Working with GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI), we looked beyond products. We designed a cleaning system that promotes good Indoor Air Quality. Indoor Air Quality is one of the most important environmental issues in our lives today. Diseases linked to Indoor Air Quality include asthma, allergies and lung disease. That is why we developed the Healthy High Performance Cleaning (HHPC) program. GEI evaluated our HHPC program using their stringent GREENGUARD Gold Certification criteria to measure the effect of cleaning on Indoor Air Quality. Diversey is the first company to have a cleaning system certified for Indoor Air Quality. The discussion of “good” green cleaning products versus “bad” traditional products shifts to a discussion that includes reducing cleaning's impact on health and the environment. When addressing effective procedures for a health inspired program, the same approach must be followed. In general, HHPC procedures are more a matter of focus rather than technique.
The HHPC program
- Reduces the negative impacts of cleaning on an individuals' health and the environment, by providing a pathway to clean and maintain sustainable buildings
- Includes an assessment of current facility operations and is certified to improve indoor air quality by UL Environment GREENGUARD GOLD
- Stands as a complete green cleaning program to help meet LEED building operations and maintenance requirements
The Focus on Indoor Air Quality
- According to the American Lung Association, poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of infections, lung cancer, and chronic lung diseases such as asthma.
- Airborne contaminants can be 25 times and up to 100 times higher indoors than outdoors, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)1.
- Illness and lost productivity costs are estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars annually due to poor IAQ, according to the EPA2.
- The U.S. EPA states that 30% of all buildings worldwide have indoor air quality problems3.
With the right procedures, products and tools… Your cleaning process can help improve Indoor Air Quality.
Step-by-Step guide to GREENGUARD Gold Certification for Your Healthy High Performance Cleaning (HHPC) Process
Steps to achieving GREENGUARD Gold Certification:
- Consult with your local Diversey sales representative and/or authorized distributor sales representative for guidance.
- Order and install the Diversey GREENGUARD Gold certified products and microfiber.
- Conduct training for your cleaning staff on the proper use of the Diversey dilution control system and HHPC procedures including best practices (i.e., how to minimize misting of chemicals in spray applications).
- Request a HHPC GREENGUARD Gold audit from a Diversey sales representative to validate your compliance with the GREENGUARD standard.
- Upon successful completion of the GREENGUARD Gold audit (100% score required), inquire with your Diversey sales representative for the HHPC GREENGUARD Gold building occupant communications kit. The kit includes various communication materials for proudly displaying the GREENGUARD logo and to demonstrate your commitment to better indoor air quality!
- U.S. EPA document #400-R-92-012, March 1993
- U.S. EPA Report to Congress in IAQ, August 1989
- U.S. EPA Publication: “The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality”