Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) released new definitions for infectious respiratory germs that are applicable for the cleaning industry. The pathogens covered include those that cause respiratory infections, e.g., COVID-19, influenza, measles, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and tuberculosis, among others. The publication, titled Global Technical Consultation Report on Proposed Terminology for Pathogens that Transmit Through the Air, is the result of an extensive, multi-year collaborative effort between WHO experts and other international public health agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report is a significant development as it means different industries and professionals can now communicate with a common language. “The new terms should help prevent the confusion and miscommunication the industry previously experienced with terms that were based on the size of particles such as airborne versus aerosol versus droplets,” said Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, ISSA Senior Director. “Size of the particles is no longer an issue as it has been for decades.” WHO new terms include “transmission through the air,” which can be used to describe when infectious germs become airborne and spread. Transmission through the air includes two subcategories: “Airborne transmission”—refers to when infectious respiratory particles expel into the air, such as from coughing or sneezing or breathing, and enter the respiratory tract of another person who inhales them. “Direct deposition”—refers to when infectious respiratory particles expel into the air and directly land on another person’s mouth, nose, or eyes, potentially causing infection. However, the WHO’s “contact transmission” definitions have not been changed and are still very applicable for the cleaning industry. Contact transmission refers to contaminated surfaces which are created when infectious respiratory particles expelled into the air settle on a surface, or when an infected person transfers infectious respiratory secretions by firstly touching their own mouth, nose, or eyes and then touching a surface or shaking hands. Contact transmission also includes two subcategories: “Indirect contact transmission”—refers to when infectious germs on contaminated surfaces are transferred to another person who touches that contaminated surface and then touch their own mouth, nose, or eyes. “Direct contact transmission”—refers to when an infectious person directly transfers infectious germs from their own respiratory tract, not via transmission through the air, to another person by being in direct contact with that person, who then that person directly transfers the infectious respiratory germs into their own mouth, nose, or eyes. This collaborative effort was the first phase of global scientific discussions led by WHO. Next steps include further technical and multidisciplinary research and exploration of the wider implementation implications of the updated terminology.
Maria Diaz De Leon has been named the recipient of UMF Corp.’s Hygiene Specialist® Excellence Award. Now in its 15th year, UMF’s annual award highlights the contributions of environmental services (EVS) departments in reducing preventable healthcare-associated infections (pHAIs). Diaz De Leon, a hygiene specialist for Sodexo at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, was recognized for her exemplary work as night shift EVS supervisor, overseeing a team of more than 20 EVS professionals. As the winner of this year’s award, Diaz De Leon will receive an all-expenses paid week-long vacation for two, including airfare, to anywhere in the 48 states. “We established the National Hygiene Specialist Excellence Award 15 years ago to recognize and celebrate the EVS staff such as Maria who are crucial to preventing the spread of pHAIs,” said George Clarke, UMF CEO. “As an EVS supervisor, Maria helps ensure her sizeable team is trained and prepared to properly clean and disinfect all perioperative areas. We are privileged to recognize the essential role she plays in helping Sodexo and Phoenix Children’s Hospital keep patients, visitors, and staff safe.” For more information, visit perfectclean.com. For more information, visit sodexo.com.
This year, Earth Day (April 22) arrives as the world experienced its warmest March on record. This follows a 10-month run in which every month hit a new temperature record, the European Union’s climate change monitoring service reported earlier this month. Consecutively, the United States experienced its hottest summer on record last year, placing an additional burden on workers who toil in the heat, as CMM recently reported. While no federal heat protections for workers currently exist, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has begun working on national rules targeting heat. Additionally, last week, the Biden-Harris Administration directed U.S. government contractors to purchase cleaning products for federal buildings that are free of toxic “forever chemicals.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also last week designated two widely used polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, and will help ensure that polluters pay to clean up their contamination. The cleaning industry continues to move sustainable solutions forward on these issues and others. In an episode of Straight Talk!, Steve Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group LLC and chairman of the ISSA Sustainability Committee, shared that Earth Day is a day of celebration recognizing how much work is still left to do along with what we have accomplished so far. Learn more on his thoughts in the video below: In recognition of Earth Day, ABCO Products Corp. has also shared a series of tips on how facility managers can boost sustainability and help support the planet: Promote waste reduction and recycling. Implementing a waste reduction program can help decrease the amount of trash sent to landfills, lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Encourage employees to reduce waste by providing color-coded bins for recycling, composting, and waste. Invest in renewable energy. Consider installing solar panels to generate clean, renewable electricity on site. Switching to renewable energy at facilities helps reduce dependence on fossil fuels and lowers carbon emissions and energy costs. Use third-party certified cleaning tools. Cleaning tools certified by a reputable third-party organization, such as Green Seal®, help ensure the product is sustainably sourced, manufactured, and packaged. Conduct regular sustainability audits. A sustainability audit provides insights into a facility’s social, environmental, and economic performance. Utilize the findings to develop targeted strategies aimed at improving sustainability. “Earth Day serves as a reminder of our impact on the environment,” said Carlos Albir, ABCO president. “In today’s landscape, where sustainability dominates discussions, there’s a heightened urgency to enact changes that will truly help our planet.”
