Clean Break

HC Pro

Launched on May 26th, 2010. HC Pro provides a bridge for consumers who want to turn “Pro”, and access for professionals who want to grow their expertise and become certified through credible bodies such as the International Executive Housekeepers Association (IEHA), the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), ISSA-CIMS, Cleaning Management Institute (CMI) and others.

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HC Pro contains abstracts and excerpts from IEHA's educational curriculum, information on IEHA Certification Programs and on topics such as Integrated Cleaning and Measurement (ICM), Team Cleaning, Day Cleaning, Green Cleaning, Cleaning Science, Systems Thinking, and other best practices. Where appropriate, it will link to corresponding content on IEHA.org.

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The Massachusetts Senate Ways and Means FY2011 budget proposal was released on Wednesday, and we have the following update. The Senate budget does not follow the Governor and House Ways and Means approach for funding the TURA program agencies. The Governor and House had included appropriations for DEP, OTA and TURI out of retained revenue from TURA fees, all under the DEP TURA line item. This approach makes it clear that TURA fees paid by firms will go to program services.
In contrast, the Senate Ways and Means proposal reverted to the language adopted last year in the FY2010 conference committee budget. It rolls up TURI into the UMass line item as an earmark with no specific funding mentioned. (OTA and DEP are funded with their traditional line items - although OTA is funded at a very low amount.) UMass made it clear last year that given a reduced budget and no specific line item for TURI, their priority needed to be on students. For FY10, UMass arranged to use one-time education stimulus funds for the Institute. For FY11, rolling TURI into the UMass line item makes TURI’s future uncertain once again.
Senator Eldridge has filed an amendment to the Senate Budget to adopt the House and Governor's approach of retained revenue at DEP to fund all 3 TURA agencies. It is Amendment #249: Toxics Use Reduction Institute. Amendments will be voted on during the week of May 24th.

Stayed tuned for more details.

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Green Cleaning Testing
Product Performance Testing
Continue to provide testing for Green Seal and EPA DfE certification projects.
• There is one project for dishwashing (manual and automatic) that is started in early April and should be completed in the middle of May
• Testing for All Purpose GS 37 and degreasing GS 34 – to completed in April - Very successful for both applications
• Testing microfiber/squeegee cleaning process using ATP measurements – should be wrapping up by the end of May
• Formulation project - Alternative solvent testing for all purpose cleaning (Dipropylene glycol methyl ether) and graffiti removal (Dibasic esters). Work should begin in middle of May
• Formulation project - working on finding replacement surfactant for all purpose cleaner.

Site Visits
Toluene replacement: Working on more adhesion tests. Investigating product they heard of from another shop - hydrocarbon based. identifying some leads on paint prep cleaners and will get those to them and they can try them and do some more testing.

Tool & Die: TCE to nPB and aqueous lines. Company identified some cleaners they thought could help them with their cold solvent regulation needs

Acetone reduction: company uses over 12,000 pounds. They are getting parts together to send to the lab to evaluate alternatives

Cable cleaning project: Went and saw their new PVC softening and cleaning operation. Going to look at two options, repainting the cable so that the multi-colored lines are no longer on it or remove the paint. Worried about VOCs with painting and cleaning.

Green Facility - Banking: The facility manager was open to working with the TURI Lab on greening the facility. Going to start with getting an inventory of all the cleaners they use. Also talked about office equipment, flooring, paint and other things that could affect indoor air quality. He mentioned they have a consulting firm in looking at their energy use also. He did mention they are thinking of looking at trying for LEED for existing building designation.

New End User Testing Projects
Biomedical Devices manufacturer: TCE User (>1000 lbs) to remove wax from glass and they have 3 degreasers - one large and two small. They may be going to a new cutting system that will use DI water as a lubricant and can cut the glass piece by piece so there will be no oil or wax to clean. This is a big capital investment so they are not sure when they can do that. In the mean time, the lab will start testing chemistry in May.

Plating: Contacted the TURI Lab to say that they are looking at D Limonene based cleaners. Going to help them look at the cleaners they are looking at and help them find the most cost effective and safest product. Working to help them meet the cold solvent regulations.

Overall, the lab has worked with 10 companies since July and conducted 55 trials

Database
Received two of three database reviews for Journal of Cleaner Production.

Outreach
We have been working on IEHA-TURI partnership revisions and improvements - better detailing what the program is about. Latest press release

Disinfection Testing Partnership within UML SHE
Plans are coming together to begin offering disinfection and sanitization testing for "greener" products.
o Working on pricing for initial project
o Laying ground work for future disinfection projects
o Student capstone project completed.
o Pilot project should be under way in June

TURA Continuing Education Conference
Session took questions on cold solvent cleaning and had DEP answer them.

