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Floor care chemicals are some of the most powerful chemicals used in the jan/san industry. In the past, these products have included carcinogens, multiple irritants and high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can result in damage to humans.
“Floor finishes and strippers are typically some of the harshest chemicals. These products can cause irritations, headaches, burns, eye damage, major organ damage or even cancer,” says Mike Sawchuk, vice president, general manager of Enviro-Solutions. “It is estimated that six out of every 100 cleaners are injured on the job and many of these are the result of using conventional floor care products.”
Despite these concerns, floor care products have been some of the last to go Green. This is due to their complexity, since you must select elements that are compatible. The stripper, finish, cleaner, restorer, equipment, mats, pads and maintenance program for the type of flooring and level of use must all work together.
Because of this complex interaction of elements when cleaning, it has taken chemical manufacturers more time to replace them with environmentally preferable ingredients. The problem has been to not only find the right ingredients in the right combination that make floor care safer for both the user and the environment but also are effective as the traditional products being used. Of course, the price has to remain compatible as well.
“There is more to the story than just chemicals,” says Robert Israel, senior director of global environmental sustainability and regulatory affairs for JohnsonDiversey. “You have to look at the impact on chemistries and the total life cycle costs. We are trying to lengthen the time between strip cycles with an eye toward reducing the overall environmental impact and be sustainable.”
Change
Even as Green floor care chemicals have been introduced to the market, building service contractors have been slow to embrace them.
“In the past, there were no hard, calculated reasons for change,” says Taylor Stewart, president and chief operating officer of EnvirOx. “The attitude was ‘it’s not killing us right now,’ so people were not quick to change.”
In addition, the process of stripping, scrubbing and recoating, as well as applying the sealer and finish are very labor intensive. As a result, the process is expensive.
