CLEANING AGENTS AND GREEN ALTERNATIVES 

TRADITIONAL CLEANING PRODUCTS

Many indoor air quality complaints arise from inadequate housekeeping that fails to remove dirt and dust.  Schools should be cleaned frequently, thoroughly and effectively. However, the industrial strength cleaning products and room deodorizers that some schools use actually add to indoor air pollution.  These products can produce odors and emit a variety of chemicals.  Conventional cleaning products may contain toxic ingredients that can not only cause rashes, headaches, nausea and dizziness, but can also lead to long-term health problems such as asthma, cancer and lung disease.  Many are known to affect the respiratory system, central nervous system, reproduction, development, kidney and liver.

Exposure to traditional cleaning products poses a serious risk to children for a number of reasons.  Children’s organ systems are still developing.  Cleansers produce aerosols, vapors, fumes or dusts that may be inhaled or come in contact with eye tissue. Residues from chemicals can come into contact with skin and either burn skin tissue or get absorbed through the skin and be carried to body organs.  Many of their behaviors expose children to threats from toxic chemicals.  They often play on the floor or ground and come in contact with chemical residues.  They then either put their hands in their mouth or don’t wash hands before eating and accidentally eat chemicals through hand-to-mouth contact.

Toxic cleaning products used in schools also present a significant threat to custodial staff who handle them directly.  One custodian uses an average 194 pounds of chemicals a year, 25% of which are hazardous substances.  NIOSH reports that 12% of work related asthma is the result of exposure to cleaning products.  Every year 6% of custodians are injured by a chemical exposure and 20% of these injuries are serious burns to the eyes or skin and12% are the result of chemical fumes.

Schools should look for safer alternatives to traditional cleaning chemicals.  If conventional products are being used, the following practices will help to protect school occupants:

-         Have a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for any liquid or chemical used

-         Provide training for all staff who might be exposed to hazardous products

-         Have a hazardous response plan is in place for dealing with chemical spills and accidents     

-         Be sure that all products are labeled properly and that label instructions on proper usage, dilution and disposal are carefully followed.

-         Ventilate work areas

-         Do not use hazardous chemicals in mechanical rooms or HVAC plenums.

-         Wear  protective equipment ( goggles, respirators and  aprons) 

-         Store hazardous products in high locked cabinets and in original containers. A local exhaust system should be permanently installed where hazardous products are stored.  To prevent chemical off-gassing, be sure that product lids are tightly secured when not in use. 

GREEN ALTERNATIVES - ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE CLEANING PRODUCTS

According to the CT Department of Administrative Services website, “Environmentally Preferable Products are 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.  ….. By purchasing products with fewer toxic ingredients, we minimize the hazardous impacts of those products during manufacture and reduce the damage caused through accidental spills and when disposed.  We also reduce the risk to workers handling the products, and the risks posed to building occupants.”  The EPA’s website lists the benefits of Environmentally Preferable Purchasing as 1) Improved ability to meet existing environmental goals, 2) Improved worker safety and health, 3) Reduced liabilities and 4) Reduced health and disposal costs.

Use of safer alternatives and green/environmentally preferable cleaning products (EPP) in schools can help reduce the health risks to students and staff associated with traditional cleaning products  Third party certification of institutional cleaners is important to ensure product quality.  Common third-party programs are: EPA’s Design for the Environment,  Green Seal (GS) in the US and Environmental Choice (EC) in Canada.   EPP products should contain no known carcinogens and no or low VOCs.  They should be biodegradable, neutral pH , non-flammable, non-reactive, non-irritating to eyes and skin and free of fragrances and dyes. Cleaners should be multi-purpose,  not packaged in aerosol/spray cans and have dispensing systems that minimize exposure to concentrated solutions

When deciding which safer alternatives to use, schools should:

-         Use plain soap and water as cleaning agents when possible

-         Remove dust with a HEPA vacuum or a damp cloth

-         Use disinfectants only as required by state law

-         Select the safest available materials that can achieve the desired result

-         Review all information on product labels and MSDS sheets

-         Request information from suppliers about the chemical emissions of the products being considered for purchase.

If products with strong odors or air contaminants must be used, it is best to use them early in the weekends or vacation periods to allow fumes to dissipate before the building is reoccupied.  Exhaust fan should be used during application and vapors from cleaning products should be completely eliminated before air handling systems are switched to their unoccupied cycles.

Special Note:

The Connecticut School Indoor Environment Resource Team is now offering a special program on “green” cleaning, entitled Cleaning for Health.  The program includes an overview of the reasons for implementing “green” cleaning, the components of a Cleaning for Health program, and technical assistance to make the switch.  Contact Kenny Foscue or Joan Simpson at 860-509-7740 to find out more about this program.

