Lab update of activities for Summer 2009

Green Cleaning Testing

During the summer we have worked with a couple of vendors to evaluate the performance of their products.

One of these companies requested testing for three of their automatic dish washing powder formulations. Testing followed ASTM D3556 using the two food based soils described within the standard. Additional testing was conducting using the lab's procedure for dish washer testing using ceramic, stainless steel and glass coupons soiled with a modified Hucker's soil.

Later on the same company requested testing for three more products. These were tested for Fryer cleaning, greasy floor cleaning and coffee equipment cleaning. The greasy floor testing followed CSPA DCC17. The other two cleaner performance followed the lab's general testing procedures.

The second company wanted testing conducted for all purpose cleaning performance for Green Seal's GS 37 standard. Four products were tested on the modified Hucker's soil using ceramic, painted steel and plastic coupons. A follow test was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the products for removing hard water stains. This was accomplished by running a marble block test, where a piece of marble is immersed into each product to determine weight loss. The greater the weight loss, the more effective the product will be at removing hard water stains.

Database
The latest update of data to the website CleanerSolutions was conducted on August 10th. Plans are set for student interns to work on evaluating products based on search logs from the site. We will look at what users of the database have been looking for and not finding. With this information, students will test products to fill in these gaps.

Outreach
The lab has submitted the latest edits for chapter in the 2nd edition of the Handbook of Critical Cleaning. The chapter will focus on metal cleaning and how to select, test and implement safer cleaning products. Several case studies will be included on companies the we helped in the past year and a half.

The partnership for the disinfection-sanitation performance testing lab within the School of Health and Environment at UMass Lowell is moving ahead. We are getting ready to begin pilot testing of various products.

The lab has been serving on the steering committee for the upcoming Process Cleaning Conference. The conference is being put together upon the realization that the cleaning industry has been void of any type of trade show in North America for 8 years. PCX will be the only event in North America dedicated to cleaning within the manufacturing process.

The lab will be at a solvent symposium in Marlboro, MA to discuss how we can help companies find safer alternatives to solvents in cleaning applications.

TUR Planner Course
The work the lab does will be integrated into the TUR Planner course. The session will look at how to use the CleanerSolutions database for screening products for safety and performance and how to use P2OASys for a more comprehensive safety profile.

TURI Status Still Uncertain
The situation regarding the state funding TURI receives still has not been fixed. Currently the University has been able to provide funding to keep the Institute up and running on a reduced staff and scope of work.

The lab is still running testing for both end users and for vendors. We are investigating possible partnerships with trade associations that may help to generate funding opportunities.

We will keep you up to date once we know more.