Maintaining clean, sanitary facilities ensures customer satisfaction and protects public health. Purchasers can better protect human health and the environment by choosing sustainable janitorial supplies. Innovation in the janitorial products industry means that green products perform just as well as their conventional counterparts. The State of Minnesota prioritizes the purchase of janitorial supplies that provide optimal performance while also protecting human health and the environment.
State contract specifications
Cleaning supplies (w-ps3-25)Contract Release C-252(5). All cleaning products, with the exception of disinfectants, must be certified by Green Seal or EcoLogo, or recognized by the EPA’s Safer Product Labeling Program. Disinfectants are required to meet three human health criteria. These requirements ensure that products are safe to use and environmentally conscious.
Compostable bags (w-ps3-26)Contract Release B-351(5). More than 30% of what we throw away is organic material, such as food waste. Bags for collecting organic recycling must be certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI).
Cleaning compounds and detergents for dishwashing and laundry machines (w-ps3-33)Contract Release C-983(5): Cleaning compounds and detergents for dishwashing and laundry machines. A list of mandatory and desirable characteristics of dish and laundry cleaning compounds. The list helps to verify the safety and environmental integrity of products.
Janitorial paper products (w-ps3-28)Contract release P-661(5) janitorial paper products: toilet paper, towels, tissue, napkins, and wipers. Sustainable products on this contract must either be Green Seal or EcoLogo certified or contain 100% recycled content.
Recycled content bags and post-consumer content bags are offered on Contract Release B-298(5).
Sustainability resources
- The Minnesota Department of Health has provided a Cleaners, Sanitizers, and Disinfectant Products Guide to help state agencies select cleaning products.
- Green Seal and UL EcoLogo develop sustainability standards for cleaning chemicals.
- The U.S. EPA’s Safer Choice program helps consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and are safer for human health and the environment.
- The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Department of Health authored this information sheet, which explains best practices for keeping public restrooms clean and safe: Cleaning and disinfecting public restrooms
- Recycled content bags are offered by several vendors to promote a less wasteful post-consumer lifecycle and a circular economy.