A step-by-step guide to buying, using and disposing of household cleaning products – the environmentally smart way

It’s all about choices… and doing what’s best for the environment — a goal that’s important for all of us! One area where each of us can make a positive contribution is in the way we purchase, use and dispose of cleaning products. And it all boils down to one simple question…

“How can I do the right thing in my own home, every day?”

The following steps are designed to help you make the best decisions about cleaning products for your family, your community and the environment.

	1. Before you buy… Think about the cleaning job at hand. Read product labels carefully. Choose the product that is best for your job. Buy only what you can use.
	2. Before you use… Read the label and follow directions for proper use. Follow all safety precautions. Use the recommended amount. More is not necessarily better!
	3. After you use… Read the label and follow directions for proper storage. Keep lid tightly closed. If there is a child resistant closure, use it! Keep product in original container with readable labels. Share any product you can’t use with a friend or neighbor.
	4. If you must dispose of a product… Follow label directions if provided. If there are no directions: Think about how you use the product. If it mixes with water it’s water-soluble. Most liquid, gel and powder water-soluble household cleaning products can be disposed of down the drain with running water – just like when you use them. Most solid products (soap scouring pads, sticks, towelettes, etc.) can be placed in the trash.For other products (such as oven cleaners, crystal drain openers and furniture polishes) call the manufacturer’s toll-free number (or write to them) for disposal recommendations, or check with your local waste disposal facility.
	5. When you dispose of the containers… Empty any unused product (see #4). Check with your Community Recycling Center to see what type of plastic, paperboard and metal containers they accept. Refer to local guidelines for recycling plastics, paperboard and aerosol cans (steel and/or aluminum).

Proper Disposal of Water-Soluble Household Cleaning Products

In the Trash … (aerosols, crystals, disks, pads, pastes, sheets, sticks, towelettes) Laundry Products Fabric Softeners Stain Removers Dishwashing Products Rinse Agents Household Cleaners All-Purpose Cleaners Bathroom Cleaners/Disinfectants Carpet/Upholstery Cleaners Drain Openers Furniture Cleaners Glass Cleaners Oven Cleaners Toilet Bowl Cleaners Wrap containers in paper before disposing in the trash.

Down the Drain … (liquids, powders*, gels) Laundry Products Bleaches Detergents Fabric Softeners Presoaks, Prewashes Water Softeners Dishwashing Products Automatic and Hand Dishwashing Detergents Film and Spot Removers Rinse Agents Household Cleaners All-purpose Cleaners/Cleansers Ammonia Baking Soda Borax Carpet Cleaners Disinfectant Cleaners Drain Openers Floor/Furniture Cleaners Glass Cleaners Multi-Surface Cleaners Toilet Bowl Cleaners Tub/Tile/Sink Cleaners Personal Care Products Hand/Body Soaps When disposing of cleaning products: Flush with water Do not mix products * Dispose of powders in very small quantities at a time. This will help keep them from forming lumps in the drain pipe.

Did You Know?

Your community may spend a lot of money when disposing of household hazardous waste (HHW). In general, HHW costs 10-15 times more to dispose of than non-hazardous municipal waste! If you’re disposing of non-hazardous materials in this way, it may be affecting your tax dollars.

Water-soluble household cleaning products (HCP) usually do not fall into the HHW category because they go safely down the drain or in the trash. So, think before you treat them as HHW — you’ll be saving your community money!

Start Out on the Right Foot…

Cutting down on trash at the source.

We all want to conserve resources and keep waste to a minimum. It’s called waste reduction – cutting down on excess products and their packages at the source.

The soap and detergent industry has been working hard to conserve resources and reduce waste. We’ve developed such innovations as concentrated products in smaller packages … combination products (providing two functions in one product) … refillable containers … and we’re also using recycled materials to make new containers. In fact the industry has become one of the biggest purchasers of recycled plastics, giving new life to the plastics you recycle!

Here’s where you come in. By buying concentrated products, refills or containers made from recycled materials – and by recycling your used containers – you’re keeping excess trash out of landfills. It’s partnerships like these that will provide the long term solutions. And, by working together, we’ll all be doing what’s best for our environment.

