A floor buffing machine applying floor finish.

GreenNY Specification: Floor Finishes & Floor Remover

Floor Finishes and Floor Removers
Covered Products

This specification covers concentrated and ready-to-use floor polishes, finishes and waxes; floor strippers/removers; and floor polish restorers and maintainers.

 

Standard Setting and Certification Programs

Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC) - is a non-profit organization committed to improving the practice of occupational and environmental health through information sharing and collaborative research.

Green Seal - is a non-profit, independent, third-party standard setting and certification organization that follows the Guiding Principles and Procedures for Type I Environmental Labeling adopted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 14024). Green Seal has developed environmental standards and certifies products for more than 40 major product categories.

UL EcoLogo - is an independent, third-party standard setting and certification program that follows the Guiding Principles and Procedures for North American Type I Environmental Labeling adopted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 14024). Since its establishment in 1988, EcoLogo has been recognized or referenced in more than 350 specifications and standards.

 

Specifications:

Where such products are cost competitive and meet form, function and utility requirements, affected entities shall purchase floor maintenance chemicals that meet the following criteria:

  • No products shall be purchased in aerosol containers.
  • All products shall be certified as meeting one of the following standards:
    • Green Seal
      • GS-40 (2014): Floor-Care Products for Industrial and Institutional Use
    • UL EcoLogo
      • UL EcoLogo 2777 (2011), Standard for Sustainability for Hard Floor Care Products
  • Dilution equipment shall be offered free of charge for all concentrated floor maintenance products.

 

Packaging

Packaging shall comply with Environmental Conservation Law section 37-0205. Packaging shall not contain inks, dyes, pigments, adhesives, stabilizers, or any other additives to which any lead, cadmium, mercury, or hexavalent chromium is intentionally added or contain incidental concentrations of lead, cadmium, mercury or hexavalent chromium which together are greater than 100 parts per million by weight (0.01%). 

New York State encourages affected entities to adopt the following in order of preference when purchasing items that come in packaging: 

  • Items that do not need packaging, or the packaging is part of the product. 
  • Items that come in reusable packaging. 
  • Items that come in bulk packaging. 
  • Items that come in innovative packaging that reduces the amount of packaging. 
  • Items that come in packaging that remains the property of the supplier and does not become the property of the end user under any circumstance or condition. The vendor shall certify that the packaging material will be reused, recycled, or composted, and managed in compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws. 
  • Items that come in packaging that maximizes recycled or biodegradable (compostable) content and/or meets or exceeds the minimum post-consumer content level for packaging in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines. Biodegradable products should only be used in areas where a composting facility exists that accept the material. 
  • Items that come in Packaging that is recyclable or biodegradable (compostable). Biodegradable products should only be used in areas where a composting facility exists and will accept the material.