When the COVID pandemic hit full force, the first concern was stopping the spread of the virus as quickly and effectively as possible with cleaning and disinfecting products and methods that killed the germs. The issue of whether or not cleaning, sanitizing, or disinfecting is “green enough,” may not have been a priority. Facility and property managers wanted assurance that the active ingredients being used by their cleaning and janitorial services worked effectively on frequently touched surfaces, and the methods being used ensured products stayed on such surfaces long enough to eliminate any risk.
The question of green cleaning, however, is on many minds these days, given that COVID is staying with us for the foreseeable future. Recognizably, those employed as cleaning staff continue to expose themselves to facilities where the virus may be living. They also, however, are exposing themselves, and those living or working in commercial and retail facilities, to potential toxicity risk when using certain conventional chemical cleaners and disinfectants.
Green cleaning is part of responsible health and safety practices. It is time to do a green cleaning check and ask yourself, “Even in the midst of COVID, are we asking the right questions in terms of green cleaning when it comes to hiring a commercial cleaning company?”
Are green cleaners as effective at fighting COVID?
The first question that comes to mind has to do with effectiveness. Are green cleaners as effective? The answer is, yes, there are many green cleaning and disinfecting products that work as well as traditional cleaners and sanitation methods, that are also safe for the environment. Indeed, this is a very important question as there have, for example, been products on the market that make botanical claims without being 100% plant-derived. In most instances, such products actually use synthetic ingredients to supplement their formulations. Others have simply claimed—with insufficient evidence— to be effective against COVID.
Fortunately, public health agencies have responded quickly to challenge such “pseudo-protection”. When disinfectants and cleaners claiming to sanitize against the novel coronavirus started to flood the market this spring, Health Canada’s stepped in with urgent measures to protect consumers from illegal, false or misleading advertising of products claiming to mitigate, prevent, treat, diagnose, or cure COVID-19.
As a result, verifying online that a product is legitimate in terms of effectiveness is easy to do by referring to the list issued by Health Canada, Hard Surface Disinfectants and Hand Sanitizers (COVID-19) .
In addition, Green Seal® assists when choosing green. Green Seal® is a global non-profit organization that pioneered the ecolabelling movement. When considering EPAs N-list, Green Seal recommends choosing products with the following active ingredients.
- hydrogen peroxide**
- citric acid
- lactic acid
- ethyl alcohol (also called ethanol or just alcohol)
- isopropyl alcohol
- peroxyacetic acid**
- sodium bisulfate
- hypochlorous acid
**The combination of hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid is a designated AOEC asthmagen, so avoid products that contain both.
How to check if a product is effective and green when fighting COVID
Checking both the name and the active ingredient for a product tells you:
- The product has been approved for use by Health Canada
- Whether or not the active ingredient is considered green (low toxicity)
For example, when researching Oxivir disinfectants by Diversey (a product deemed Green Seal® safe), hydrogen peroxide is the active ingredient listed in column two. Hydrogen peroxide is an environmentally friendly oxidant because it releases only water as a by-product. It also has proven efficacy for killing SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 virus). The result is a product with effective disinfection and cleaning performance, that is also gentle on end users and surfaces.
Green Seal also reminds us in their Guidelines for Safer COVID-19 Cleaning and Disinfection (page 9) that there are additional benefits to using many green cleaners. “Certified green cleaners have benefits beyond safer ingredients and proven efficacy: Because they come in concentrates, they are typically designed to be diluted with unheated water. This prevents packaging waste and reduces energy consumption for transportation and water heating.”
Selecting Green Cleaning Methods and Technology Effective Against COVID
Some technologies being marketed for controlling COVID-19 create an unnecessary increase of hazardous exposures, while others still require more proof of efficacy and safety. A lot has to do with protecting indoor air quality, which is always a concern when it comes to products with high toxicity. Many conventional sanitization methods tend to release harmful, volatile, organic compounds into the air (e.g., “fogging”). Aside from contributing to poor indoor air quality, they may also contain chemicals that cause various respiratory ailments (including occupational asthma), eye and skin irritation, and other impacts on human health.
Another issue relates to proper application methods. Although instructions should be on the labels, this is where it is key to have properly trained staff that are familiar with both the products and the equipment. Trained, quality-minded staff know that unless the application methods are found on the label, the EPA has not reviewed any data on whether the product is effective or safe when applied this way.
Once again, it’s important to ask your commercial cleaning company what cleaners and disinfectants are part of their process. Electrostatic technology, for instance, is effective as long as the products used with the system are considered non-toxic.
Check out Green Seal’s Safer COVID-19 Disinfecting Guidelines for comprehensive guide to protecting the health of building occupants and cleaning personnel during the pandemic.
Ongoing sustainable practices for ensuring effective COVID cleaning
There are many aspects of our daily working lives that should continue whether or not we are in a pandemic. These include best practices, that give a property manager peace of mind and assure the occupants that their cleaning company is committed to quality, professional standards and sustainable, environmentally responsible cleaning.
As such, the usual questions apply:
- Do they choose reusable options for cleaning where possible, such as microfiber towels and mops that can be laundered after each use. These products also have the added benefit of requiring less water than other materials.
- Do the supplies they use, such as trash bags, mops, buckets, and other cleaning tools, meet EPA procurement guidelines or other similar requirements? There will be certain items, like plastic gloves, that cannot be substituted because of COVID, but proper regard for recycling, reusing and disposing should continue to part of overall corporate responsibility.
- Do they publish a statement of sustainability practices, readily available on the vendors website? See Kleenway’s here as an example.
Commercial Cleaners, Green and Leading the Industry
The commercial cleaning and building maintenance industry has become an essential player in a world changed by this pandemic. Leaders in commercial cleaning are embracing green cleaning as part of the goal to safely support sustainability and ensure healthy indoor environments.
As the pandemic wears on, health continues to be everyone’s top concern. It is critical for those responsible for property management to maintain trust with building occupants, their own property personal, and other stakeholders. Continue to communicate your actions being taken about the virus and include green cleaning methods and products. It is all part of assuring those around you, your own staff as well as customers and vendors, that health and safety is paramount.
