Green Seal Initiates Revision Of Gs-37 Standard For I & I Cleaners

Green Seal has begun the process of conducting a comprehensive review and revision of GS-37, its environmental standard for institutional and industrial cleaning products. The scope of products covered by GS-37 include I & I general purpose, bathroom, glass and carpet cleaners.

The process of revising GS-37 is expected to take about one year and will include a formal public review of the proposed revisions about half-way through the process.

Green Seal has decided to revisit GS-37 with an eye toward “ramping up” its environmental, and safety and health criteria largely because of issues that have arisen in the context of new York State’s adoption of GS-37 for schools in 2006. These issues revolve around the adequacy of GS-37 in protecting the health of sensitive populations such as school age children and others.

The review and revision of GS-37 will be managed by Green Seal with the help of an executive committee that includes ISSA as a member. ISSA will also participate in the process as a stakeholder. As such, ISSA’s involvement ensures that the membership will have meaningful opportunity to have a positive influence on the process of revising GS-37.

Other members of the executive committee include New York State, which is providing major funding for the project; the Healthy Schools network, a national environmental health organization that promotes healthy learning environments for children, personnel and communities; Routt Reigart, M.D., of the Medical University of South Carolina, a leading paediatric health expert; and TerraChoice, administrator of the EcoLogo program.

Green Seal has invited all parties interested in GS-37 and the product categories it covers to actively participate as stakeholders in the process of this review and potential revision of the standard. Stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide input throughout the process through a representative stakeholders committee. ISSA encourages interested members to sign up as a stakeholder at their earliest convenience, as participation may be limited.

Anyone interest in participating as a stakeholder should send their name and full contact information, including their organization and occupation by Feb. 15 to .