Jean Hanson

If you're preparing to enter the new age of providing environmentally conscious cleaning, then you need to stay up to date with standards and regulations in the industry. Following are some of the agencies involved in setting green cleaning standards.

Green Seal. An independent non-profit organization that uses science-based environmental certification standards on products. Green Seal conducts product evaluations using a life-cycle approach to make sure all significant environmental impacts of a particular product have been considered.

EcoLogo. North America's oldest environmental certification organization, launched in 1988 by the Canadian government. EcoLogo provides customers -- public, corporate and consumer -- with assurance that the products and services bearing the logo meet stringent environmental standards that have been verified by a third party auditor.

Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI). Science-based resource for facts about carpet and rugs. When you buy a product that has the CRI Seal of Approval, you have proof that you have purchased a quality product that cleans effectively and protects your customer's carpet investment.

U.S. EPA Environmentally Preferable Purchasing. This is the resource that government buildings use to buy green products. This site is also useful to green cleaning service providers, businesses and consumers who are interested in purchasing products with a reduced environmental impact.

U.S. EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines. The CPG program designates products that are or can be made with materials recovered from solid waste. Buying recycled-content products ensures that the materials collected in recycling programs will be used again in the manufacture of new products.

U.S. EPA Design for the Environment. The DFE logo on a product means that each ingredient has been screened for potential human health and environmental effects and that the product contains only those ingredients that pose the least concern among chemicals in their class.

U.S. Green Building Council. Non-profit organization working to make green buildings available to everyone through the LEED Green Building Rating System. USGBC has chapters throughout the United States.

Biodegradable Products Institute. Promotes the use and recycling of polymeric biodegradable materials (via composting). The BPI is open to any materials and products that demonstrate that they meet the requirements in ASTM D6400 or D6868, based on testing in a approved laboratory.

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Steve Hanson helps owners of small cleaning companies build a more profitable and successful cleaning business through his online community at TheJanitorialStore.com. Read inspirational cleaning success stories at http://www.cleaning-success.com, and sign up for weekly cleaning tips at http://www.TheJanitorialStore.com.