Why is Green Cleaning Important?
Green cleaning is all about reducing risk. Risk is the measure of
the probability and severity of harm to human health or the
environment. It is based on the type and toxicity of a hazard (that
is, its potential effect on plants, animals, humans, and ecosystems)
and the type and degree of exposure to that hazard (based on
intensity, frequency, and duration). Risk is characterized by
evaluating hazard and exposure together, along with the pathways by
which people or the environment are likely to become exposed (e.g.,
through eyes, skin, lungs, or mouth and through contact with
contaminated air, water, or soil).
No matter what changes are made to traditional products and
processes, cleaning buildings-like all other activities in life-will
never be without risk. All risk, however, can be evaluated on a
continuum that ranges from very high to very low. Current cleaning
practices might pose very high risks or avoidable risks, and
changing certain practices and products might reduce unnecessarily
hazardous practices with alternatives that are equally effective.
Keep in mind, however, that although hazards and exposures generally
can be evaluated for humans or the environment, the specific risk to
an individual person or individual waterway, for example, will be
unique based on individual circumstances, such as pre-existing
health conditions, and vulnerabilities (i.e., asthma, heart disease)
(for example, children and the elderly are more vulnerable). There
are also trade-offs to be considered-for example, using a less-toxic
product that requires more scrubbing to be effective-might reduce
the risk of inhalation or skin contact, but that might also increase
the risk of arm or hand injuries brought on by additional scrubbing.
Overall, however, the practice of green cleaning has many
benefits. Green cleaning can:
Reduce health effects to building occupants and
janitorial staff, such as skin, eye, and respiratory irritation or
burns; allergies; multiple-chemical sensitivity; headaches; nausea
or other gastrointestinal ailments; poisoning; cancer; reproductive
hazards; and damage to liver, kidneys, and other internal organs.
Increase safety by reducing the likelihood and frequency
of fires, explosions, spills, and splashes.
Reduce environmental impacts, including regional and
global environmental issues such as air pollution, water pollution,
raw materials resource use, bioaccumulation of chemicals in plants
and animals, ozone depletion, and global climate change. Green
cleaning also reduces the amount and toxicity of products and
chemicals requiring disposal.
Reduce costs to building management, tenants, and/or the
janitorial company associated with sick leave, health care,
productivity loss, and litigation.
Increase occupant and worker satisfaction, including
improved morale, productivity and efficiency, quality of life, and
sense of well-being. This can result from decreased health effects
and decreased annoyances such as malodor.
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