Green Cleaning Policy

without harming the environment. Green cleaning has many potential benefits, including reducing exposure to toxic and highly irritating chemicals, reducing exposure to carcinogens and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), reducing dust and chemical allergens, and reducing the number of chemicals needed to maintain facilities. Other goals of green cleaning include reducing use of energy and water, promoting safety and training. These factors contribute to efficiency and financial savings.

Certifications
EcoLogo is North America’s largest, most respected environmental standard and certification mark. EcoLogo offers third party certification of environmentally preferable products and provides customers, public, corporate and consumer, with assurance that the products and services bearing the logo meet stringent standards of environmental leadership.
Green Seal is a non-profit organization that develops life cycle-based sustainability standards for products, services and companies and offers third-party certification for those that meet the criteria in the standard. Green Seal has been actively identifying and promoting sustainability in the marketplace, and helping organizations be greener in a real and effective way since 1989.

Purchasing
In accordance with the College’s commitment to sustainability, safety and the environment will be considered in making all purchases. The College preference is that all cleaning chemicals purchased will be Green Seal or EcoLogo-certified. When it is not feasible to use a Green Seal or EcoLogo-certified chemical, the least hazardous product possible will be selected.

Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed when new products are considered or if new cleaning procedures are implemented. The review will be conducted by the Manager of Cleaning Services to ensure that we are using the best possible practices, our cleaning program is having as little impact as possible and that we are providing the safest environment for all members of the College community.