Sustainable Development and Society - GSA

Sustainable Development and Society
are designated items under RCRA and
EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement
Guidelines. 7
9. Selection of Janitorial Equipment.
Proper janitorial equipment can make a
substantial difference. Carpet care
equipment should capture 96% of
particulates 0.3 microns in size. Backpack
vacuums can save time and money.
Perhaps the simplest strategy is to specify
vacuum cleaners that have been tested and
certified under the Carpet & Rug Institute’s
Green Label Program 8 . Equipment for hard
floor maintenance such as buffers and
burnishers should be equipped with active
dust control systems, including skirts and
vacuums, guards and other devices. Carpet
and floor care equipment should be electric
or battery-powered, be durable and have a
maximum sound level less than 70 dBA.
Conclusion
An appropriate, healthy, high-performance,
sustainable cleaning program is an
essential part of maintaining a healthy and
productive indoor environment. In addition
it can play an important role in reducing
environmental impacts. The new cleaning
paradigm is not focused on appearances
alone, but rather constitutes a low-cost
health intervention and productivity
improvement strategy.
10. Implement Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) Program. Bugs,
rodents, vermin, birds, and other unwanted
creatures can seriously affect the health of
building occupants. Eliminating these pests
through the use of pesticides can also
cause serious health affects. An effective
integrated pest management program
removes the food, moisture and nesting and
entry opportunities that allow pests to enter
and flourish in a building thereby obviating
the need for pesticides. 9
Notes:
1. Heerwagen, 2000: Green Buildings, Organizational Success and Occupant Productivity, Building Research and Information (London) 28 (5): 353–67.
2. OMA, 1997: Cleaning Makes Cents (Washington DC: Building Owners and Managers Association International), p. 57.
3. Krilov, 1996. Impact on an Infection Control Education Program in a Specialized Preschool, American Journal of Infection Control, 1996 (24), pp. 167–73.
4. ASTM, 1998: ASTM Standard E1971-98, Standard Guide on Stewardship for Cleaning Commercial and Institutional Buildings (West Conshohocken: American
Society for Testing and Materials).
5. Green Seal, 2000. Industrial & Institutional Cleaners (GS-37) (Washington DC, Green Seal Inc) http://www.greenseal.org.
6. http://www.arb.ca.gov/consprod/regs/Cpreg.doc
7. EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines can be found at http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm
8. Information on the Carpet & Rug Institute’s Green Label Program can be found at http://www.carpet-rug.com/drill_down_2.cfm?page=8&sub=9
9. Information on integrated pest management can be found at http://www.beyondpesticides.org/main.html.
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