Green and pleasant land
June 1st 2010 The UK cleaning industry has been looking for more ways to go green for many years, but vague messages have left many individuals and businesses unclear of how they can best get started. Keith Baker of ISSA points the way
The essential question is 'why go green?' This isn't the place to re-tread the wider moral arguments, but the stark truth is that a business case needs to be established. The cleaning industry makes heavy use of chemicals and non-recyclable consumables. It's the nature of our job. This practice doesn’t need to stop completely, but the use of these harmful treatments needs to be dramatically reduced.
One of the keys to successfully implementing a green cleaning programme in a facility (particularly medium to large facilities) is to assemble and empower an effective cleaning team. This team shouldn't just comprise your staff, but also include members from all stakeholder groups in the facility, as well as representatives from cleaning supply vendors.
The principles of a green cleaning programme remain similar across the broad spectrum of situations in which they're implemented, but each presents its own unique challenges that green cleaning can solve.
Green cleaning in offices
As with any cleaning contract, size of the facility determines the cleaning operations. For example, a smaller office allows the opportunity to get to know your client, subsequently making it easier to make the case for green cleaning. Larger offices will often require more formalised co-operation with the facilities manager.
In every office, you will encounter the full range of people with sensitivities, allergies and illness – and you should look to cater for every individual without recourse to chemicals or non-recycled products. The key point with every contract is to communicate with the client and occupants, letting them know what changes you are making and why. Changing to recycled hand towels? Make sure you keep everybody in the loop and clearly communicate the benefits.
Greener, cleaner schools
School buildings are increasingly used for a wider variety of purposes, remaining open from the early morning to the late evening. Again, it is important to engage and communicate with the stakeholders: teachers, parents, pupils, and governors.
Everyone needs to have a clear understanding of the new cleaning strategy and the reasoning behind it. Using more recycled materials, reducing harmful chemicals and cutting down on wastage will almost always align with the school's existing goals, so a green cleaning initiative will likely be welcomed with open arms. However, sometimes unexpected changes, however positive, can lead to complaints, which is why proper communication is vital to a green cleaning plan’s success.
Healthcare: room for a green cleaning strategy?
Cleaning for healthcare requires a greater attention to detail than
any other form of cleaning. In recent years, poor cleaning standards
have been linked to the rise in MRSA and other ‘superbugs’. Good
cleaning standards can help prevent a percentage of these incidents.
Hospitals are active day and night, so your cleaning process must be
considered and adaptable to constant activity. Scheduled cleaning
work will need to be carefully arranged to take place during quiet
periods, but emergency situations require flexibility.
Due to the scheduling difficulties, it is recommended to work with the medical staff to draw-up a list of priorities of the most crucial areas to clean. Prioritising areas according to potential risk allows your cleaning plan to target the most important locations. This isn't about reducing the amount of cleaning, but increasing and improving it in the high-risk areas that require the most attention. This is a key difference between green cleaning and standard cleaning methods.
The clear advantages
Green cleaning will benefit both the environment and businesses. The application of solid green cleaning principles and green cleaning training (such as those offered by ISSA) reflect a positive image to both current and potential clients. Sustainable cleaning focuses on minimising contaminants, reducing waste and environmental impacts, and making processes more efficient.
Traditionally, we have focused on the financial and social impact of the people who do the cleaning. Green cleaning itself can’t completely resolve these issues, but increased focus on training and professionalism helps to further improve the perception of the cleaning industry. Furthermore, while it is not the goal of green cleaning to save money, it is often the after-effect of implementing a green cleaning scheme. More articles from ISSA Interclean: | 