Earlier this month, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) began seeking feedback regarding the next version (v5) of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Steve Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group LLC and an advocate for sustainability within the cleaning industry, recently shared his thoughts on why he views LEED v5 as a setback to the cleaning industry. A member of the USGBC’s LEED Operations and Maintenance (O+M) committee, Ashkin explains in the below video how the proposed updates potentially will have a negative impact on cleaning operations. For more on LEED v5, be sure to attend ISSA’s FREE webinar—Proposed LEED V5 Revisions: Industry Setbacks & How You Can Take Action—taking place April 22 at 12:00 p.m. CT. To access the current LEED v5 drafts and voice your concerns, visit the USGBC website.
Across the U.S., lead pipes are still used even though they have been banned in new construction since 1986. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no safe level of lead exposure exists for children. Last year, Illinois had the most lead pipes—including from public water systems and drinking fixtures—per capita in the U.S., according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency estimated the Midwestern state has more than 1 million lead service lines. Lead pipe usage has lingered throughout the decades because of a lack of federal or state removal strategies along with low funding and difficulty locating lead pipes. In Illinois, for example, water suppliers are still inventorying their lead pipes to plan for removal. This fiscal year, Illinois also received more than US$100 million in funding through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for lead service line replacement. Funding is expected to more than double in fiscal year 2025, but the National Resources Defense Council puts the estimate for replacing every lead service line in Illinois at $2.2 billion, while the Illinois Environmental Council estimates it would cost between $10 billion and $12 billion. Even though state and federal governments have developed regulations and funding programs, lead pipe line replacement falls on the community water supplies, such as municipalities or local water districts. The EPA has proposed changes to the federal rules, which would set the goal of replacing all lead pipes within the next decade, with exceptions allowed. Still, the EPA has historically chosen not to enforce its existing standards. However, advocacy groups support the shortening of the timeline to replace lead pipes. But due to the number of lines to replace in Illinois and current and proposed state laws, municipalities such as Chicago could have up to 2092 to replace their lead service lines.
ISSA is offering a complimentary webinar—Proposed LEED V5 Revisions: Industry Setbacks & How You Can Take Action—taking place April 22 at 12:00 p.m. CT. Earlier this month, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) began seeking feedback regarding the next version (v5) of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. In this FREE one-hour webinar, learn more about USGBC’s proposed changes and how they may adversely impact the cleaning industry. Attendees will hear from a panel of industry experts and USGBC committee members on concerns that LEED v5 undervalues cleaning in comparison to other issues and how the proposed changes will eliminate basic requirements for management systems, training, and certifications for cleaning services. Participants will also learn how to submit comments to the USGBC along with draft language for easy commenting. Click here to register today! To access the current LEED v5 drafts and voice your concerns, visit the USGBC website.
Last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law that bans local governments from creating protections for workers who labor in the state's heat. Florida joins Texas, a state whose government last year also passed a similar law in limiting the power of local governments to require heat and water breaks for outdoor workers. Florida, one of the hottest U.S. states, has an estimated 2 million outdoor workers in industries including construction and agriculture. The new law is a direct response to proposed regulations from Florida’s Miami-Dade County to require shade and water for construction, farm, and other outdoor workers. Miami-Dade County is home to an estimated 325,000 outdoor workers alone. But the new law blocks heat protections from being implemented in cities and counties across Florida. The loss of the local rule was a blow to Miami-Dade activists and workers who had hoped the county heat protection rules would be in place before summer. Last year, the U.S. experienced its hottest summer on record, and Florida logged its hottest-ever July and August. The heat index, a measure that incorporates temperature and humidity, stayed greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit for 46 consecutive days in Miami. Currently, no federal rules regulate when it's too hot to work, and thousands of heat-related injuries and dozens of deaths are reported across the U.S. annually. U.S. employers do have a federal mandate to keep workers safe on the job, and recommendations for how to do so, including protecting workers from extreme heat. The guidance, though, doesn't explain exactly what those protections are or what to do when limits are surpassed. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) began working on national rules targeting heat in 2021, but a new OSHA rule takes years to implement. Across the U.S., the Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded 436 heat-related worker deaths between 2011 and 2021. A few states and local governments in the U.S. have attempted to create some heat protections. California was the first to establish regulations in 2006. The state requires employers to provide shade, rest breaks, and access to cool, clean water for outdoor workers. In 2021, Washington and Oregon created worker protections from heat as well.
