January 19, 2006
UW custodians use products, methods easy on the environment and themselves
Move over Good Housekeeping seal of approval. The approval a lot of professional cleaners are looking for these days is from Green Seal. That’s Green Seal the nonprofit organization that “strives to identify and promote products that cause less toxic pollution and waste, conserve resources and habitats and minimize global warming and ozone depletion.”
And if you look at the UW Custodial Division’s policies, you’ll find they mandate the use of cleaning products that meet the Green Seal standard. But then, the division has been interested in “green cleaning” since before Green Seal existed.
“I’ve been here 20 years, and one of the first things I did when I got here was to eliminate the use of a phenol based disinfectant that was harsh on the skin,” said Gene Woodard, division director. “Our philosophy is to use products that are safe for the staff and do the job without negatively affecting the indoor environment.”
Choosing a less toxic disinfectant back in 1985 is just one example of how the division has been ahead of the curve. For example, campus custodians began using “twist and fill” products because of their efficiency and cost effectiveness nine years ago. The twist and fill system automatically dispenses the right amount of cleaning solution with water so none gets wasted or accidentally misused.
“We selected 3-M Corporation that makes the product because of the milder ingredients it uses and its recyclable containers. We fully expected that their products would get Green Seal certification, which they did shortly after Green Seal started certifying products,” Woodard said.
Another effort the division has made to eliminate waste and to keep harmful products out of the UW environment is to streamline their products. Woodard said that when he first arrived at the University, more than 100 different cleaning products were in use. Custodians in one building could decide they preferred a particular brand of cleaner and it would be purchased for them. “Now, we have standard products, which makes training and safety much easier to manage,” he said.
When the division is unable to use a Green Seal certified product, as with floor finish (no proven and UW custodial tested floor finish has received certification), then it chooses a product low in volatile organic compounds — chemicals that can cause damage when inhaled. Woodard said the division is hopeful that there will be a certified floor finish product that is cost effective and durable enough to withstand the foot traffic most UW floors receive.
“We’re also trying to support recycling by purchasing only paper products that are 40 percent post-consumer waste,” Woodard said.
Assistant Director Sattia Sear said the division has been conducting a pilot study and is in the process of switching to microfiber dust and wet mops. Their old dust mops, he explained, were cotton treated with mineral oil. Not only did they require the use of oil — 33 ounces per 100 pounds of mop — but they required 26 ounces of detergent per 100 pounds to clean them, compared with six ounces for the untreated microfiber mops. (Microfiber attracts dust without being treated with oil.)
The new wet mops being evaluated dispense water and cleaning solution through the handle, eliminating the need for a bucket filled with water. “When you use a bucket, you are to a certain extent spreading the dirt around,” Woodard said. “And these new mops are not only very light, they eliminate the need to roll a bucket and wringer around, so they’re good for our custodians, too.”
The vacuum cleaners the custodians use are also designed to be kind to the environment. Each has four or five internal filters that trap the dirt inside and prevent it from spewing out into the air. High speed buffers likewise have a vacuum system to contain the dirt.
The division’s methods have helped earn the University points in getting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for Merrill Hall.
And a year ago, the division decided it was time to spell out its philosophy in a Green Cleaning Policy, together with cleaning guidelines. Sear was tapped to draft the policy, which can be found at http://www.washington.edu/admin/facserv/custodial/images/GreenPolicy.pdf
Woodard shared the policy at a recent national meeting of building administrators and said there was a lot of interest in it. Other universities have asked if they could use it, he said.
“This is just the beginning,” Woodard continued. “We wanted to put our policy in writing to educate our own staff. I’m sure it will continue to evolve as we learn more and as more environmentally friendly products are introduced to the market.”
