Green cleaning

Green cleaning is cleaning that reduces the risk of harm to people and the environment. It encompasses a range of products and cleaning techniques that decrease or eliminate the toxic chemicals and by-products that are typically found in standard household and industrial cleaning products.

Green cleaning claims many benefits, including improvements to indoor air quality, reduced health risks to custodial workers and/or household residents, and reduced levels of air and water pollution. Some strategies rely solely on natural, commonly available substances, but there has also been the development of a sizable green cleaning industry in recent years. In the United States, manufactured products must meet specific criteria to qualify for official green certification. These standards are verified through independent testing by regulatory agencies.

Background

Standard cleaning product formulations typically contain numerous chemicals known to pose dangers to human health. While manufacturers are obligated by law to provide warnings on product labels along with detailed safe usage guidelines, advocates of green cleaning contend that these products pose a greater degree of risk than is generally acknowledged. Individuals may breathe in toxic fumes when using them, which can contribute to short-term problems, such as allergic reactions, as well as long-term, chronic health and respiratory conditions. These risks are particularly pronounced at the institutional level, where custodial staff come into continuous contact with toxic products. After use, such products may also remain on surfaces in trace amounts, contributing to ambient air and water pollution while reducing indoor air quality. They may also be absorbed through the skin or ingested by using contaminated cutlery and dishes. In addition, common disposal methods have a negative environmental impact, as the toxic chemicals found in many cleaning products used in households and institutional settings are not biodegradable. When these products are poured or flushed down drains, they typically end up polluting aquatic environments, causing damage to wildlife habitats and ecosystems.

Some of the most common toxins found in standard cleaning products include ammonia, triclosan, sodium hydroxide, sodium lauryl sulfate, and butyl cellosolve. There are also more than three thousand different chemicals found in the fragrance formulations manufacturers use in cleaning products. Research indicates that such fragrances can contribute to migraines, asthma, and allergies and may cause hormonal imbalances and negative effects on human reproductive systems. One recent study conducted in the United States also determined that 133 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were released during tests involving a limited sample of commonly used cleaning products. Long-term exposure to certain VOCs, including those found in standard cleaning products, are associated with serious health risks, including liver damage, kidney damage, brain damage, and cancer. As such, health agencies strongly recommend reducing exposure to VOCs.

Green cleaning offers an alternative to the use of toxic chemicals in both households and institutional settings. Only nontoxic, biodegradable ingredients are used in certified green cleaning products, which is thought to greatly reduce their potential to harm human health and the environment. Green cleaning products can be bought by consumers; in addition, there are green cleaning services.

Overview

Some green cleaning strategies rely solely on natural substances such as vinegar, baking soda, and lemon, which are known to have effective cleaning properties. Others rely on specially formulated, nontoxic, biodegradable products that carry unique certifications from recognized independent agencies. In the United States, Green Seal is one of the most prominent such agencies. To qualify for Green Seal certification, cleaning products must conform to stringent standards across a range of categories, including environmental requirements, packaging, labeling, and usage guidelines.

Environmental requirements cover toxicity, skin and eye irritation, combustibility, and fragrances, among other criteria. Products must be noncombustible and nontoxic to humans in their undiluted forms, and they must contain no known carcinogens, reproductive toxins, or skin or eye corrosives or irritants. All fragrances must be clearly identified on the product's materials safety data sheet (MSDS), and they must meet the International Fragrance Association's accepted code of practice. Furthermore, they may not contain any prohibited ingredients, including alkylphenol ethoxylates, dibutyl phthalates, heavy metals, or chemicals known to deplete the ozone layer. Green certified cleaning products must also not be toxic to aquatic life, and all organic ingredients must be biodegradable in aquatic environments. VOC levels cannot exceed 1 percent by weight for bathroom cleaners and general-purpose products and 3 percent by weight for products used to clean glass.

Additional mandatory requirements include training initiatives that provide detailed, step-by-step instructions for safe proper product use and disposal. Packaging must also be recyclable. Labeling must indicate best practices for diluting the product with water prior to usage and explain the need for personal protective equipment, if applicable. It is also considered desirable for a product not to be tested on animals and for manufacturers to offer advanced training and support opportunities, including toll-free telephone assistance and aid for consumers whose first language is not English.

Since the 1990s, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also had a program that labels cleaning products that meet the agency's criteria for safer chemicals. This program was originally called Design for the Environment and was renamed Safer Choice in 2015.

At the institutional level, green cleaning initiatives can be expanded to include vacuums outfitted with technologies that improve indoor air quality, as well as Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) certifications for floor scrubbers, carpet cleaners, and other equipment used for industrial cleaning applications. Waste reduction, sustainability, and the use of recycled materials are other prominent elements of green cleaning initiatives.

While such products are widely considered safer for humans and the environment, the green cleaning industry is not free of controversy. Some manufacturers make deceptive or outright false claims about a product's safety, biodegradability, or toxicity. While such products will not usually pass the demanding testing standards of agencies and organizations like Green Seal and LEED, they can confuse or deceive consumers. Overall, green cleaning products are more expensive than their standard counterparts are, creating the potential for what is commonly called greenwashing. The term greenwashing applies to the eco-friendly product industry as a whole and refers to the practice of making misleading claims to entice consumers to spend more money on products they believe to be better for the environment.

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