Fact Sheets
The Janitorial Products P2 Project (“JP4”) is producing a
series of fact sheets on environmental, health, and safety issues.
The fact sheets are meant for individual janitorial workers,
supervisors, and EH&S staff.
ENGLISH FACT SHEETS
Toilet
Cleaning
Hard
Floor Care
Carpet
Care
Restroom
Cleaning
Glass
Cleaning
Metal
Cleaning
Disinfectants
SPANISH FACT SHEETS
Limpieza
Segura Y Efectiva Para Los Inodoros
Muchos
limpiadores para los inodoros o tazas del baño tienen ácido y
otros químicos que son dañinos. Use el producto más suave que
encuentre y siempre use guantes para protegerse.
Tools
The following links are to documents that can aid in evaluating
the hazards of janitorial products.
Cleaning
Product Risk Evaluation - Ingredient Data
Information on
risks associated with nearly 100 ingredients commonly found in
janitorial products.
Finding
Chemical Data
Pages you can visit to find information
about ingredients found in janitorial products.
High
Risk Products
Use this checklist to see if you are using
common high-risk products.
Product
Risk Evaluation Form
A simple form you can use to note
what you find out about a product as you read its MSDS and other
literature.
Product
Test Evaluation Form
Use this form to get feedback on new
products that your janitors are trying out.
Risk
Evaluation Criteria
Screening criteria you can use to
evaluate risks to human health and the environment.
Site
Survey Form
Questions you can ask to find out what
janitorial products a site uses, and how aware people are of the
risks involved.
Commentaries
The Janitorial Products P2 Project ("JP4") is producing a
series of commentaries on environmental, health, and safety
issues. The commentaries are generally intended for supervisors,
EH&S advisors, and agency P2 staff.
The following commentaries are available:
Adding
Labels to Your Containers
Buying
Environmentally Preferable Products
Ideas for setting up
an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Program
City
of San Jose Case Study
Conducting
Effective Product Trials
Tips and information on how to
test new products.
How
Often Are Janitors Injured?
What chemical injuries do
your janitors experience?
Minimizing
Use of Janitorial Products
Polaris
Building Maintenance, Inc.
Clean Up Your Janitorial
Products
Richmond
Janitorial
Chemicals Project (PowerPoint
Presentation)
Presented at Granlibakken Household Hazardous
Waste Conference May 19, 1999
Safe
Storage and Mixing
Selecting
Protective Equipment
Always wear gloves and goggles!
Stanford
University Housing Case Study
What's
Needed Next
Three things the janitorial professional
needs.
Related Sites
Cape Cod
National Seashore
The National Park Service is changing
to environmentally preferable janitorial products
City
of Austin
Green Buildings Project
Guidelines for Green
Building
Housekeeping and Maintenance
Careful
chemical selection and use can pay off in safety for workers and
the environment.
Summary: New EPA compliance initiatives
and increased concern over the effects of chemicals on workers,
indoor air quality and the environment are leading many cleaning
and facility managers to re-evaluate their use of
chemicals.
By Robin Wood, News Editor and Chris Sanford,
Managing Editor, Cleaning and Maintenance Management Magazine
King County,
Washington
Environmental Purchasing Program
County
policy to purchase products manufactured with recycled and
environmentally preferable products.
City of
Saint Paul
"Green" Cleaners Get The Job Done
City of Santa Monica
Custodial
Products Bid Specifications
and
EPA Case
Study (pdf)
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Purchasing
Specifications and Product Evaluations
and
EPA Case
Study (pdf)
OSHA
Label Requirements
OSHA requirements for janitorial
product labels are listed in this abstract taken from 29CFR
1910.1200 (f).
OSHA
MSDS Requirements
OSHA requirements for what a MSDS must
contain are listed in this abstract from 29CFR 1910.1200 (g).
State
of Minnesota
"Minnesota adds environmental requirements
to the state cleaning supplies contract."
US
Department of Interior Turns to Green Cleaners
In
November 1998 the Department of Interior embarked on a quest to
initiate a contract for custodial services using environmentally
preferable cleaning products and supplies.
US
EPA Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
Office of
Pollution Prevention and Toxics
Washington
Dept. of Ecology
Specifications developed by the State of
Washington for purchasing environmentally friendly janitorial
products
Permission is granted to freely copy, distribute, and use
these materials provided that JP4 and the authors are
credited.
Are these fact sheets useful? Please tell us how you have
used them, or give us any other feedback you want us to
know.
Janitorial Products Pollution Prevention Project - Sponsored
by US EPA, State of California, Santa Clara County, the City of
Richmond, and the Local Government Commission. Written by Thomas
Barron, Carol Berg, and Linda
Bookman.
