionmentally Preferable Products Procurement Program — www.state.ma.us/osd/enviro/products/cleaning.htm — acts as a benchmark for major purchasing groups, providing fact sheets on buying cleaning products.

The group lists hazardous chemicals in the Massachusetts Toxic Use Reduction Act, and focuses on eliminating or minimizing the use of carcinogens, ozone-depleting substances, formulations with high phosphate concentrations and volatile organic compounds.

Red-flag chemicals
Not all products have the Green Seal certification, so managers have to do their research, deciphering labels and asking vendors and suppliers lots of questions to find out if the product lives up to its claims.

The Western Region Pollution Prevention Network recently studied janitorial products. The group’s Web site provides names of harmful chemicals found in professional cleaning products.

For example, some carpet spot removers contain a solvent called butoxyethanel, which when absorbed through skin, can damage blood and major body organs, and also can harm the developing fetus in pregnant women. This solvent also is found in some floor strippers. Building occupants might be sensitive to the solvent’s vapors or residue.

As an alternative, Ashkin says, there are hydrogen peroxide- and enzyme-based products that work well as carpet spotters.

“I consider both green technologies versus solvent-based technologies,” he says. “They work well and are price-competitive.”

Other ingredients to be aware of include monoethyanolamine, sodium hydroxide or sodium metasilicate, and zinc.

“I encourage people not to buy products that contain heavy metals,” Ashkin says. “Most companies have already figured out how to make their products without zinc.”

There are a wide range of carpet-cleaning chemicals available. The ingredients vary in each product. The most harmful chemicals include hydrofluoric acid, nitrilotriacetate or nitrilotriacetic acid, perchloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene and tributyl tin.

Use less, harm less
When possible, managers should reduce the frequency of tasks that require the most harmful chemicals, like floor stripping and finishing, and carpet spotting and extracting. Some housekeeping departments might follow a specific schedule for these tasks, but if the areas still look good, managers should reschedule the work for a later time.

Reducing the frequency of carpet cleaning and floor stripping and finishing reduces the number of times workers, building occupants and the environment are exposed to harmful chemicals.

Houskeeping managers can lower cleaning frequencies by ensuring entryways and outside areas are clean. Cleaning staff can help prevent dirt from entering buildings by sweeping and pressure-washing outer walkways and placing walkoff mats in entryways.

Also, Ashkin suggests cleaning carpets with just water when possible because most carpet will already contain detergent residue from the last cleaning.

Consider the entire operation
Selecting environmentally preferable products is just part of the green cleaning operation.

“To create a healthy environment, managers need to consider the whole cleaning process — the products and procedures and everything in the building,” Ashkin says.

First, managers should work toward using fewer chemicals by cleaning only when needed and ensuring staffs dilute and mix products properly.

Second, managers should specify Green Seal-certified or environmentally preferable products when possible. They should research products carefully: read labels and material safety data sheets, contact manufacturers, search the Internet for chemical information, or contact local health departments for more information.




POSTED ON: 8/1/2003