green janitorial operations

Green Janitorial Operations

Add Environmental Performance into Your Cleaning Program

Heather DaviesOffice of Environmental Policy and ComplianceU.S. Department of the Interior(202) 208-7884

Presentation Overview Benefits of Green Cleaning

Evaluating Cleaning Products Risks and Use of Personal Protection Equipment

Finding Preferable Products

Side-by-Side Review -Typical Cleaners

Managing Cleaning Products

Starting Cleaning Stewardship Program

Contracting for Green Cleaning

JWOD Vendors, Certified Products, Other Vendor Lists

Credits

Tom Barron - EPA Region 9 Janitorial Pollution Prevention Project

Eastern Research Group

Steve Ashkin

Blane Robinson, NISH

George Aarons, NIB

Joan Smith, Committee for Purchase From People Who Are

Blind or Severely Disabled

I like to mention what I call the “virdian verge.” “Virdian” for green and “verge” to emphasize a “coming together.” We are increasingly seeing a coming together of environmental and economic goals.”

P. Lynn Scarlett, Ast. Sec. - Policy Management and Budget

Greening the Department of the Interior

Vision StatementThe Department will be an innovative leader in “greening” the Federal government by actively

and systematically protecting the natural processes that sustain life on earth.

To fulfill this vision, Interior will, in its own operations, minimize solid waste, prevent

pollution, save energy and other resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and

encourage public support and participation.

Why make any changes to your cleaning program?

Worker health concerns

Costs of worker injuries

Environmental threats

Improved Indoor Air Quality

Leadership opportunity

Federal mandates

Because there are safer, cost-effective alternatives

Worker Health Concerns

An average of 58.2 lbs. of chemical cleaning products are used per janitor per year

6% of cleaners should be avoided because of serious health/environmental threats

35% of cleaners require extreme care during use because they can blind the unprotected user, can cause severe skin damage, or can be absorbed through the skin or be inhaled to harm internal organs

Worker Injuries

Acute: – Blindness– Skin damage– Lung damage

Longer term:– Damage to fetus– Hormone modification– Cancer– Organ damage

Chronic Problems

Chemical dermatitis

Chemical-induced asthma

Chemical sensitivities

Cost of Worker Injuries

40% involve eye irritation and burns 35% involve skin irritation and burns 12% involve breathing chemical

fumes

6 of 100 employees have loss time Average cost of $725 per claim

From analysis of worker comp claims in Washington StateTom Barron

Environmental Threats

Aquatic toxicity

Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic Compounds

Eutrophication

Disruption to POTW

Endocrine Disruption

Smog precursors

Ozone depleters

Non-renewable resources

Unnecessary Sacrifice Why subject yourself and your workers

to more risk then you have to?

Why jeopardize your opportunity to have a high quality, healthy, long life?

Why pass injury along to your children?

Why would we knowingly compromise environmental quality?

Indoor Air QUALITY

Reduced complaints Lower health concerns Improved employee productivity For schools, increased attendance

improved school performance, lower incidence of asthma

EPA’s Tools for Schools Air Quality Program

Leadership Opportunity

Get Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council

– Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED EB)

– Green housekeeping credits

LEED EB Green Housekeeping Credits

Walk-off mats (1 pt) Chemical storage mixing areas (1 pt) Isolate, exhaust copy rooms (1 pt) Low-impact cleaning fluid and housekeeping(1 pt)

– Sustainable cleaning and hard flooring coating systems– Green Seal GS 37 or CA CR low voc– Utilization of concentrated cleaning products

Low impact disposable products (1 pt)- Min. 30% PCW, 100% recycled paper products- Manufactured without the use of chlorine- Plastic trash bags

Integrated indoor pest management (1 pt) Outdoor storage facility (1 pt)

Why Buy Green?We are required to.

RCRA 6002, Greening the Government EOs

Statutes andExecutive Orders

FAR, CPG

Green Procurement

Regulations

Departmental Policy DIAPRs

Bureau Policy COTI, ...

