North Carolina State University
OP-13: Cleaning Products Purchasing

Chemical and Equipment purchasing will follow the outlined process below:
-Zone Managers will send all new chemical and equipment requests to their respective Deputy Assistant Directors, who will in turn present the information to the Director of Housekeeping
- Deputy Assistant Directors will then send these requests for purchase to the appropriate committees for consideration and review to ensure that the items meet Green Seal/CRI standards where applicable and required.
- Committees assigned to review the items will either be the Equipment Committee or the Chemical Committee. The Green Committee will be made aware of any decisions made as to their implementation and thereby include this in their quarterly meeting and inclusion on the Sustainability website for general University knowledge
- Once the item under consideration has been approved by the respective committee, then the suggestion to move forward with the use and purchase of item is presented to the Zone Managers at one of the bi-weekly meetings of the Zone Managers
- Zone Managers are then given a time period of 30 days to test the product in their zones and to provide feedback as to the effectiveness of the item in the cleaning process.
-During this testing process, the vendor supplying the item will provide initial training to the Zone Managers on usage of item
- Zone Managers will then designate 1-2 employees to use the product and then provide training to them via the vendor or Zone Manager
- At the next bi-weekly Zone Manager meeting the team will vote on the use of the new product, providing the necessary feedback. If the item is approved by the majority, then it will be considered as an item for use in the Housekeeping Department.
- Training will then be coordinated with the appropriate vendor to make sure every employee is properly trained on safety, usage, storage and preventative maintenance (if equipment) of the selected product.
- Subsequent training of new employees will be handled in each zone by the Zone Manager or General Utility Worker (G.U.W.)
- Refresher courses will be implemented into the OJT module as needed and deemed by the Unit Training Coordinator for new and existing employees

The procedures for checking and safe operation of the equipment that is introduced into the Green Program are as follows:
- All new equipment is reviewed, researched and approved by the Equipment Committee and Zone Managers to meet the standards required by the USGBC or CRI Institute
- Once approved, the procedure for using each piece of equipment will vary, depending on the type of equipment, but all use will follow these general guidelines
- Maintenance Mechanics must check each new piece of equipment for electrical safety and operation prior to its use by the unit to ensure that it is functioning within established parameters
- Operator of the equipment must wear all Personal Protective Equipment as outlined by the manufacturer of the equipment
- Prior to each use, the operator must inspect the cord (if applicable) to make sure that the ground plug is intact and that there are not any cuts or tears in the cord insulation that might result in the unsafe operation of the equipment.
- If defects are found, the equipment must immediately be removed from service and sent to the Maintenance Mechanics for servicing. This is accomplished by submitting a work order.
- Once the equipment has been inspected for safety prior to operation, then user will operate following the instructions given by the manufacturer, including training received from the vendor providing the equipment and from the Zone Manager in each zone throughout the unit
- Upon completion of the task, the operator will clean and store the equipment in the designated area, inspecting the cord (if applicable) for any damage.

Supplies/Materials and Soil Reduction items that are new will follow the process outlined below:
- Deputy Assistant Directors and the Director of Housekeeping will propose new paper products and soil reduction items (entrance mats) that meet the criteria for Green Seal/Recyclable materials as set forth by the USGBC.
- Items are presented to the Zone Managers at the bi-weekly meetings.
- Paper products will be given a 30-day review, while the mats will be voted on by the managers at the bi-weekly meeting of Zone Managers
- During this testing process, the vendor supplying the item will provide initial training to the Zone Managers on usage/installation of item
- The mats will be implemented immediately if the majority is in favor of the new mat.
- After the review period for the paper products, the managers will provide feedback at the next available Zone Manager meeting. If the majority is in favor of the new product, then implementation into the system will be immediate.
- Training as to the proper installation of the new paper products will then be arranged through the vendor for all employees in the zones
- Subsequent training of new employees will be handled in each zone by the Zone Manager or General Utility Worker (G.U.W.)
- Refresher courses will be implemented into the OJT module as needed and deemed by the Unit Training Coordinator for new and existing employees

Chemical Committee Responsibility
- Consists of at least one Leadership Team member (Deputy Assistant Director) and a cross-section of Zone Managers throughout the unit.
- Meets quarterly and uses established Chemical Criteria to review all chemicals currently in use by the unit. Each chemical is reviewed to see whether or not it falls within the guidelines set forth by the USGBC and other parties.
- Ensures no new chemical is introduced into the cleaning process without first obtaining authorization from the Chemical Committee after a thorough review of its contents, effects on the campus population and impact on the environment.
- Provides feedback to all the Zone Mangers, Deputy Assistant Directors, Director and Office Staff of any changes, updates or introduction of new chemicals into the Green Program Initiative
- Reviews all chemicals that may not be USGBC compliant and researches available vendors to see if any better alternatives can be found that would be more acceptable to the program initiative
- Involves the chemical vendor, the supplier and any other necessary personnel to coordinate training with Zone Managers for the Housekeeping staff.

