UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA /
PHYSICAL FACILITIES

BERKELEY • DAVIS • IRVINE • LOS ANGELES • MERCED • RIVERSIDE • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SANTA BARBARA • SANTA CRUZ

UCSB Low Environmental Impact Cleaning Policy

Overview:

The overwhelming majority of the average person’s day is spent indoors, where US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies indicate that human exposure to air pollutants can be 2-5 times, and occasionally up to 100 times, higher than outdoor levels. The sources of these pollutants includeupholstery, carpeting, furniture and chemical cleaning agents. Consequently, cleaning products and practices have significant impacts on building occupant health and productivity.

By eliminating the use of cleaning agents which contain toxic chemicals and implementing sustainable cleaning practices across campus, UC Santa Barbara’sCustodial Services Division has committed to improving student and employee health. The goals of the UCSB Low Environmental Impact Cleaning Policy are as follows:

  1. Maintain optimal indoor air quality
  2. Improve occupant health
  3. TrainUniversitystaff to think and act in an environmentally conscious manner
  4. Monitor program outcomes to determine the positive impact of green housekeeping on custodial crew and building occupants (e.g. taking fewer sick days)

Sustainable Cleaning Products:

UCSB has four main cleaning products that meet Green Seal 37 certification requirements (please see attached certificates). By only utilizingcleaning products containing low or no volatile organic compounds(VOCs), UCSB Custodial Servicescreates better working environments for custodial staff and improved indoor air quality for building occupants.

UCSB Custodial Services uses the following 5 products in routine cleaning activities:

  • Buckeye TRUE 7, a neutral floor cleaner
  • Buckeye TENACITY,an all-purpose cleaner and degreaser
  • Buckeye STAR SPRAY, a window cleaner
  • Buckeye MARAUDER,abathroom shower cleaner
  • Procyon SPOT & STAIN REMOVER, a carpet and upholstery cleaner

UCSB Low Environmental Impact Cleaning Policy

Revised 8/24/09

UCSB Custodial Services uses the following green seal certified floor cleaners and finishes:

  • Buckeye VERDE, a zinc free floor finish
  • Hilliard SUPER SHINE ALL,ahardwood floor cleaner

Sustainable Cleaning Practices:

UCSB custodians are trained in the implementation of the following green cleaning guidelines, applicable to all University buildings:

  1. UCSB custodial staff use only the cleaning products (listed above) supplied by the University and are prohibited from bringing their own cleaning products to campus.
  1. All aerosol cans are prohibited.
  1. Chemicals/sprays for pest management are prohibited. In the eventcustodial staff encounter pests, the UCSB Integrated Pest Management (IPM) team is contacted and manages the situation.
  1. UCSB custodial staff will use theproportioning system called Action Control System (ACS) to mix all concentrated cleaning reagents. The ACS is a simple faucet attachment which requires no measurement.
  1. The chemical proportioning system is used at all times when mixing concentrated cleaning reagents with water.

Features of the ACS:

  • Attaches directly to faucet
  • Control Masterproportioner mixes water and reagent
  • Quick-connect tubes for spray bottles and mop buckets
  • Patented connectors ensure proper dilution
  • Color-coded
  • Compatible with an unlimited number of products
  • Requires no in-line check valves

The University has a service agreement with the proportioning system vendor– Procare Janitorial Supply – to ensure the systems always work properly as designed. If the ACS system malfunctions, custodians will notify the senior zone lead.

  1. Custodians should only use Verde floor finish on all university flooring coverings except wood.
  1. Custodians should only use Super Shine All for all university wood flooring.
  1. UCSB’s custodians will only stock non-antimicrobial hand soap on campus. Only use the supplied soap – Green Seal certifiedSymmetryhand soap– on campus. Non-antimicrobial soap is gentle on the skin and does not lead to chemical resistance of bacteria.
  1. Custodial staff will only use equipment that is provided by the UCSB Physical Facilities Division and meets the University’s IAQ standards.

Training:

All UCSB custodial staff will receive training on the campus cleaning protocol and proper usage of the proportioning system.UCSB Custodial Services requires that all new hires attend the Honorsgreen cleaning class.This program incorporates Buckeye products and recommended cleaning procedures and frequencies to produce a clean, healthy school. In addition to the class, the University trains custodial staff in the following areas:

  • Proper maintenance of waterless urinals
  • How to use each cleaning apparatus (vacuums, proportioner, etc.)
  • Ergonomic use of machinery to maximize productivity and reduce operator fatigue and/or discomfort
  • Safety for proper lifting
  • Effective recycling: what to recycle, locations of recycling bins, campus waste diversion goals

Additional Custodial Commitment to the Environment:

Custodial Services purchases 1,000-foot hand towel rolls that are made of 40% post consumer waste content; utilize elemental chlorine-free (ECF) bleaching, and reduce packaging by providing greater feet per case and more towels on each core (compared to the 800-foot roll towels which were used previously). These are used for cleaning windows and mirrors and occasionally as hand towels.Brown bathroom towels contain 100% recycled content.

UCSB Custodial Services is phasing in highly effective cleaning equipment such asHEPA filter vacuums which assist in improving indoor air quality for building occupants. These vacuums are backpack units and therefore are more ergonomic for custodians thus reducing injuries.

Large plastic bottles were used to hold the cleaning reagents for the proportioner system, however UCSB Custodial Services has replaced them with plastic bags, which contain 60% less plastic and hold more chemical. These bags require significantly less space when disposed than the rigid bottles.

UCSB Custodial Services charged Buckeye International with making a zinc-free floor finish with shine. Now this product is called Verde and UCSB uses this product widely on campus.

UCSB Low Environmental Impact Cleaning Policy

Revised 8/24/09