"Green Cleaning"

What is "green cleaning"

"Green cleaning" is often used to refer to the use of environmentally safe cleaning chemicals or to avoiding the use of any chemicals at all. However for commercial cleaning, generally the term is now used more broadly to include the entire business operation, including head office, management systems and training programs. So if a cleaning business is seeking to become "green" then it is necessary to address all areas of activity. This includes:

• choosing chemicals with low hazard to health and the environment
• choice of products used ,such as cleaning cloths and mops and buckets.,
• choice of paper products supplied, especially the extent of recycled content and also if the product has been ethically produced
• selection of equipment such as vacuum cleaners, scrubbers and gurneys to maximise energy and water efficiency
• thinking energy and water efficiency, in head office - air conditioners, lighting, printers, washing machines etc
• minimising use of fuel by selecting fuel efficient vehicles and avoiding unnecessary travel to site
• ensuring that waste is well managed and recycled wherever possible
• having effective management and training procedures to ensure best practice.

The Green Building Council of Australia provides comprehensive environmental performance criteria for buildings and structures, and defines environmental performance benchmarks for the built environment. The Green Star Rating Scheme administered by the Green Building Council of Australia, now includes some "green cleaning elements in criteria for achieving the ‘Green Cleaning’ credit in Green Star – Performance. 

How can I be recognised as "Green"?

There are a number of different schemes for identifying a service or product as "Green."

• If you are a commercial cleaning company consider BSCAA Qld "ecoClean" program.
• If you are a manufacturer or supplier of cleaning chemicals or products, then you should consider getting your products certified under the Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) Environmental Performance Standards.
• Even if you do not wish to join a "green clean program" choose chemicals and products which are certified by GECA. or by an equivalent program like "Green Seal"
• Get certification for your overall environmental performance under ISO 14001

ecoClean

Environmental Outcomes provides auditing services to the Building Services Association BSCAA (Qld) "green Cleaning program" known as ecoClean, which is an program designed to promote environmentally sustainable practices within the Commercial Cleaning Industry and to assist businesses continuously improve their performance. It is a stepped program, and there are several levels through which participants gradually improve their environmental sustainability.

ecoClean takes a “cradle to grave” approach, recognising that sustainable cleaning needs to address purchasing choices, waste management and operational behaviours both in head offices and on client property, staff training and the overall commitment of the business managers and staff to sustainability. Applicants are assessed by an independent certifier, against a set of standard criteria

Choose Green chemicals and supplies

Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) provides Ecolabelling in accordance with ISO14024 and has issued a Cleaning Products standard Good Environmental Choice Australia Environmental Performance Standard Cleaning Products. In 2013 the requirements were made tougher, especially in relation to volatile organic products (VOC) and use of palm oil. One major change is that the product must not be manufactured using any phosphorus compounds.

Global GreenTag (The GreenTag system) is a certification system i.e. incorporating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the ‘GreenRate’ for Australia/New Zealand specific building related products. It rates product sustainability performance to enable comparative product performance within each product category. It has recently started certifying cleaning products.

The US based Green seal program has sustainability standards for products, services, and companies are based on life-cycle research, a Green Seal has 31 issued standards that cover over 375 product and service categories including cleaning products and services and paper products.

There are also many other standards that may be applicable including GECA standards for paper products and energy and water efficiency star ratings used for appliances such as vacuum cleaners or washing machines. -see Resources