Clean Hands Are Not A Priority
According to a Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) national survey, America is less inclined to wash their hands as frequent as in years past. In fact, 36 percent of those surveyed seldom or never wash their hands after coughing or sneezing (slightly up from 43 percent in 2004 reports).

Sixty-eight percent of survey respondents don’t wash their hands long enough to effectively remove germs and dislodge dirt (up from 54 percent in 2004).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand washing is the single most important thing we can do to keep from getting sick and spreading illness to others. Only 50 percent of those surveyed believe that hand washing is the number one way to prevent colds and flu. And, 31 percent of respondents wash their hands fewer than seven times a day.

A 2005 observational study commissioned by SDA and the American Society of Microbilology found that just 83 percent of people washed their hands after using a public restroom.

Visit www.cleaning101.com for more information.


EPA Targets Schools
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a software tool to help school districts evaluate and manage their facilities for key environmental, safety and health issues. The Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT) is designed to be customized and used by district-level staff to conduct completely voluntary self-assessments of school facilities and to track and manage information on environmental conditions school by school.

There are approximately 120,000 public, private, charter and tribal schools in the United States, and many of them contain hazards that may pose risks to children and staff. The guidance included in HealthySEAT can improve the health of students and staff by ensuring that all potential environmental and safety hazards in schools are being properly managed. Examples of school environmental hazards include chemical releases, pesticide exposures, flaking lead paint, mold and other indoor air quality problems.

Visit http://epa.gov/schools/healthyseat for details.


Free Registration & Certification from USGBC
As of January 1, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) will rebate the certification fees for any project that earns Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification. Their goal is to help build a healthy, sustainable and prosperous future by raising building’s performance to Platinum.

The rebate applies to projects that certify using LEED for New Construction, LEED for Existing Buildings, LEED for Commercial Interiors, LEED for Core and Shell or future versions of the LEED rating system. Rebates will apply only to certification fees paid to the USGBC. Registration with USGBC and other fees that may be incurred over the course of the project are not included.

The USGBC is also offering free LEED for Existing Buildings registration for certified LEED for New Construction and LEED for Core and Shell buildings. LEED for Existing Buildings addresses whole building operations and maintenance practices, and will maximize a building’s performance over time, ensuring a high return on investment.

Facilities interested in certification can contact the USGBC at leedinfo@usgbc.org and those interested in free registration can e-mail leed-eb@usgbc.org.

Green Seal Certifies Cleaning Departments
 Green cleaning is experiencing phenomenal growth in the United States. But, until now, there has been a significant gap in regards to standards. Green Seal, Inc. recently released the first standard for cleaning services.

GS-42 provides an objective set of criteria for reduced toxicity, waste and exposure based on a practical blend of sound environmental science, industry best practices, extensive stakeholder input and consensus.

“This standard encourages in-house cleaning services to establish a green cleaning program that protects human health and the environment,” said Arthur Weissman, Ph.D., Green Seal president and CEO.

Green cleaning, for the purposes of this standard, encompasses all indoor activities typically required to clean commercial, public and industrial buildings. And because it defines environmentally responsible cleaning services, the standard could be used as the basis for specification as well as certification. Thus, GS-42 provides a market incentive to departments to offer environmentally responsible cleaning services and a clear, reliable tool for purchasers to determine which services are environmentally responsible.

The standard specifies green chemicals, supplies and equipment, as well as cleaning procedures, and it mandates employee training and communication with building owners and occupants. It requires that a building-specific green cleaning plan be implemented.

Additional information on GS-42 is available at www.greenseal.org.





POSTED ON: 2/1/2007