Green Cleaning Efforts - Massachusetts

Massachusetts is making progress with reducing toxics in cleaners, as evidenced by the fact that purchases on the State contract have tripled in the past three years. Greater gains are still needed, however. Numerous groups are calling for passage of proposed legislation that seeks to require the use of green cleaners in public buildings and educational institutions throughout the State. Such legislation would serve to strengthen the current progress and expedite the establishment of healthier environments for students, workers, and others.

In the meantime, the State's central purchasing office, the Operational Services Division (OSD), is in the process of revising the present statewide contract for environmentally-preferable cleaning products to include additional product lines offered by the current vendors. Since the range of green cleaning products has significantly expanded in recent years to include floor care systems, hand soaps, carpet cleaners, and other products, OSD is also working on the release of a new contract bid over the next few months. To go one step further, the Agency is looking to establish a statewide contract for cleaning services that would require the awarded contractors to use only cleaning products certified by third-party organizations, such as Green Seal and Environmental Choice.