1. Healthier To Use
Traditional cleaning products can contain high levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that can lead to many different issues for the cleaning professionals who use them. VOCs, as a group, include a wide variety of chemicals. Those most often used in traditional cleaning products can cause:
- throat and nose irritation
- shortness of breath
- headaches
- fatigue
- nausea
- dizziness
- skin irritation1
Green-certified cleaning products offer a great alternative to these, by using ingredients that are non-toxic or much lower in toxicity. However, it's essential to research a product before using it. Some companies have been accused of "greenwashing." Greenwashing is when a company makes claims that their product is green for the added marketing benefits, but their products don't really back it up.
One easy way to make sure a product is actually green is to see if it's been certified by an independent, third-party. We’ve written a separate blog all about that very topic.
2. Safer Facilities
As you can imagine, using products that are safer for workers also leaves behind a clean facility that’s safer for its occupants. The use of cleaning products with VOCs can cause some people who are more sensitive to such triggers, such as people with asthma, to reach badly in the short term. Other compounds may have longer-term negative consequences for building occupants, but the research is ongoing.1 However, the short-term effects alone are enough to avoid using products with these harsh components.
3. Lower Cost
This one might surprise people at first. When green products were first introduced, they could be more expensive than traditional cleaning products. Now, concentrated green cleaning products can actually deliver up-front savings. But, beyond that, it's crucial to consider the less visible impacts on revenue caused by using harsher chemicals. The EPA reports that the cleaning industry employs about 2.8 million janitors, all of whom are at risk to be exposed to volatile compounds.2 The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that, in 2015, janitors represented the third highest number of nonfatal injuries and illnesses away from work.3 In just one state, Washington, 6 percent of these janitorial injuries are due to chemical exposure to a cleaning product.2 This, of course, impacts the lives of all those cleaning professionals and their safety should always be a prime consideration for their employers. Beyond that, this can have a negative effect on a business’s bottom line. It translates into lost earnings due to staff shortages, higher insurance premiums, and possible worker’s compensation claims.
If you’re looking for green-certified products, EnvirOx has a solution for you. Contact one of our specialists for more information about what products might be right for you.
- HealthLink British Columbia. (2018). Indoor Air Quality: (VOCs). Retrieved from https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthlinkbc-files/air-quality-VOCs
- EPA. (2016). Greening Your Purchase of Cleaning Products: A Guide for Federal Purchasers. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/greening-your-purchase-cleaning-products-guide-federal-purchasers
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2017). TED: The Economics Daily – Workplace Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities by Occupation. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2017/workplace-injuries-illnesses-and-fatalities-by-occupation.htm