Regional/FacilityPolicy

SOPs

Executive Orders

Greening the Government

EO 12843Ozone

DepletingSubstances

EO 13148 – Environmental Leadership

EO 12902Energy Efficiency

andWater Conservation

EO 12856Pollution Prevention

EO 12669Community

Right-to-Know

EO 13101Waste Prevention,

RecyclingFederal Acquisition

EO 12845Energy Efficient

Computers

Federal Acquisition Regulations

Green Procurement Revisions Published June 6, 2000

Ongoing revisions to accommodate new Greening the Government EOs.

Part 7 - Acquisition Planning Part 11 - Defining Agency Needs Part 13 - Simplified Acquisition

Procedures Part 23 - Environment,

Conservation … Part 52 - Solicitation Provisions

and Clauses

Evaluating/Managing Product Risk

Learn about your most hazardous ingredients/products

Become a “Power MSDS User”

Communicate hazards

Be in style, wear appropriate PPE

What are the highest risk products?

Acid toilet bowl cleaner Hydrochloric acid Burns eyes & skin

Can cause blindness

Carpet spotter PerchloroethyleneHexane

PoisonousCauses cancerFlammable

General purpose cleaner

ButoxyethanolSodium hydroxideEthanolamine

Burns eyes and skinPoisonous

Floor finish stripperButoxyethanolSodium hydroxideEthanolamine


Baseboard stripperButoxyethanolSodium hydroxideEthanolamine


More high risk products

Graffiti Remover Methylene chloridePerchlorethylene

PoisonousCauses cancerFlammable

Glass cleaner Butoexyethanol FlammablePoisonous

Disinfectant

ChlorinePhenolQuaternary ammoniaHydrogen peroxide


Which ingredients have high risks?

ACIDS Hydrochloric acidPhosphoric acidCorrosive:

Causes blindnessDamages skinDisrupts POTW

CAUSTICS Sodium hydroxideSodium metasilicatePotassium hydroxide

Causes blindnessDamages skinDisrupts POTW

SOLVENTS PerchloroethyleneButoxyethanolEthanolamineTolueneHCFC-141

Causes cancerPoison (absorbs though skin & poisons liver, kidneys, and fetus)Depletes ozone layer

SURFACTANTS Alkyl phenol ethoxylates

Endocrine disruption

DISINFECTANTS

Sodium hypochloriteParadichlorobenzeneQuaternary ammonium chloride

Corrosive & reactiveCauses cancerCorrosive & CNS depressant

Hints on Using a MSDS

Make sure it is no more than 1 year old

Ask for “New Jersey” compliant version

Call manufacturer and ask for fax

You won’t find them at Home Depot

Not all MSDSs are organized the same way

What to look for on the MSDS?

Section 1: Identification– Date, Product name,

Manufacturer, Emergency contact info, HMIS

Section 2: Hazardous ingredients– Common name, CAS #

for any chemical present at 1% or more or 0.1% of carcinogens, OSHA thresholds

Section 3: Physical properties- % VOC, pH, vapor

density, specific gravity, odor

Section 4: Fire hazard- Flashpoint, fire fighting

precautions, NFPA rating Section 5: Reactivity

– Stability, incompatibility Section 6: Health hazards

– Route of exposure, effects (CNS, target organ, respiratory, carcinogen, reproductive hazard)

Section 7: Spill/Disposal Section 8: Safe Handling

– PPE needed (respiratory, gloves, googles)

– Ventilation reqs

Hazard Communication

Never can eliminate all risk Build HAZCOM into your program Buy comfortable PPE Personalize cleaning procedures Consider color-coding Make MSDS accessible to staff while

working Practice spill response

Personnel Protective Equipment

Gloves– Cotton liners– Antibacterial

handcream– Chemical resistance

(Nitrile) Googles

– Soft rubber– Wrap-around– Not impact safety

glasses

Apron– For mixing

Eyewash and shower– Located within 10

seconds reach of any employee who is handling corrosive chemicals

Finding Preferable Products

Explore what is being used elsewhere

Green Seal standard for general purpose, bathroom and glass cleaners

Goal: Use the least aggressive, safest product that is effective for the cleaning task

