Rutgers Green Cleaning Product Evaluation Team

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RutgersGreen Cleaning Product Evaluation Team
David L. DeHart
Tom Cunningham
Green
Cleaning
Cindy Johnson
Present
Al Lewis
Walt Zieser
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Rutgers University
50,000 students
12,000 employees
770 buildings
13,000,000 square feet of buildings to clean
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Rutgers University City?
A cleaning operation of this size carries an
enormous responsibility with it
a responsibility that Rutgers Facilities
Environmental Services takes very seriously.
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The toxic chemicals found in many common cleaners
are three times more likely to cause cancer than
air pollution. - Environmental Protection Agency
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Childhood asthma has nearly doubled in the last
20 years. - American Lung Association
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Sick indoor environments account for more than
10 million workdays missed by U.S. workers each
year. - American College of Allergy, Asthma and
Immunology
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While it can be difficult to link specific health
problems to specific exposures, the prevalence of
many illnesses and diseases -- including cancers,
birth and reproductive system defects, asthma,
nervous system disorders such as autism and
attention deficit disorder -- is on the rise, and
environmental toxins may play a significant role
in these increases.

• What did Rutgers Facilities Environmental
  Services do?

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We set the goal of finding the best greenest
cleaning and floor care products available.
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We invited seven leading cleaning and floor care
manufacturers to present their green product
line to us.
Ecolab
3M
JohnsonDiversey
Rochester-Midland
Brulin
Hillyard
Spartan
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Testing was done over a three month period
coinciding with extensive product/system
analysis.
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What did we do?
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We did an extensive chemical analysis which
included
Green Seal certification
HMIS/NFPA health ratings
Dilution ratios
PH
Volatile Organic Compounds
Ingredients (including percentages and C.A.S. s
where available)
Skin irritants
Eye irritants
Respiratory irritants
Bio-base content
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Cleaning chemicals are made from either
petroleum-based (oil) materials or from renewable
bio-based (coconut oils, citrus oils, corn, etc)
materials.
Deer
It is generally accepted that the greenest
products are those made from renewable bio-based
materials.
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Because they are made from renewable bio-based
material and not from the more aggressive
oil-based material, they tend to be more
biodegradable.
Bio-based products also tend to have better
health ratings then the more aggressive oil-based
products.
They are less hazardous to the health of our
employees and our environment.
Because they are not made from petroleum, they
are not subject to price spikes in the worlds
oil market.
Products made from bio-based materials help to
support Americas farmers.
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We also did an extensive review of the dispensing
systems.
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The safest, most environmentally responsible and
cost-effective custodial operation is one which
relies primarily on metered chemical dispensing
systems to correctly (and safely) mix cleaning
chemicals.
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If a custodian mistakenly uses two ounces of a
chemical when they were only supposed to use one,
they have

• Doubled the amount of chemicals with which they
  can come in contact.

• Doubled the amount of chemicals introduced into
  the environment.

• Doubled the cost of cleaning whatever is being
  cleaned.

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Metered chemical dispensing systems accurately
measure the exact mixture for each product every
time.
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The more we enable our custodians to correctly
mix products using a metered chemical dispenser,
the more we are going to be able to keep both our
custodians and environment healthy, as well as
optimize our budgetary dollars.
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How did they work?
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The performance of these products left no doubt
that Rutgers University was going green.
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After extensive review and analysis, it is with
great pride that the Rutgers Green Cleaning
Product Evaluation Team announces a partnership
between Rochester-Midland and the University to
bring safe and environmentally responsible
bio-based cleaning chemicals to Rutgers.
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Environmentally responsible?
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Rutgers University is!
Rutgers University
Cleaning for health
Cleaning for the environment
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Thank you for all of your help and support!
Antonio Calcado
John Reynolds
Margarita Cordero
Robert Sensenbach
Dianne Gravatt
Jeanne Schaab
Ed Sroczynski
Julian Lennon
Rose Stanley
Kevin Lyons, Ph.D.
Paul Summers
John Epstein-Teliha
Gerald Thomas