Summary of CT LAW dealing with green cleaning in schools

*** NOTE: CT law only requires green cleaning products in state-owned schools, it does not apply to schools run by local or regional boards of education. ***

CT GREEN CLEANING LAW FOR STATE-OWNED SCHOOLS

(CT General Statutes Section No. 4b-15a)

• Bans the use of cleaning products that do not meet certain guidelines or environmental standards in state-owned buildings, including state schools (Green Seal Certified products only)

• Requires cleaning products to minimize potential harmful impact on human health and the environment to the maximum extent possible

• Excludes disinfectants, disinfecting cleaners, sanitizers and other antimicrobial products regulated by federal law

GREEN CLEANING IN CT PUBLIC SCHOOLS REQUESTED AND ENCOURAGED

(CT Governor M. Jodi Rell’s Executive Order #14 (April 17, 2006))

Requests and encourages municipalities and school districts to review their purchasing and use of cleaning and/or sanitizing products and urges them to procure and use products having properties that minimize potential harmful impacts to human health and the environment.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Question: What are MSDS sheets?

Answer: Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are product information sheets produced by the company that manufactures or imports the product.  They contain information about the ingredients in the product.  MSDSs must contain the following information:

-         Date the MSDS was prepared

-         Name, address and phone number of the manufacturer or importer

-         Hazardous ingredients list, with % of the substance in the mixture or product

-         Exposure limits for individual products

-         Health effects of exposure and routes of entry into the body

-         Safe Handling and storage of the product

-         Personal protective equipment and control methods to use to prevent exposure

-         Fire and explosion hazards

-         Emergency and accidental spill cleanup information

-         First aid procedures to use in case of exposure

Under the US Worker Right to Know Law, school districts are required to provide custodians access to the MSDSs of all products they may be exposed to when working.  School districts are also required to ensure that all cleaning and maintenance products are properly labeled, that special training for all employees who might be exposed to hazardous products is provided, and that a hazardous response plan is in place for dealing with chemical spills and accidents.

Question: Do green cleaning products cost more than traditional products? 

Answer: Environmentally preferable cleaning chemicals are readily available through most manufacturers and distributors and the products themselves are generally not more expensive.  There may be some initial costs for employee training and the installation of dispensing systems.  There may be costs associated with the disposal of toxic cleaning chemicals currently in use.

Question: Is there more to “green cleaning” than just buying green cleaning chemicals? 

Answer:   A green clean approach includes both the purchase of environmentally preferable products and the use of  best cleaning practices.  Custodians need to be trained in the correct procedures for using the new materials.  Green cleaning also means using common sense practices to reduce dirt and litter from coming into the building in the first place.  For example, sidewalks and parking lots should be kept free of dirt and snow, and walk-off mats and trash cans should be placed at all school entrances.

Question: What problems have you found with cleaning supplies or practices during a school walkthrough inspection?

Answer:  We found unlabeled cleaning chemicals and unapproved personal cleaning supplies in many classrooms.  We also discovered that floor waxing was being done early Monday morning instead of on Friday night.  Strong  odors greeted students and staff when they started their week.

Our school was using two separate “green” products for two different purposes.  One night custodian decided to mix the two products to get his job done faster.  The next morning there was a steady stream of students and staff visiting the nurse’s office with respiratory problems. The custodian claimed the mixture didn’t bother him at all.

 Respiratory Hazards and Restroom Deodorant Blocks

 Why are deodorant blocks hazardous?
Some restroom and urinal deodorant blocks contain paradichlorobenzene (p-dichlorobenzene, 1,4-
dichlorobenzene, or “para”), a respiratory irritant that can trigger an asthma attack in a person who already
has asthma. Exposure to paradichlorobenzene occurs primarily indoors, from products such as deodorant
blocks and mothballs.1 Para persists in the environment, and the National Toxicology Program reports that
it is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.2 Many other restroom and urinal deodorizing blocks
that do not contain paradichlorobenzene contain ammonium quaternary compounds (“quats”), disinfectants
that are known to cause asthma when used in cleaners.3
What alternatives exist?
Deodorant blocks that contain surfactants or bacterial cultures can be just as effective as para-based or
quaternary ammonium-based blocks. In addition, autoflush toilets and urinals may eliminate the need for
deodorant blocks in certain situations, while more frequent cleaning of regular toilets and urinals may
reduce the need for them.
Do alternative deodorant blocks cost more?
The para-free deodorizers that Erie County (NY) chose to use in some of its facilities cost approximately
$10 more per dozen, a minimal increase relative to the county’s overall facilities operational budget.
However, the 8-ounce enzyme-based blocks lasted almost three times longer than the para-based product.