Green Seal Standard Criteria

Overall toxicity Carcinogenic/

reproductive toxicity Skin/eye irritant Sensitization Combustaibility Photochemical

smog/ozone/IAQ Aquatic toxicity

Aquatic biodegradability

Eutrophication Packaging Concentrates Fragrances Prohibited Ingredients Training Animal testing

Additional Concerns

Phenol

Glycol ethers– Ethylene glycol– Propylene glycol is safer– When present in cleaner – WEAR

GLOVES

PAPER and Non-Chemical Products

Bathroom tissue*– 20-60% PCW

Paper towels*– 40-60% PCW

Facial tissue– 10-15% PCW

Industrial wipers*– 40% PCW

Toilet seat covers

Plastic trash bags*– 10 – 100%

Recycling containers*– 20- 100% PCW, plastic

Janitorial carts Plastic mop buckets

* Comprehensive Procurement Guideline item

More products to consider

Weed killers– Vinegar, lemon juice based

Insecticides– Cayenne-based

De-icers– Buffered urea– CMA– …

Side By Side Comparisons

Window cleaners Toilet cleaners Restroom cleaners Metal cleaners

Greening DOI’s Main Interior Building

Custodial ServicesIncorporation of Environmental

RequirementsInto Acquisition Processes:

A Case Study in Buying Environmentally Preferable Services

Main Interior Building

Final FAR LanguageFederal Register 6/6/00

Part 11.002 Defining Agency Needs - Policy“Executive agencies must consider use of

recovered materials, environmentally preferable purchasing criteria developed by EPA, and environmental objectives (see 23.704 (b)) when-(1) developing, revising, …specifications;

(2) describing government requirements…; (3) developing source selection factors.

FAR 23.703Environmental Considerations

Maximize the use of environmentally preferable products and services;

Maximize the use of energy-efficient products; Eliminate or reduce the generation of

hazardous waste…; Promote the use of non-hazardous and

recovered materials; Realize life-cycle cost savings; Promote cost effective waste reduction…; Consider use of biobased products.

Scope of Services

1 year contract, 4 1-year options Gross area: 1,423,745 s.f. Occupant population: 2,936 Products:

– Chemical cleaners, cleaning equipment, bathroom products

Services: – daily cleaning, floors maintenance, trash removal

and recycling, exterior windows (annually), venetian blinds (annually), elevator services, snow removal

Process Followed

Initial Request: 11/98 Team Formed/Objectives Defined: 11/98 Research 12/98 Selection of Attributes: 1/99 Revision of Solicitation: 2/99 Solicitation Issued: 2/12/99 Proposals Received: 4/99 Award: 7/99

Who Was Involved?

Contract Team Consisted of:– Facilities Management– Solicitor’s Office– Procurement Policy Office – Environmental Policy Office– NPS Environmental Management– U.S. EPA Exposure Assessment

Branch

Getting Started Initial Challenges

– Absence of Existing Contract Language – Absence of Guidelines to Define Compliance

Define Objectives and Scope:– Follow Executive Order 13101 – Comply with CPG– Custodial worker protection– Indoor air quality – Regional environmental considerations– Waste minimization– Inclusion of existing third party standards

What had been done before?What did we want to do?

Research into Available Standards:– City of Santa Monica, Yellowstone NP– EPA/GSA Custodial Pilot– Green Seal Paper and Household Cleaner Standards

Decisions Regarding Scope of Environmental Requirements, Attribute Selection - Three parts: – Chemical cleaning products, – Recycled content products– Recycling enhancement strategies

Who Contract Was Modified

Incorporation into Solicitation and Specifications– Section C - Scope of Service– Section L - Instructions to Offerors– Section M - Evaluation Factors for Award– Attachments

Evaluation Plan: Environmental Preferability Given 1/3 of Total Rating

Two Panels: Technical Evaluation Panel and Environmental

MANDATORY DESIRABLE

Product Category Does not containChesapeake Bay

Toxics of Concernor 33/50 Target

Pollutants

Not in asealedaerosol

spray can

Does notcontain

known orprobable

carcinogen

Is not ahazardouswaste whendisposed of

MinimizesSkin, Eye, andLung Irritation

Biodegrad-able

(verified bytesting?)

