PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY

Colorado State University is committed to providing clean, safe, and healthy environments for all students and employees. This policy is intended to communicate the University’s dedication to this commitment across all university campuses and interior spaces with the use of sustainable and environmentally preferred cleaning products and methods. This policy supports sustainability initiatives across the University by helping conserve resources while safeguarding the environment and wellbeing of our students and employees in the places we learn, research, work, and live.

This policy is intended to assist the University community, contractors and suppliers in accounting for the environmental impact associated with the lifecycle of cleaning supplies to help minimize adverse social and environmental effects related to the production, transportation, use and disposal of cleaning materials.

APPLICATION OF THIS POLICY

This policy applies to all cleaning procedures, cleaning material purchases, cleaning equipment purchases, and cleaning services that occur inside and on the building site and grounds for any property owned, leased or maintained by Colorado State University. This policy applies to all students and employees of the University.

EXEMPTIONS FROM THIS POLICY

Departments whose areas require special cleaning products to meet health or other legal guidelines are exempt from this policy as it relates to those requirements.

DEFINITIONS USED IN THIS POLICY

OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a government agency charged with protecting worker health and safety.

Eco-friendly: Not environmentally harmful

Green Seal Certification: Greenseal.org Green Seal® is a global nonprofit organization that pioneered the ecolabeling movement with a mission to transform the economy for a healthier, greener world.

Green Cleaning Product: cleaner that is created using safe, non-toxic, and biodegradable ingredients.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC): compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility.

POLICY STATEMENT

Colorado State University believes that it is our responsibility to safeguard the environment and wellbeing of our students, employees, and community. The use of sustainable and environmentally preferred cleaning products and strategies are an important step in accomplishing this goal.

POLICY PROVISIONS

Scope

This policy applies to all cleaning procedures, material and equipment purchases, and cleaning services that occur on Colorado State University property. Under the specifics of this policy, employees and other members of the campus community will reduce the use of toxic cleaning products and align cleaning practices with best practices guidance.

This policy will be followed as it aligns with the State of Colorado and University rules and regulations. The attached Best Practices document is a living document and will adjust as changes are made within the State of Colorado and University system.

Specifically, this policy covers the following:

• Cleaning and procurement strategies for:
• Protection of occupants and staff during cleaning
• Disinfectant and sanitizer selection and use
• Safe storage and handling of cleaning chemicals, including spill management
• Hard floor and carpet cleaning and maintenance
• Disposable housekeeping products

Performance metrics and strategy development:

• Reductions in water use, energy use, and chemical toxicity
• Green Cleaning Products procurement and usage
• Green cleaning equipment procurement and usage

Staffing and training:

• Staffing requirements and contingency for staffing shortages
• Timing and frequency of staff training
• Health, safety & wellbeing of janitorial staff

Unforeseen changes, i.e. global pandemics, could require deviations from some elements of this policy.  In these instances, use the best available data from experts like the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to provide for the safety of our university community.

Roles and Responsibilities

The responsible parties for this policy are listed in the table below. The responsible parties ensure that this policy is executed and that any contracted cleaning vendors under management’s control are aware of and fully trained on the procedures outlined in this policy. The parties responsible for reviewing this policy for any significant changes on the interval specified in the quality assurance section are listed in the below table. If at any time updates are required to this policy, the responsible parties will work together to ensure that the appropriate individuals are informed of the updates.

COMPLIANCE WITH THIS POLICY

Compliance with this policy is required. For assistance with interpretation or application of this policy, contact the Responsible Party listed above for your facility.

REFERENCES

• Best Practices for Green Cleaning
• CSU Policy: Environmentally and Socially Responsible Procurement Policy
• Green Seal Standards
• Green Seal Information