Green Cleaning Testing
Product Performance Testing
The lab has been working with four manufacturers of janitorial/household cleaners. Testing has been conducted to help these products get Green Seal and/or EPA DfE certification/recognition. Areas of testing included this month: all purpose, bathroom, glass, manual/automatic dishwashing, carpet stain cleaning, floor finish durability.
• There is one project for dishwashing (manual and automatic) that is starting the first week of April.
• Testing for All Purpose GS 37 and degreasing GS 34 – to start in April
• Testing microfiber/squeegee cleaning process using ATP measurements – to continue in April
• Formulation project - Alternative solvent testing for all purpose cleaning (Dipropylene glycol methyl ether) and graffiti removal (Dibasic esters)
• Activated water testing – follow up work to earlier project

Site Visits
The toluene replacement is being piloted on site for one of the four products identified by the lab. They are working on adhesion control. Have dropped off 3 samples. They are testing for adhesion. Also researching product they asked me about and have reached out to vendors for more options.

TCE replacement – visit to look at passivation line, talk about cold solvent regs & any other low hanging fruit & to start case study on their switch to nPB (25% reduction in chemical useage and haz waste). Going end of week

Plating company – arranged for visit in late April - need to get out of nPB to meet new cold cleaning regulations

Acetone reduction in cleaning process. Use over 12,000 lbs. Visit middle of April

Database
Updated testing data for March.
Have requested database reviews from three people. Reviews may be used for Journal of Cleaner Production. These also will be incorporated onto database and blog as well. Stay tuned.

Outreach
Chapter in Handbook for Critical Cleaning 2nd edition coming out in April/May. Chapter focuses on the lab’s technical assistance program.

Article in Executive Housekeeping Today "Measuring Green Cleaning" for Cleaning and Maintenance Magazine came out in April.

Website – Beginning DIY page review. Will set up meeting to discuss it after CE conference. Idea is to look at website as a whole for technical data as well as consumer usefulness. Want to add more recipes, do more testing etc.
• New Lab banner ad on Healthy Home Institute, Housekeeping Channel sites

Carpet Stain DIY Cleaning – Heidi hit the road and went to Tallahassee. Spent four days working on carpet samples, rehearsing and filming segments on carpet cleaning with DIY recipes as well as CRI approved products. Partnered with HHI/HC.

CE Conference – Heidi in charge of session on cold solvent regulations with Azin Kavian from MA DEP. Will talk about regulation, what Lab & OTA can offer and show some alternatives

Disinfection Testing Partnership within UML SHE
The partnership will start out by looking at how to compare the ATP measurement with traditional analytical methods for biological evaluations. Lab will provide some materials, student time and staff time (Heidi) to help get testing started.
• Student capstone project moving ahead.
• Lab has done some ATP testing (see microfiber/squeegee testing above).

Check out the two articles in the International Executive Housekeepers Association's April edition of Executive Housekeeping Today for two articles on the TURI Lab's cleaning program.

M.D. Stetson Recognized for Environmental Leadership
Mass.-made products improve public health in schools, universities and municipalities
LOWELL, Mass. – Fifteen years ahead of the “green” revolution, a small company in Randolph, Mass., M.D. Stetson, re-formulated a line of janitorial cleaning products without hazardous chemicals.
Today, the Company that employs 45 people is one of 17 Massachusetts companies being recognized by legislators and the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) Program as a “TURA 20th Anniversary Leader.” The awards and facility tours are intended to showcase environmental accomplishments—use of safer materials, waste reductions and energy savings—since the Toxics Use Reduction Act was enacted in 1989.
“We selected M.D. Stetson for its foresight and dedication in supplying public schools, universities and municipalities with green cleaning solutions way ahead of the spike in awareness of green products,” said Jason Marshall, laboratory director of the Toxics Use Reduction Institute at UMass Lowell, who provided the third party performance testing of M.D. Stetson’s cleaning products. “The company was proactive in developing the market, asking customers to try the safer products while still supplying the traditional products. Changing the mindset of customers demonstrates the depth of the company’s leadership.”
The changes made by M.D. Stetson have been cost neutral, while providing many positive health and environmental impacts and, often, better performance. Since 1993, the company has reduced its use of glycol ethers from 176,000 to 75,000 lbs. and expects to eliminate the use of the solvents within the next few years. According to the EPA, short-term exposure to high levels of glycol ethers in humans results in narcosis, pulmonary edema, and severe liver and kidney damage. Long-term exposure may result in neurological and blood effects, including fatigue, nausea, tremor, and anemia.
“I am honored to accept this award and recognition on behalf of my employees and customers,” said president of M.D. Stetson Michael Glass. “I’ve always been proud of our company for doing what’s right and manufacturing and selling our products here in Massachusetts. Eighty percent of American jobs are with small businesses like ours.”

For a full schedule of company tours, visit the TURI website.