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Cleaning

Environmental Attributes to Look For

Procurement Guidance

EPP Guide: Greening Your Purchasing of Cleaning Products
Procurement guide for federal purchasers of environmentally preferable cleaning products.

Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG)
Recycled-content recommendations for procurement of cleaning products.

Tools

EPP Program list of Cleaning Tools

Case Studies

EPP Program list of Cleaning Case Studies

Web Resources

EPP Database

EPA Web Sites

Design for the Environment (DfE) Formulator Program
The DfE Formulator Program encourages and assists formulators in designing products with more positive environmental and health profiles than conventional products. DfE can provide formulators with information on chemical characteristics and toxicities of raw materials and additives.

Other Government Web Sites

Department of the Interior (DOI), Green Cleaning
Information about DOI's green cleaning initiatives and accomplishments, including guidance on greening a janitorial business, case studies, and other resources.

General Services Administration (GSA), Safer Paints, Cleaning and Other Chemical Products
Information on GSA's modified product specifications for paints, coatings, sealants, cleaners, and degreasers that require the reduction/elimination of detrimental components.

GSA Advantage! Environmental Aisle
GSA's Advantage Environmental Aisle has thousands of products and services available to assist federal customers in making environmental oriented procurements. Click on the "Environmental" Special Category to view environmentally preferable products and services.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Green Cleaners Exit EPA Disclaimer
Information about the state of Minnesota's use of green cleaners, including success stories and links to green cleaning resources.

Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, Green Janitorial Products and Services
Information for federal facility managers, acquisition staff, health and safety officers and others who are considering the use of green cleaners, including contract language, implementation guidance, case studies, links to products and services that have successfully been used by others, and expert contacts.

Washington State, King County, Environmentally Preferable Cleaning Products Exit EPA Disclaimer
Information about King County's use of green cleaners, including contract specifications and links to green cleaning resources.

Non-Government Web Sites

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Cleaning Standard Exit EPA Disclaimer
ASTM's Standard Guide for Stewardship for the Cleaning of Commercial and Institutional Buildings (E1971-05) outlines procedure to assist owners and operators of commercial and institutional buildings in the stewardship of cleaning and housekeeping operations. The focus of this guide is to address appropriate cleaning activities and processes, to promote eco-efficiency and sustainability, and to avoid adverse impacts on the building occupants, cleaning personnel, the building structure itself, and the environment.

Green Seal, Cleaning Products Exit EPA Disclaimer
Green Seal is an independent, nonprofit organization that sets environmental standards and awards a Green Seal of Approval to products that cause less harm to the environment than other similar products. Green Seal has consensus-based standards for a variety of cleaning products. These standards and a list of qualified products are available on the Green Seal Web site.

McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC), Cleaning Products Exit EPA Disclaimer
MBDC sets environmental standards and awards a "Cradle to Cradle" certification to products considered healthy for humans and the environment throughout their lifecycles, and products that are sources of high-quality materials for perpetual cycles of assembly, use, disassembly and recycling or composting. The certification criteria and a list of certified cleaning products are available on the MBDC Web site.

Washington Toxics Coalition, Cleaning Products Exit EPA Disclaimer
Information on green cleaning from an organization dedicated to protecting public health and the environment by promoting alternatives to toxic chemicals.

Western Regional Pollution Prevention Network, Janitorial Products Pollution Prevention Project Exit EPA Disclaimer
Information on the risks associated with more than 100 cleaning product ingredients, a list of high risk products, and risk evaluation forms. The site also includes a series of fact sheets highlighting the pollution prevention opportunities associated with cleaning products, including recommendations about which chemicals to avoid.

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