Where can I get deodorant blocks that do not contain paradichlorobenzene or ammonium
quaternary compounds?
Many vendors supply alternative products. A few brand-name deodorant blocks that do not contain
paradichlorobenzene or ammonium quaternary compounds are listed below.

How does your facility score on the Cleaning for Health checklist?

___ Cleaning chemicals for everyday use
• third-party certified cleaning chemicals
• one concentrate that is diluted for the following tasks
􀂃 bathroom/ restroom cleaner
􀂃 all-purpose cleaner
􀂃 carpet spotter/extraction cleaner
􀂃 glass & window cleaner
􀂃 neutral floor cleaner
• one heavy duty cleaning product
___ Hand soaps
• third-party certified, not anti-bacterial foaming hand soap
___ HEPA filter vacuum cleaners (upright and or back pack)
• air flow greater than 90 CFM
• capture 96% of particulates 0.3 microns in size
___ High-filtration floor care equipment
• floor buffers
• cord electric & battery burnishers
___ Microfiber cloths
___ Microfiber high dusting tools
___ Microfiber wet mops & dry mops
___ Mop buckets or systems that separate clean and dirty water
___ Multi-level scrapper walk-off mats with nitrile rubber backing
• inside of entryways (and outside where possible)
• span the entire entryway
• 15 - 20 feet long, where applicable
• rotated on an appropriate schedule for weather conditions
___ Powered equipment
• sound levels less than 70 dB
• vacuum attachments
• high efficiency/low emission motors
• microfiber pads where appropriate
___ Specialty cleaning products
• environmentally preferable disinfectant product
• restrict use of disinfectants to pre-determined high risk areas
• bio-enzymatic cleaner for protein (urine etc.)
• third-party certified floor care products
• wax stripper
• floor sealer & finish
• environmentally preferable graffiti remover
• environmentally preferable mineral build-up remover (toilets etc.)
• environmentally preferable white board cleaner and markers

___ Training programs
• best practices training
• train-the-trainer program
• cleaning for health, safety & appearance
• bloodborne pathogen & chemical right-to-know training
• certified products training
• equipment operator training
• multi-lingual training for non-English speaking work staff
___ Trash and Recycling programs
• standardize waste receptacle sizes
• proper size liners for receptacles
• dedicated receptacles for recycled product types
___ Washroom Paper Products
• post-consumer waste recycled content for boxed facial tissue, toilet paper and dispenser roll or
multifold towels
• third-party certified / sustainable forestry practices / controlled-use dispensers
• tissue & towels on large rolls

For additional information contact:
Carol Westinghouse
INFORM Inc.
Cleaning for Health
Program Manager
802-626-8643

RELATED LINKS TRADITIONAL CLEANING PRODUCTS:

American Lung Association Indoor Air Pollution Fact Sheet – Household Products

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=117535

Centers for Disease Control/Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry ToxFAQs:

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html

Centers for Disease Control/Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry ToxGuidess:

www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxpro2.html

EPA Indoor Air Quality Scientific Findings Resource Bank on Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds and Health

http://www.iaqscience.lbl.gov/voc-introduction.html

Healthy Schools Network, Inc. Sanitizers & Disinfectants Guide

http://healthyschools.org/clearinghouse.html

Studies Associated With Cleaning Products:

Studies of Health Effects of Conventional Cleaning Products.doc

GREEN ALTERNATIVES:

CT DPH IEQ website section on Green Products

http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3140&q=387466&dphNav_GID=1828&dphPNavCtr=|#Green

Child Safe Schools Resources on Green Cleaning, Diesel Exhaust and Turf Pesticides:

www.grassrootsinfo.org/cssresources.html

Coalition for s Safe & Healthy Connecticut website section on Green Cleaning:

www.safehealthyct.org/greencleaning46.html

CSIERT Cleaning for Health Fact Sheet:

CSIERT Cleaning for Health fact sheet.pdf

Environmental Choice (Canadian 3^rd Party Certification website:

www.environmentalchoice.com

EPA Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) website

www.epa.gov/epp

EPA – Final Guidance on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing

www.epa.gov/epp

Green Seal website:

www.greenseal.org

Healthy Schools Network, Inc. Guide to Green Cleaning

http://healthyschools.org/clearinghouse.html

Healthy Schools Campaign The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools

www.greencleanschools.org

INFORM Green Cleaning website:

www.informinc.org

INFORM Environmentally Preferable Cleaning Products Sample Specifications:

INFORM environmentally preferable cleaning products.pdf

INFORM Implementing Environmentally Preferable Cleaning Practices:

Implementing Env Preferable Cleaning Practices.pdf

Who else is using urinal blocks without paradichlorobenzene or ammonium quaternary
compounds?