| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.78 |
| Liaison | Amber Saxton |
| Submission Date | Sept. 9, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
George Mason University
OP-13: Cleaning Products Purchasing
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.92 / 1.00 |
Tyler
Orton Projects Innovation Coordinator Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution have an institution-wide stated preference to purchase third party certified cleaning and janitorial products?:
A copy of the green cleaning product purchasing policy, directive, or guidelines:
The green cleaning product purchasing policy, directive, or guidelines:
Policy: Cleaning solvents shall be biodegradable, phosphate free and citrus based where their use will not compromise quality of service.
Policy: Industrial and institutional cleaning products that meet Green Seal certification
standards or environmental preferability and performance shall be purchased and/or be required to be supplied by janitorial contractors.
As part of George Mason University's Green Purchasing Policy, all surfactants and detergents used shall be readily biodegradable and shall not contain phosphates.
A brief description of steps the institution has taken to ensure that the purchasing policy, directives, or guidelines are followed:
Within George Mason University's (Mason) policies, there is a preference that cleaning solvents and surfactants shall be biodegradable and phosphate free, citrus based, and Green Seal certified, where their use will not compromise quality of service. Mason works with vendors that share our commitment to sustainability and we have established Green Seal certified products, equipment, and practices as the foundation of our cleaning program.
Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (expenditures on cleaning and janitorial products)?:
Expenditures on Green Seal and/or UL Environment (EcoLogo) certified cleaning and janitorial products:
Total expenditures on cleaning and janitorial products:
Has the institution's main cleaning or housekeeping department(s) and/or contractor(s) adopted a Green Seal or ISSA certified low-impact, ecological (“green”) cleaning program?:
A brief description of the institution’s low-impact, ecological cleaning program:
Housekeeping at Mason is committed to achieving the best possible Green Cleaning program our budget will allow without sacrificing our cleaning standards. Although there is no specific language in the current cleaning contract requiring the contractor to use only green cleaning products, the contractor ( a Green Seal Certified company) working in partnership with the University shares in our commitment to sustainability and has established GSC products, equipment and practices as the foundation of their Mason cleaning operation. It should be noted that the majority of GSC requirements are standard operating procedures for today’s professional cleaning services and have been in use at Mason for many years. We feel confident that we have a solid foundation to build on and will continue to evaluate GSC products, equipment, and cleaning techniques. We will augment our cleaning program with those products and practices that best suit our cleaning needs and budget restraints.
A copy of the sections of the cleaning contract(s) that reference certified green products:
The sections of the cleaning contract(s) that reference certified green products:
The website URL where information about the institution’s green cleaning initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Data is for FY13
Data is for FY13
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.