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Price and janitorial paper and tissue products

Although the respondents attributed some importance to all of the given options, price and performance were ranked as the most important purchasing factors ahead of recycled content and environmental attributes.

Forty percent of respondents answered that Green janitorial paper costs the same as "conventional" alternatives; however, another popular opinion seemed to be that Green tissue products cost more (34.1 percent). A greater majority of respondents (64.5 percent) believe the performance between Green janitorial paper and "regular" alternatives is no different.

Cleaning products and health

Human health has consistently been ranked the most important environmental issue by EcoMarkets respondents since 2007. Considering the attention given to human health, it is no surprise that the overall health impact of cleaning chemicals ranked second in importance only behind efficacy and ahead of price.

Nearly 50 percent of respondents believe going Green with cleaning chemicals costs more; however, in this product category, a lower emphasis is placed on price relative to overall human health impact. Although price still ranks high in importance, a majority of purchasers are more concerned with the health implications of the cleaning chemicals they buy for their organizations.

This is good news for Green cleaning solution manufacturers, distributors and purchasers as Green products are designed with both the environment and human health in mind, especially as many of these products being used in hospitals, schools and restaurants where hygiene is extremely important.

Eco-label recognition

Another finding from the 2009 EcoMarkets Study is that respondents rely on eco-labels most frequently to help make purchasing decisions. Results show that Energy Star was the highest ranked eco-label, recognized by 88 percent of respondents in the United States and 81 percent in Canada. Green Seal was the second highest ranked eco-label in the U.S., recognized by 61 percent of American respondents, followed by EcoLogo at 59 percent of U.S. respondents. In Canada, the second most highly recognized eco-label was EnerGuide, a program initiated by the Canadian government and recognized by 76 percent of Canadian respondents followed by EcoLogo at a 62 percent recognition rate. This is encouraging news for manufacturers of third-party certified products and services. Environmental labels will continue to play an important role as more purchasing policies and contracts require use of those well-recognized and credible eco-labels.

The future is Green

Throughout the EcoMarkets study, findings suggest there is plenty of room for Green product growth in the marketplace. The message for cleaning product and service distributors is to continue educating themselves and their clients on the Green products that deliver the best performance with attention to human health for the best price, remembering that cost needs to be compared over the entire life of the product. Third-party eco-labels will also continue to play an important role in helping purchasers identify leading environmentally preferable products.

To get a free copy of the EcoMarkets 2009 Summary Report, e-mail ecomarkets@terrachoice.com.