by Brianna Crandall — February 12, 2016—The Georgia Institute of Technology Green Cleaning program was recently certified by Green Seal for its leadership in sustainable cleaning, setting the pace for other universities in the nation. Green Seal is a nationally recognized organization that provides stringent standards and certification to protect human health and the environment.
With certification under the Green Seal Standard for Commercial and Institutional Cleaning Services (GS-42), Georgia Tech is one of only six higher education campuses in the nation to receive this recognition, and is the first in Georgia as well as in the southern United States.
GA Tech’s Green Cleaning program uses nontoxic, biodegradable products and limits student, faculty, and staff exposure to chemicals and contaminants.
Green Seal certification verifies that the Georgia Tech Facilities Management department’s Green Cleaning program has gone through comprehensive performance testing and on-site inspections to prove cleaning efficacy, while supporting the well-being of people and reducing impact to the environment.
Key requirements of GS-42 certification include cleaning equipment and procedures, purchasing, training, labeling and communication. Each of the criteria is rigorously reviewed before a cleaning service is able to obtain this reputable mark.
Georgia Tech’s newly certified Green Cleaning program improves indoor air quality (IAQ) through a reduction in volatile organic compounds found in traditional, commercial cleaning chemicals, says Green Seal. The program uses nontoxic, biodegradable products and limits student, faculty, and staff exposure to chemicals and contaminants.
By reducing chemical exposure, the Georgia Tech Green Cleaning program enables its students to be in a better position to learn and supports a better future for the environment, says Green Seal. The Building Services Department that implements and manages the Program has also reduced the volume of chemicals used to clean the campus by 56 percent from 2008 levels.
The Green Seal certification is the latest accomplishment in the Green Cleaning program’s ongoing evolution since its official inception in 2003. The announcement of the certification came on the heels of winning the Grand Award in Green Cleaning, the highest honor given in the annual Green Cleaning Awards for Schools and Universities, presented by the American School & University magazine.
