Pollution Prevention for Janitorial Services 7349

Pollution Prevention (P2) for Janitorial Services 7349

Opportunities may exist to save a significant amount of money for your business and simultaneously protect the environment through P2.

What is P2? P2 is the use of materials, processes, or practices that eliminate or reduce the creation of pollutants or waste at the source. P2 consists of a variety of strategies and techniques that strive to avoid the production of waste and the subsequent costly and sometimes dangerous waste management activities. Waste avoidance or reduction may result in increased facility efficiencies as well as significant savings from lowered waste management costs, raw materials costs, reduced insurance and worker safety costs. There is, therefore, the opportunity to simultaneously improve your bottom line - and protect the environment.

Where can I obtain information? The Business & Environmental Service Centers have compiled a library of P2 reference materials that may help you identify and adopt P2 measures appropriate to your business. For local P2 information, call 1-800-GOV-1-STOP. The following publications may be requested online:

What are the benefits of P2?

Business Cost Savings: You may realize - reduced energy costs, operational costs, production costs, raw materials costs, transportation costs, treatment and disposal costs, compliance permits, monitoring and enforcement costs.

Environmental Protection: Your employees and patrons will appreciate your leadership in the implementation of business practices that are economically viable, sustain natural resources and diversity, and enhance the quality of life for present and future generations.

Regulatory Relief: It is easier to achieve and maintain compliance once P2 measures have been implemented.

Reduced Liability, Exposure, and Health Risk: Less waste means less liability for environmental problems at both on-site and off-site treatment, storage and disposal facilities. Reducing waste also means less potential risk to human health and safety and reduced worker exposure to toxic chemicals.

Reduced Energy Consumption: Energy conservation and energy use efficiency will reduce costs and the risk of power outages.

What new technologies reduce costs and promote P2?

Hard Floor Care: Reducing stripper use is a good idea for safety and environmental reasons and for saving money. Prevent abrasive dirt particles from reaching the floor by using walk-in mats, dust or vacuum rugs and flooring frequently and wet mop the floor with a liquid cleaner or surface buffing product. Monitor the floor refinishing work that you do and strip floor finish only when needed. Advantages include: reducing worker exposure to harmful ingredients, minimizing the impact on the environment by reducing indoor air emissions and impact of stripping materials into the municipal sewage system.¹
Non-acid Cleaners: A strong non-acid cleaning product for your daily toilet maintenance along with a disinfectant product that contains alkyl ammonium chloride to kill germs will generally meet most toilet cleaning needs. Powdered cleaner and a scrub pad can be used to remove lime stains, rust or other stubborn deposits the regular daily cleaner might not remove. Advantages include: reducing worker exposure to dangerous chemicals and reducing metal corrosion from repeated exposure to acid.²
Least Toxic Disinfecting: Use a disinfectant that kills the specific germs in your building and leave the disinfectant in place long enough for it to do its job (up to 10 minutes) for best results. An ultraviolet light will let you see how well you are disinfecting. Advantages include: preventing the spread of disease while reducing worker exposure to dangerous chemicals and reducing the impact of indoor air pollution.³

What are the P2 alternatives for dental offices?

Substitute Practice or Product

For

Hazardous Product

Eliminate / Reduce Human Hazards

And

Eliminate / Reduce Environmental Hazards

Use powdered cleaner and a scrub pad to remove most stains from porcelain. Substitute a product that contains alkyl ammonium chloride to kill gems.

Acid Toilet Bowl Cleaner With hydrochloric acid.

Corrosive to eyes and skin; can cause blindness.

Corrosive to metals and high amounts usually prohibited by sewer agency.

Use walk-in mats at each building entrance and vacuum and wet mop floor to remove abrasive particles that damage floor finish

Floor Finish Stripper With butoxyethanol, sodium hydroxide, zinc, and ethanolamine.

Corrosive to eyes (can cause blindness) and skin and poisonous.

High amounts of zinc and sodium hydroxide usually prohibited by sewer agency.

Substitute a mild glass cleaner with less toxic ammonia for daily glass maintenance.

Glass Cleaner With butoxyethanol.

Flammable and may damage blood, liver, kidneys and developing baby.

None unless disposed of outdoors (which is illegal).

Use a mild disinfectant product only after cleaning surfaces thoroughly to maximize effectiveness.

Disinfectant With bleach, phenol, or hydrogen peroxide.

Corrosive to eyes and skin, vapors may be harmful or poisonous.

Corrosive to metals and may affect indoor air quality. High amounts usually prohibited by sewer agency.