Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.21
Liaison Dave Barbier
Submission Date June 3, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
OP-13: Cleaning Products Purchasing

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.69 / 1.00 Shelly Janowski
Sustainability Coordinator
Facility Services
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Does the institution have an institution-wide stated preference to purchase third party certified cleaning and janitorial products?:
Yes

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A copy of the green cleaning product purchasing policy, directive, or guidelines:
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The green cleaning product purchasing policy, directive, or guidelines:
Mandatory contract to purchase cleaning supplies for state-owned buildings. Awarded vendors must provide competitive pricing for the state’s most commonly used cleaning chemical products and janitorial supplies, this solicitation will provide Equivalent products and Green Certified (Green Seal, Ecologo or EPA DfE) cleaning chemical products. Awarded vendors of the contract resulting from this RFB are expected to work with authorized end-users to replace non-Green certified cleaning chemicals with Green certified (Green Seal, Ecologo or EPA DfE certified) cleaning chemicals through product testing processes. Contractors are also expected to provide end-users with current cleaning methods and techniques for using Green Certified cleaning chemicals.

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A brief description of steps the institution has taken to ensure that the purchasing policy, directives, or guidelines are followed:
The Academic Custodial Services Supervisor oversees cleaning supply purchase guidelines, including tools, chemicals, disposable products and equipment. The Supervisor works closely with our vendor(s) to follow State purchasing guidelines. Under the direction of the Custodial Supervisor, our use of green-certified green chemicals and implementation of green cleaning techniques, including training of personnel, have advanced substantially in recent years. To demonstrate our commitment, we are presently working on green-cleaning certification through the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), which covers cleaning product purchases. Residential Living has a Green Housekeeping Program. We shall continue to seek out and utilize cleaning products that are environmentally friendly in all areas where residents’ , visitors and employees’ health and safety will not be at risk by doing so. We shall continue to train and educate our custodial staff on the use of cleaning agents and make safety product and provisions available for use at the discretion of the custodians during the cleaning processes.

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Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (expenditures on cleaning and janitorial products)?:
Yes

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Expenditures on Green Seal and/or UL Environment (EcoLogo) certified cleaning and janitorial products:
168,561.46 US/Canadian $

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Total expenditures on cleaning and janitorial products:
288,074.38 US/Canadian $

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Has the institution's main cleaning or housekeeping department(s) and/or contractor(s) adopted a Green Seal or ISSA certified low-impact, ecological (“green”) cleaning program?:
Yes

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A brief description of the institution’s low-impact, ecological cleaning program:
GreenGuard Certified through Greenguard Environmental Institute Custodial services uses cleaning supplies that offer quality chemical formulations, unique packaging designs and innovative dispensing systems to assist in safely achieving environmental sanitation results while protecting employees. Refillable pump bottles and storage containers are used to minimize waste. Cleaning supplies are purchased in bulk to reduce the number of shipping containers and allows for reuse of existing containers. Custodial Services disposable products include green certified microfiber mops and rags and high recycle-content trash liners. University Dining Services uses Blue Planet products, which are environmentally friendly and effective. They carry the Earth Assure and Design for the Environment US EPA (DfE) designations. Residential Living has a Green Housekeeping Program. Currently, ninety-five percent of all cleaning products utilized in the UWSP residence halls are from North Wood’s Superior Chemical Corporation of Wisconsin which is regionally supplied and has provided environmentally conscious products since 1964. The utilized cleaning products are in compliance with OSHA and State and National VOC monitoring levels to ensure their products are environmentally safe. Whenever possible cleaning products are purchased in bulk and/or concentrated quantities and then diluted and distributed with water into smaller reusable containers among all of the residence halls.

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A copy of the sections of the cleaning contract(s) that reference certified green products:
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The sections of the cleaning contract(s) that reference certified green products:
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The website URL where information about the institution’s green cleaning initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Residential Living products are VOC compliant and are manufactured locally in Wisconsin. However, they are not green certified.

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