Does Your School Follow Local Green Cleaning Laws?

Does your state have any green cleaning laws for schools in your area? If you’re not sure, you’re not alone. Many school Facility Directors aren’t aware that these laws have been put into place. Thankfully, there are resources online to help. Understanding these laws should be the first step before you make a decision about which cleaning products to use. 

Green Cleaning Products 

At the heart of most of these laws is switching your school to eco-friendly cleaning products. The goal here is to reduce harmful chemicals like bleaches or quats. Some states will make exceptions if green cleaning supplies would burden a school’s budget, but require yearly paperwork justifying the exception. The good news is using diluted concentrates of environmentally friendly cleaning products can actually be a huge savings. Add to that the fact that a product like EnvirOx’s H2Orange2 117 Concentrate reduces residue to keep your school looking cleaner longer, and the case for green cleaning becomes even more compelling. 

Green Cleaning State Laws 

Right now, eleven states and the District of Columbia have policies in place that promote green cleaning practices in schools. The Environmental Law Institute is a great resource for this, as they keep an up-to-date list of policies for these states and any new states that might add them. Policies can vary greatly from state to state. Some states make it mandatory, while others simply provide a framework for schools to build their own greener school cleaning programs. Some, like New York, will provide lists of approved cleaning products. 

Below, you can find links to the latest policies, as provided by The Environmental Law Institute: 

• New York 
  
• Illinois 
  
• Maine 
  
• Missouri 
  
• Connecticut 
  
• Maryland 
  
• Nevada 
  
• Hawaii 
  
• Iowa 
  
• District of Columbia 
  
• Vermont 
  
• Mississippi 
  
  

Green Cleaning Program Assessment 

Another great resource is the Green Clean Schools program, part of the Healthy Schools Campaign. They offer a ton of great resources, including a free Green Cleaning Program Assessment. Their staff will look at the information you provide and offer up resources and info based on your current needs.