According to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) press release, the Biden-Harris Administration is directing U.S. government contractors to purchase cleaning products for federal buildings that are free of toxic “forever chemicals.” The updated requirements are the result of a collaboration between the EPA and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to implement U.S. President Joe Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan, which directs federal agencies to prioritize the purchase of sustainable products and services, including products without added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). GSA’s updated custodial specifications require that contractors use cleaners and hand soaps must be certified to the EPA Safer Choice, Green Seal® GS-37, Green Seal® GS-41, or Green Seal® GS-53 certifications, which do not allow intentionally added PFAS in product formulations. This is in addition to meeting federal statutory requirements, including the minimum biobased content requirement set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s BioPreferred Program. Currently, GSA’s Public Building Service has more than 600 contracts for custodial services at more than 1,500 U.S. government-owned buildings at a cost of more than US$400 million per year and expects that most of these contracts will include the new specifications within five years. “Everyone deserves protection from the harmful effects of forever chemicals, including the workers who use cleaning products, federal employees, and those who visit government buildings every day,” said Michael Regan, EPA administrator. “EPA has well recognized and established tools to help our partners in the federal government identify cleaning products that use safer ingredients and do not contain intentionally added PFAS to keep people safe and healthy.” To help educate contractors on the new requirements, EPA’s Safer Choice Program is offering a webinar on April 9, at 2:00 p.m. ET, on how updates to federal purchasing and GSA Advantage provide further incentives for businesses to acquire and maintain Safer Choice certification for their products, as well as how product manufacturers can feature their product benefits in GSA Advantage. Product manufacturers and purchasers are encouraged to attend. For more information and to register, click here.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has debuted a new website, epa.gov/permits, to act as a centralized platform for information about federal environmental permitting. According to the EPA, the new website, designed as a resource for the public, permit applicants, and federal agency partners, showcases the EPA’s permitting and environmental review programs and shares information on related statutes and environmental justice initiatives. Additionally, it displays the status of EPA permits for large-scale infrastructure projects in support of the EPA’s commitments under Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41). “EPA’s new website is making it easier for the public and stakeholders to learn about the agency’s permitting process and our programs,” said Janet McCabe, EPA deputy administrator. “This new, comprehensive website provides a one-stop portal for the public, permit applicants, and colleagues from other federal, state, and local agencies to quickly find information about EPA’s permitting program and how these permits are helping to protect public health and the environment in communities across our nation.” “EPA has been working diligently to increase the transparency of information regarding our permitting resources, requirements, and timelines, especially as we implement President Biden’s ambitious Investing in America Agenda,” said Vicki Arroyo, EPA office of policy associate administrator, who oversees permitting and environmental review work for the agency. The new website includes: Centralized information about all EPA permitting programs, information on delegations of authority to states and descriptions of other requirements that are often applicable, such as Endangered Species Act and National Historic Preservation Act consultation. Public-facing reports and resources, including environmental justice and civil rights in permitting information. Inflation Reduction Act information regarding funding allocated to EPA for improving efficiencies in permitting. FAST-41 information, including an explanation of EPA’s roles under the act and a table that shows the status of EPA permits needed for FAST-41 projects and project tracking.
