RESEARCH INSTITUTE
TAKES POSITION ON GREEN CLEANING
The Board of
Directors of the Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI) has issued a
formal policy on the important area of green cleaning.
“We commend the
advocates of green cleaning for what they have done for our industry,” said Jim
Harris, CIRI chairman of the Board. “However, we are concerned that there are
times when decisions are made to go ‘green’ that can have an impact on the
actual cleaning process, resulting in a less healthy environment. The goal of
CIRI is to place cleaning practices on a solid scientific basis, and then work
with organizations like Green Seal or Design for the Environment to ensure that
the green practices they recommend continue to provide effective cleaning and
sanitization.”
The CIRI policy
states: The Board of Directors of the Cleaning Industry Research Institute
recognizes the momentum and importance increasingly being given to
eco-sensitive or environmentally friendly aspects of cleaning and restoration,
commonly referred to as ‘green cleaning’. We are closely following this trend
and in consort with our newly-established Science Advisory Council, will be
studying the science and technology that underpins green cleaning.
“There are,
however, additional issues of equal importance upon which CIRI will ultimately
base its decision. First, it is imperative that the focus be on “cleaning
green,” that is cleaning first, cleaning for health and hygiene, as well as
cleaning in a more environmentally friendly manner. The mission of CIRI is to
identify sound, scientifically valid knowledge that promotes cleaning. We
recognize that some approaches to green cleaning may result in compromises to
actual cleaning performance and efficacy as a consequence of environmental
considerations.
“It is the policy
of CIRI to assure that (itals)all(enditals) aspects of cleaning and
environmental science become an integral and cost effective driver in deciding
what is acceptable for eco-friendly cleaning and restoration.
“Toward that end,
CIRI reiterates that the emphasis must be on cleaning first and then green;
that is, cleaning safely and effectively as well as being environmentally
sound. We look to our members and to CIRI’s Science Advisory Council for
guidance on this important issue for our collective industries.”
CIRI’s vision is
to raise the awareness of the importance of cleaning through scientific
research. For more information, visit the organization’s web site at
www.ciri-research.org.
