Oct 6 2006
GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) announces that it now certifies cleaners and cleaning systems for low chemical emissions. Working closely with JohnsonDiversey, a global provider of commercial cleaning, sanitation and hygiene solutions, GEI's program for testing and certifying cleaning products is based on a new standard that identifies a more comprehensive target list of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), lowers the limits for the emissions of those VOCs and measures at both short-term and long-term exposure levels.
The GREENGUARD Certification Program(SM) for Cleaners and Cleaning Systems is the first and only public program that provides consumers with clear information regarding the effect cleaning products have on indoor air. The program specifically focuses on chemical emissions for cleaning products, including general cleaners, glass cleaners, toilet cleaners, floor cleaners, hard surface cleaners, institutional cleaning systems, aerosol products and carpet cleaners.
Cleaners and cleaning systems can significantly contribute to indoor air pollution, which is ranked as one of the nation's greatest health risks. GREENGUARD's program measures chemical "off-gassing" of the products during recommended use and application, and then compares the measured emission levels against publicly available short-term and long-term risk exposure levels.
"GREENGUARD's approach to cleaners and cleaning systems is unique. While our existing certification programs for interior furnishings and construction materials are rigorous and scientifically based, they primarily focus on measuring chemical and/or particle emissions from products and comparing their levels to existing guidelines and standards. The new cleaning standard is the first that requires a review of measured chemical emissions across a broader range of risk based exposure levels and integrates them into a single standard," said Carl Smith, CEO of GEI.
The GREENGUARD Certification for Cleaners and Cleaning Systems provides the assurance that potentially harmful chemicals have been identified and will have little impact on indoor air and building occupants.
"The GREENGUARD program goes beyond products and actually looks at how the cleaning process affects indoor air quality," says Daniel A. Daggett, Ph.D., group leader for Global Product Safety at JohnsonDiversey. "We're pleased to be able to offer the industry's first GREENGUARD Certified products for our Healthy High Performance Cleaning System."
JohnsonDiversey's Healthy High Performance Cleaning System consists of three important elements: chemical products, tools and procedures to achieve lower impact on IAQ. The cleaning system's Healthy High Performance Cleaning Guide provides users with the proper procedures. When used as directed, these products, procedures and tools make up the cleaning system certified by GREENGUARD.