Data recently gathered by IT Asset Management Group (IT-AMG), a technology equipment disposal company, has revealed that the state of Michigan has the most waste in landfills per capita in America. With 68.3 tons of waste in landfills per capita, Michigan is 72.1% above the national average of 39.7 tons of waste in landfills per capita. Overall, there are 685 million tons of waste in Michigan’s landfills. Indiana came in second place, with 60.4 tons of waste in landfills per capita—52.2% more than the national average. Overall, Indiana has 412.5 million tons of waste in its landfills. Illinois followed in third place, with 56.6 tons of waste in landfills per capita. Illinois has 42.7% more waste in landfills per capita compared to the national average, with 712.1 million tons of waste, overall. Richy George, IT-AMG chief revenue officer, commented, “Landfills are an integral part of modern waste management, although they might not be the most efficient way of managing waste. Once waste has reached landfill, it becomes much more difficult to be reused or recycled. Landfills can pose severe environmental hazards, such as methane gas pockets and groundwater pollution, if not properly managed, as well as the significant amounts of land and resources that must be dedicated to maintaining a landfill. The downsides of landfills prompted us to see which states have the most waste in landfills on average, with Michigan coming out on top.”
According to recently released fact sheet, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced the adoption of final rules that require some companies to disclose certain climate-related information, including greenhouse gas emissions, in registration statements and annual reports. First introduced by the SEC in March 2022, these final rules require a registrant to disclose, among other things: Material climate-related risks Activities to mitigate or adapt to such risks Information about the registrant’s board of directors’ oversight of climate-related risks and management’s role in managing material climate-related risks Information on any climate-related targets or goals that are material to the registrant’s business, results of operations, or financial condition. To facilitate investors’ assessment of certain climate-related risks, the final rules also require: Disclosure of Scope 1 (direct) and/or Scope 2 (indirect) greenhouse gas emissions on a phased-in basis by certain larger registrants when those emissions are material The filing of an attestation report covering the required disclosure of such registrants’ Scope 1 and/or Scope 2 emissions, also on a phased-in basis Disclosure of the financial statement effects of severe weather events and other natural conditions including, for example, costs and losses. According to the Associated Press (AP), these final rules are weaker than those first proposed two years ago. Contrary to the original rules, companies won’t be required to report some indirect emissions known as Scope 3, which don’t come directly from a company’s operation, but instead, from its supply chain. The final rules also reduced the reporting requirements for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Companies only need to report “material”—that is, significant—emissions, and smaller companies don’t need to report their emissions at all. According to AP, nearly 2,800 U.S. companies will have to make disclosures. Roughly 540 foreign companies doing business within the United States will have to report climate information. The larger companies will have to start reporting emissions for fiscal year 2026; smaller companies will not have to disclose emissions but will still have to disclose some climate risk information for fiscal year 2027. AP also reports that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has strongly opposed the rules and is currently involved in a lawsuit with California regarding a similar mandate. According to West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, 10 states were filing a challenge against the final rules with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Regarding how the SEC’s final rules might affect the professional cleaning community, Steve Ashkin, founder of The Ashkin Group and ISSA Sustainability Committee Co-Chair, commented, “It means reporting on environmental risks is coming, whether one believes in mankind’s contribution to climate change or not. Further, it encourages our industry’s adoption of sustainability to minimize risks and ensure business continuity.”
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the recipients of the 2024 Best of Green Schools Awards. The council’s annual awards program, hosted in collaboration with the Green Schools National Network, recognizes organizations, schools, and individuals for their efforts in advancing the green and sustainable schools movement. The winners were announced at the 2024 Green Schools Conference, which took place earlier this week in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This year’s recipients include: K–12 School: Mark’s School in Southborough, Massachusetts School System: Boston Public Schools School District Champion: Lisa Randall, sustainability program coordinator for Santa Fe Public Schools Policy Maker: S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes (D-CT), and U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) Ambassador: Tatjana Rebelle, director of Equitable Initiatives for Earth Charter Indiana Michelle Curreri Collaborator Award: California’s Climate Ready Schools Coalition Student Leader: Alex Wagonfeld, The Nueva School in in Hillsborough, California K–12 Educator: Amanda Talantis, Alabama District 1 Secondary Teacher of the Year Business Leader: Arrowstreet Capital Moment for the Movement: The U.S. Department of Energy’s new school-focused programs. “The individuals and organizations we honor and recognize today have made outstanding progress in advancing green schools. They have empowered and inspired students, teachers, and communities to create and foster greener, more sustainable learning environments,” said Anisa Heming, Center for Green Schools director. “Whether it’s a reduction in emissions or waste, the installation of a new garden or solar panels, or drastic improvements in air quality, the accomplishments made in our schools would not be possible without the steadfast dedication and collective action of those we celebrate today.” For more information on the winners, visit the USGBC website.