Fragrance andDye

Additives

RecyclableContent

Packaging/MinimizesNon-recycl

Waste

Other

All-Purpose Cleaner (If yes, identifywhich chemical)

(yes/no) (If yes, whichchemical)

(yes/no) (yes/no; yes/no)

General Degreaser

General Disinfectant

Floor Stripper

Bathroom Cleaner

Cleaning Chemical Characteristics

OFFEROR COMPANY NAME _______________________ ATTACHMENT A-2 (AMENDED)

Section L7 - Environmental Preferability SubmissionPart F and G: Recycled Content Products - Mandatory and Desirable Characteristics

* Offerors must identify the brand name and manufacturer in the first column below foreach offered recycled content product, attach supporting documentation, and submit asample of the product for efficacy testing

Product CategoriesEstimatedPurchaseVolumeOver

ContractLife

RecoveredMaterialContent

Post-consumerContent

DeinkingAgent

BleachingAgent

Bathroom tissue (mandatorymin. = 100%)

(mandatorymin. = 20%)

Paper towels (mandatorymin. = 100%)


General purposeindustrial wipers



Toilet Seat Covers (mandatorymin. = 100%)


Recycled Content Products

Enhanced Recycling Strategies

Procedures for monitoring waste/recycling volume

Procedures for monitoring rates of participation in recycling program

Procedures for promoting building occupant participation/avoid contamination

Measures to ensure contractor observance of program

Section M - Source Selection

30% Environmental

“ Completeness and thoroughness of submittal addressing environmental preferability/recycled content products and strategies for execution of a successful waste reduction/recycling program”

Experience - 15% (partially assigned to environmental)

How Well Did It Work?

A Lot of Questions at PreBid 19 Offers (Roughly Half Understood

Environmental Submittal) Competitive Range: A Handful of

Really Good Submitals Best Value Selected: Best

Environmental, Best Technical, Lowest Price of Competitive Range

Update: Spring 2003

Chimes, a NISH affiliated work center, working since starting 9/01

Chimes has now converted almost all of their sites in the DC Metro Area

Over 20 million s.f. of federal office space cleaned with certified cleaners

Improving indoor air quality for 90,000 federal office workers and workplace safety for 1,400 disabled workers!!!!

Gloria, Night Supervisor, + Chemical Portioner

R-M Developed Mixing, Application Guidelines

DOIs Mixing Guidelines

Environmentally preferable tissue

RTU Solution Bottles

Our “Fish-Friendly Floors”

Office Spruce UpResulted in Donation of 150

boxes of Reusable Office Supplies to DCPS

MIB Office Supply Recycling & Green Office SUPPLIES

Donation of 27 Pentium II Computers, March 2002, to

District of Columbia

Public Schools

Green Contracts

Specification of green products Incentives to use green products

(performance-based) Environmental submittals in

response to solicitation Source selection factors include

environmental performance criteria

Environmentally Preferable Services?

Services that use environmentally preferable products and/or practices– Custodial Services– Operation and Maintenance– Landscaping and Land Management– Concessioner Operations– Waste Removal – Construction and Demolition/Remodeling

Opportunities exist with most federal service contracts/construction contracts.

Guidance Document Resources

Vendor “List of lists” Check list for Assessing Baseline

Conditions Transition Planning Suggestions ASTM Standard E 1971 – Stewardship for

the Cleaning of Commercial and Institutional Buildings

Green Seal Standard DOI Custodial Contract Language

JWOD Certified Green Cleaners

• St. Louis Lighthouse for the Blind - Rochester Midland• Blind Industries and Services of Maryland

– Envirox and 3M Twist & Fill

Resource Link

http://GreeningInterior.doi.gov

green janitorial operations

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