Equipment Committee Responsibility
- Consists of at least one Leadership Team member (Deputy Assistant Director or Director) and a cross-section of Zone Managers throughout the department.
- Examines all current equipment in use by University Housekeeping to determine which equipment is compliant with CRI standards.
- Makes suggestions for new equipment that meet the CRI standards for improving indoor air quality after thoroughly examining equipment from various approved
- Ensures no new equipment is put into operation without first being thoroughly tested and examined on-site to examine the environmental impact, as well as the impact on the campus population.
- Disseminates information after scheduled meetings to the Zone Managers, Deputy Assistant Directors and the Director of Housekeeping

Green Committee Responsibility
- Consists of at least one Leadership Team member (Deputy Assistant Director or Director), at least one Zone Manager and eight other non-supervisory employees from various areas within University Housekeeping
- Act as an information tool for University Housekeeping in dispensing to the employees valuable insight as to the reasons for the Green Program, facts on products used throughout the unit and other information that will educate them in helping University Housekeeping implement and sustain the Green Program
- Act as an information tool for NC State University providing suggestions that help them to conserve energy and resources, educate them on the processes being used by University Housekeeping to implement the Green Program and provide information on products they can use in their personal lives that help the campus to further the Green Program.

Leadership Team Responsibility
- These members include the Director of Housekeeping and Deputy Assistant Director’s
- Designated with the responsibility of determining which paper products are used on the campus. Toilet paper and paper towels are examined to ensure that they meet the standards set by the EPA for 40% post-consumer content and/or 20% recyclable content.
- Oversee the various committees that directly impact the Green Program Initiative

Facilities Operations - University Housekeeping
Green Cleaning Program Summary
The Housekeeping Department of North Carolina State University recognizes the amount of damage being done to the environment by antiquated standard industry practices. We will respond to the needs of the campus community with innovation, integrity, accountability and excellence. We will be a leading higher education facilities organization and incorporate more environmentally-friendly cleaning practices throughout our operations.

Currently, University Housekeeping has implemented these measures:
Chemicals
- Use of products that meet or exceed standards set forth by the United States Green Building Council, Green Seal (GS) and EPA Environmental Choice
- Thirteen (13) industrial cleaners that are certified under GS-37 guidelines
- Chemical dispensing stations called J-Fill units that pre-measure chemicals in order to reduce water usage, minimize exposure and prevent inaccurate mixing of chemicals
- Reduces use of water, helping the campus achieve water consumption goals for a 20% reduction in water usage, over the baseline year, by 2010.
- Floor finish and floor finish remover that are certified under GS-40 guidelines
- Green Seal soap to be implemented campus-wide beginning January 2010
- University Housekeeping Chemical Committee reviews all proposed chemicals to ensure they meet above-mentioned standards.
- Information on chemicals and equipment submitted for LEED Certification points for new and existing building construction/renovation.

Equipment
- Use of equipment that focuses on three (3) key areas for a successful Green Program; soil reduction, indoor air quality and carpet fiber protection.
- Vacuum cleaners, back-pack vacuums and floor burnishers that reduce noise levels, protect the life of the carpet and improve overall indoor air quality as established by the Carpet and Rug Institute
- Removes 99.9% of airborne particles .3 microns or larger
- KaiVac “No Touch” cleaning system manufactured by KaiVac, Inc
- Removal of soils, bacteria and other contaminants. Built-in HEPA filter combined with an aquatic air scrubber suspends soils in the water in the machine ensuring dust-free exhaust and optimum indoor air quality.
- Active Ion Ionator and Orbio SC5000
- Use of ionized water in a patented spray bottle that effectively sanitizes surfaces, removing 99.9% of germs when used in conjunction with a micro-fiber cleaning cloth.
- Use of automatic floor scrubbing machines equipped with built-in chemical dispensing units that accomplish the same task as wall mounted dispensing units for water usage reduction
- University Housekeeping Equipment Committee reviews all proposed equipment to ensure they meet above-mentioned standards

Supplies
- Use of paper products that are recyclable and contain no less than 45% post-consumer content
- Exploring feasibility of incorporating paper products that meet GS-01 guidelines
- Use of entrance mats that help reduce the amount of soil entering the building
- Mats contain 20% recycled material
- Use of Micro-Fiber mopping systems manufactured by Rubbermaid Commercial
- Reduction in water usage by more than 95% in comparison to traditional mop bucket/wringer process

Energy Conservation
- Reduction in consumption of energy resources have also been realized through the incorporation of low-energy/low mercury lamps.

Recycling
- Recycling of waste lamps, incorporating a desk side recycling program and cardboard removal that partners with the efforts of the University Sustainability Office and the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling

Training
- Ongoing training and education through OJT program represents a forward-thinking mentality that can be easily incorporated into all levels of staff involvement in the green cleaning process.
- Helps ensure future success of program and continues the commitment to a greener and more sustainable campus.

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The Sustainability Standard Operating Procedure includes a section on NC State's green cleaning policies and initiatives:
https://sustainability.ncsu.edu/about/governance-commitments/