Greeen Cleaning

1. A Step Toward a
Healthier School
Environment

2. What is Green Cleaning?
Cleaning to protect health
without harming the
environment

3. What is Cleaning for Health?
Removing contaminants
• Particulates (dirt)
• Bacteria & viruses
• Control moisture that cause
mold
• Reduce the need for products
containing harmful chemicals
• Safe pest control

4. Why not use Traditional Cleaners?
Many Traditional Cleaners contain
toxic chemicals that can cause
• Respiratory problems
• Reproductive health problems
• Cancer
• Skin and eye irritation
• Harm to the environment

5. Why is Green Cleaning Important?
1. Helps students stay healthy and learn
2. Protects the health of custodial staff
3. Increases the
lifespan of
facilities
4. Preserves the
environment

6. Healthy
Environment
Healthy
Children
Quality
Education
Children’s Learning Environment
Healthy environments boost staff and
student performance—teachers teach
well and students learn well.
Why Green Cleaning?
Helps Students Stay Healthy & Learn

7. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
 Indoor air is typically 2 to 5 times
worse than outdoor air and can be up
to 100 times more polluted.
 Many traditional cleaning products
contain harmful chemicals that
contribute to poor IAQ.
 50% of schools have an
IAQ problem.
Why Green Cleaning?
Helps Students Stay Healthy & Learn

8. Children’s Health
 In proportion to their body size
children breathe, drink and eat more
than adults
 Children’s behavior increases their
potential exposure (i.e. closer to the
ground & more hand to
mouth contact).
 Their bodies are still
developing
Why Green Cleaning?
Helps Students Stay Healthy & Learn

9. Asthma
 Leading cause of student absenteeism
due to a chronic disease
 14 million school days are lost annually
 Green Cleaning has shown to reduce
the number of times asthma medication
was needed.
 If kids are not in school,
they can’t learn
Why Green Cleaning?
Helps Students Stay Healthy & Learn

10. Custodial staff using traditional
cleaning products may be exposed to
chemicals that can cause:
 skin and eye irritation
 respiratory problems
 Cancer
 reproductive disorders*
*Women in their child bearing years are
especially at risk.
Why Green Cleaning?
Protects the Health of Custodial Staff

11. Low-income and Minority Worker
Health
Research shows that people from
low-income and minority
communities have more
exposure to environmental
hazards than the
general population.
Why Green Cleaning?
Protects the Health of Custodial Staff

12. Why Green Cleaning?
Increases the Lifespan of Facilities
Proper maintenance expands
the longevity of the building

13. Green cleaning products preserve the
environment through:
 Production cycle that is less harmful
 Cleaning industry uses 6 billion pounds of
chemicals
 Packaging that reduces waste
 4.5 billion pounds of paper, 35 million
trees
 Products and waste streams are not
hazardous to water supplies
Why Green Cleaning?
Preserves the Environment

14. Green Clean is Quick and Easy
 Not an all or nothing proposition
 Marketplace changes are making it
easier
 GC regulation already has begun

15. 5 Simple Steps to
Green Cleaning in Schools
1. Develop Your Green Cleaning Program
2. Use Green Cleaning Products
3.
Introduce Green Equipment &
Supplies
4. Adopt Green Cleaning Procedures
5. Share the Responsibility

16. Step 1: Develop Your Green
Cleaning Program
An effective green cleaning program
takes a team, it takes knowledge
and it takes thought. Some
questions to answer:
 Who is on your team?
 What are the current cleaning
needs of your school?
 What’s your staffing and training
plan?
 How do you evaluate your
progress?

17. Step 2: Use Green Cleaning
Products
Use Green Seal (GS) EcoLogo (EL) or
US EPA Design for the Environment
(DfE) products to ensure your
products do NOT contain:
 Toxic compounds
 Carcinogens
 Reproductive toxins
 Combustible ingredients
 Skin or eye irritants

18. Step 3: Introduce Green
Equipment & Supplies
 “Think beyond chemicals”
 High filtration vacuum
cleaners
 Floor burnishers with
vacuum attachments
 High pressure washers
and vapor machines
 Microfiber cloths and mops
 High quality entryway mats
 Look for the Carpet and Rug Institute
Green Label Certification.

19.  Recycled Content
 Post consumer
 Pre consumer
 Processed Chlorine Free
 Paper certifications
 EPA Procurement Guidelines
 Green Seal
 Environmental Choice
 Chlorine Free Products Association
 Cost Offsets
 Large rolls
 Hands-free dispensers that limit paper
Step 3: Introduce Green
Equipment & Supplies

20.  Recycled trash can liners
(10-100% LLDPE)
 Appropriate size and strength
 Separate wet and dry garbage
 Few certification programs – not
widespread yet…
Step 3: Introduce Green
Equipment & Supplies

21. Step 4: Adopt Green Cleaning
Procedures
Changes in the frequency, technique
or time cleaning is performed can
be as important as the products
and equipment used.
Proper staff training is
critical to implementing
green cleaning
procedures

22. Step 5: Share the Responsibility
Key to green cleaning success:
• Promote Stewardship – involves
administrators, teachers, students,
vendors
• Increase Institutional
Commitment - green
cleaning teams,
plans, policies, and
evaluating results

23. Institutionalizing your Green
Cleaning Program
1. Create a Green Team
2. Develop a Green Cleaning Plan
3. Adopt a Green Cleaning Policy
4. Implement the Green Cleaning
Plan
5. Evaluate Progress
6. Communicating About Green
Cleaning

24. 1. Create a Green Team
 Broad stakeholder involvement is
critical for the program’s success.
Should include: administrators,
teachers, administrative staff, facility
operators, custodians, health officials,
school board representatives,
students, parents, contractors
 Can work within existing
structures (i.e. Health
and Safety Committee)

25. 2. Develop a Green Cleaning Plan
 Gather baseline data
 Establish goals and strategies
 Develop a timetable and staff
responsibilities
 Conduct periodic evaluations

26. 3. Adopt a Green Cleaning Policy
 Formalizes the commitment of time
and resources for implementing the
Green Cleaning Plan.
 Can be used to build broader support
 Go through approval process

27. 4. Implementation
 Set Priorities- The Green Team
should decide which items to tackle
first. Could start with task that will
be easiest to demonstrate and
measure or address the greatest
health benefit.
 Pilot Projects minimize
risks and will help gain
approval to make greater
changes based on earlier
success.

28. 5. Evaluate Progress
Objective Measures
 trees saved due to recycled paper
 toxic chemicals no longer used
 recycled materials diverted from
landfill
Subjective Measures
 Surveys and interviews,
and comment books
 Town hall meetings

29. 6. Communication
 Goal to build support and
engage building occupants
 Communication Media
 Flyers
 Newsletters
 Staff e-mail
 Health & Safety Committee
Reports
 Earth Day Celebrations!!!

30. What About Bottom-line Cost?
 Green cleaners are competitively priced
 Equipment can be more expensive but can
save time and labor costs
 Recycled paper & plastic tend to be more
expensive but can be offset by changed
useage
 The benefits are great:
 Improved student health
 Increased worker safety
 Increased worker morale and productivity
 Improved indoor air quality

31. How can Healthy Schools
Campaign help?
GreenCleanSchools.org
 Tools and Resources
 Why Green Cleaning
 Five Steps to Green Cleaning
in Schools
 Assessment Tool
 Recognition Program
 Downloadable Resources

32. Advocating for policies and model programs
that allow students and teachers to learn
and work in a healthy school environment.
175 N. Franklin, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60606
www.healthyschoolscampaign.org
T: 312.419.1810
F: 312.419.1806