Green Cleaning at UConn
Why the need for Green Cleaning?
The average American spends about 90% of his or her day indoors. Studies by the Environmental Protection Agency indicate that levels of indoor air pollution may be 2-5 times higher than outdoor levels leading to direct, negative effects on human health. One source of such indoor air pollution can be found in the cleaning products used in the area. These products may produce noxious fumes or leave potent residues behind. Headaches, dry eyes, nausea, dizziness, and chronic fatigue are only some of the side effects that have been linked with high exposure to particularly cleaning products.
In addition to being harmful to human health, many cleaning products have also proven harmful to the environment. Some of the more potent cleaners contain volatile organic compounds, phenolic compounds, or petroleum solvents. Few are biodegradable.
As a campus that hosts the daily activities of tens of thousands of people, UConn purchases and consumes enormous quantities of cleaning products each year. By encouraging the use of green cleaners, UConn will be promoting a safe, healthy atmosphere for all of its campus community members.
Why at the University of Connecticut?
Daily and periodic janitorial cleaning is commonplace at every UConn campus due to the large mass of traffic from the university community. As a result, the University of Connecticut is a large consumer of cleaning products. Therefore, we are working to encourage the use of green cleaners not only to promote clean and safe working conditions but also to reduce the impact on the environment.
At the same time, the University of Connecticut is now required to comply with Governor Rell’s Executive Order #14. On April 17, 2006, Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell issued an executive order which declares that all state facilities and workplaces shall "procure and use, whenever practicable, cleaning and/or sanitizing products having properties that minimize potential impacts to human health and the environment, consistent with maintaining clean and sanitary State facilities."
Click here to read the full text of the Executive Order or the press release announcing this order.
A year and a half after this Executive Order, the Connecticut Legislature passed
Public Act 07-100. This act mandates that cleaning products used in State buildings must meet environmental standards set by an approved environmental certification program. These products must seek to minimize their potential harmful impact on human health or the environment.
Click here to read the Public Act.
UConn Cleaning Product Assessment - 2007
Additional Background
It has been found that some widely used cleaning products have serious adverse effects on the health of building occupants and janitors. On average, people spend about 90% of their day indoors, where air pollution from diverse sources such as cleaners, upholstery, and carpeting can be up to 100 times greater than pollution concentrations in outdoor air. Short term health problems caused by exposure to hazardous cleaning products range from eye irritation and coughing to chest pain, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea. Long-term effects may include liver and kidney failure, birth defects, emphysema, brain damage, and even cancer. 11.6% of work-related asthma comes from cleaning products. In addition, people who suffer from multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome, a disease that is not fully understood or recognized by the medical community, feel that low level exposure to chemicals, such as cleaning products, cause them to feel sick.
Not only are humans affected but the effects of these cleaning chemicals are felt downstream, literally. Some ingredients of cleaning products are associated with eutrophication (toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/eutrophication.html) of streams and are toxic to aquatic organisms.
Office of Environmental Policy's Green Cleaning Whitepaper
For More Information
If you are interested in learning more about green cleaning, please visit the resources listed below.
Janitorial Products Pollution Prevention Program
Green Seal
Department of the Interior Green Cleaning Practices