Follow the Steps to Smart Use and Disposal

“Thinking Green” is a daily journey! By making informed decisions before, during and after product use, you’re on your way to doing the right thing for yourself and your community. And remember, the key to smart use and disposal is reading the label! It’s the single most important thing you can do to make the right decisions.

Thank you American Cleaning Institute!

Floor Care Equipment That Contributes To LEED Certification

By Kassandra Kania 

As the sustainability movement continues to flourish, more custodial managers are demanding environmentally friendly products to satisfy in-house green initiatives, as well as earn credits toward LEED certification for property owners.

Although there are no certifications for floor care equipment per se, by adhering to U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) guidelines when buying or using floor care equipment, custodial departments can help businesses earn points toward LEED certification.

According to media associate Jacob Kriss, the USGBC awards up to one point toward LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EBOM) for projects that implement a program for the use of janitorial equipment that reduces building contaminants and minimizes environmental impact (see “Indoor Environmental Quality c3.4: Green cleaning-sustainable cleaning equipment” for excerpted requirements pertaining to floor care equipment).

For existing powered cleaning equipment, 20 percent must meet the criteria set forth in this credit by cost or unit count, whereas newly purchased equipment must meet 100 percent of the credit requirements. Under the new version of the rating system, set to launch in Fall 2013, the cleaning equipment credit will require 40 percent of powered equipment to meet certain criteria, while equipment that does not meet the criteria must be phased out.

“Everything in LEED is good for the environment and the organization, and makes sense to do,” notes Michael Arny, president of Leonardo Academy in Madison, Wis. “If people want to operate their buildings in a greener way, the more of the LEED program they can follow, including the cleaning component, the further they are down the path to making their building more sustainable. And they also position themselves to move forward with LEED certification more easily, if and when they decide to do that.”

According to Bill Griffin, president of Cleaning Consultants Services Inc. in Seattle, Wash., the growing interest in sustainable flooring equipment is being driven in part by LEED.

“The evolution in equipment is in the response to demand from customers wanting to be more sustainable,” he says. “LEED is driving some of this, and the demographic of people running these buildings is also driving this to some degree. There’s a younger crowd coming in, and they’re more aware and have a higher expectation regarding green.”

Although the industry is moving toward greener flooring equipment, Stephen Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group in Bloomington, Ind., urges cleaning departments to keep in mind that this is merely one part of a comprehensive green cleaning program.

“Don’t lose sight of the fact that this is one important element in an entire system that ultimately will meet the intent of the LEED credits,” he says. “And that intent is to create safe, healthy, productive environments while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.”

Reducing Water Usage With Floor Equipment

Reducing water, energy and chemical usage are important prerequisites for achieving credits toward LEED certification. Likewise, when implementing a green program and reassessing floor care equipment, cleaning departments should look for opportunities to reduce water and energy consumption.

“There are greener and more sustainable floor machines on the market today that use less water or use eco or hybrid water instead of plain water and chemicals,” says Griffin. “There are also ultra high dilution products where you put a cartridge in the machine and it automatically dilutes the chemical.”

To reduce power consumption, managers should look for equipment with Energy Star ratings, or battery-powered equipment that uses environmentally preferable gel batteries.

In addition to reducing water, power, and chemical usage, managers should look for floor equipment that reduces noise levels. Griffin recommends equipment that operates below the 65-decibel rating. Departments also need to consider how their equipment fits into their green protocol. For example, the decibel level of the machine becomes more significant if they are cleaning during the day when the building is occupied.

“Environmentally friendly equipment isn’t just about protecting the environment, but also the employees using the equipment,” says Stan Hulin, president and CEO of Future Floor Technology Inc. in Gladstone, Ore. As such, manufacturers are paying more attention to machine ergonomics by designing equipment with operator comfort and safety in mind.

KASSANDRA KANIA is a freelance writer based in Charlotte, N.C.

Republished from Cleanlink.com