Green Question Grows in Small School District

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Janitors in Whitney Point Central School District, one of the smallest school districts in New York, are wrestling with the same challenge many of the state's largest districts face, defining what is "green."

Starting in September 2006, a much-applauded New York State law goes into effect requiring the use of environmentally preferable cleaning products in the state's public schools. However, a memo recently released by the New York State Office of General Services (OGS) indicates that the legislation fails to include a specific definition of what exactly constitutes a green cleaning product.

OGS is attempting to solve the problem by working with the state's Education Department, as well as the Department of Health, Labor, and Environmental Conservation, to develop green specifications, guidelines, and a list of environmentally preferable cleaning products. The team hopes to finish its work sometime next year.

"It does not appear they are taking advantage of green certification
programs that are already well established in the cleaning, building, and other industries that clearly define what a green cleaning product is," says Kevin Gallagher, Vice President of the Environmental Choice Program (ECP), Ottawa, Canada, a testing and certification program used by many janitorial/
sanitation (jansan) manufacturers.

ECP, with its sister organization, Green Seal, are third-party, independent testing bodies that have developed evaluation programs widely recognized and endorsed by jansan manufacturers, distributors, facility service providers, and green cleaning advocates.

According to Gallagher, for a cleaning product to be certified green and receive his organization's "EcoLogo," it must meet a variety of criteria.

Meanwhile, Whitney Point Central School District, as well as other New York school officials, believe the next few months will be a difficult period of transition and confusion. Some school custodians are already concerned that environmentally preferable cleaning products will be less effective than traditional products and cost considerably more.

"We trust that the new law will be implemented in good spirit and that the apprehension and uncertainty will subside," says Gallagher. "In the meantime, ECP is happy to provide what guidance and assistance it can during this transitional period."

For additional information on ECP's EcoLogo certification, visit: www.govinfo.bz/5197-256.