Hand Cleaners

Approved December 11, 2024

Covered Products 

This specification covers the following types of non-antimicrobial hand soaps, washes and cleansers formulated for institutional, industrial/heavy-duty, and consumer uses:

• Foaming hand soaps
• Lotion hand soaps
• Gel hand soaps
• Waterless hand cleaners
• Dissolvable hand soap tablets 

Exclusions

• Body washes
• Hair shampoos and conditioners
• Hand sanitizers
• Hand cleaning wipes
• Other personal care cleansing products 

Hand hygiene is a highly regulated activity in health care, food service, and childcare settings. These specifications do not supersede or change existing health and education regulations, and professional guidance related to hand hygiene practices.

Minimum Requirements

Products MUST have the following sustainability attributes:

• Product may not be labeled as antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, disinfecting, or sanitizing or make any claims to kill bacteria, viruses, germs or any other pathogens.
• At least one of the following certifications:
  • Green Seal
  • UL ECOLOGO
  • Safer Choice 
    This excludes all products where the parent company is overdue for their yearly partnership review and is identified with a double dagger (‡) next to the company name in the Safer Choice product list.
  • Cradle to Cradle (Certified or Material Health Certificate, Silver or higher)

Additional Desirable Attributes

Products are ENCOURAGED to have one or more of the following sustainability attributes:

• At least one of the following certifications:
  • USDA Certified Biobased
    Products must be labeled with this symbol in the product directory:
  • USDA Certified Organic
• Dye-free
• Fragrance-free
• Packaged for use in a sanitary sealed automatic dispensing system (i.e., not formulated for use in a refillable dispenser due to concerns about potential bacterial contamination)
• Made in the USA
• Made by a Certified B Corp

Many products meeting this GreenNY Specification align with the following NYS Sustainability Policies:

• Executive Order 22: Leading by Example: Directing State Agencies to Adopt a Sustainability and Decarbonization Program
• Pollution Prevention Policy

• GreenNY Sustainable Purchasing Definitions
   
• NY State Sustainability Policies
   
• GreenNY Sustainability Certifications and Standards
   
• Product-Specific Resources
  • “Bacterial Hand Contamination and Transfer After Use of Contaminated Bulk-Soap-Refillable Dispensers,” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2011, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3126420/
  • “Skip the Antibacterial Soap; Use Plain Soap and Water,” US Food and Drug Administration, accessed on 1028/24; https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/skip-antibacterial-soap-use-plain-soap-and-water

To support compliance with NYS policies and GreenNY procurement requirements, contract managers are encouraged to incorporate the GreenNY Sample Contract Language into bid solicitations and contracts. The GreenNY sample contract language covers the following topics:

• GreenNY Sales Reporting
• Packaging Language
• Product Labeling per GreenNY Specifications
• Takeback Services
• Verification of Vendor Compliance with GreenNY Requirements and Documentation of Desirable Attributes and Other Environmental Claims

Product-Specific Sample Contract Language

In addition to the GreenNY Sample Contract Language, contract managers are encouraged to include the following language in bid solicitations and vendor contracts involving Hand Cleaners:

Pursuant to NYS Prohibition on the sale and use of cosmetic products and personal care products containing 1,4-dioxane law (ECL § 37-0117), no cosmetic or personal care products containing 1,4 dioxane exceeding 1 ppm can be sold or offered for sale in New York State. At the request of the purchaser, the vendor must provide verification of compliance with ECL § 37-0117.

Verification documentation may cover multiple products that are distributed, sold, or offered for sale by an individual vendor. The following types of verification documentation will be accepted:

• Third-party certification
• Product test results
• Compliance certification or affidavit signed by the manufacturer
• Other acceptable documentation as approved by the purchaser

• Dye-Free: Means products that do not contain chemicals that impart color.
• Fragrance-Free: Means that products do not contain chemicals that impart or counteract an odor or scent. This is different than “unscented,” which means a product has no scent, but may contain chemicals that neutralize or mask the odors of other ingredients.
• Hand Cleaners/Hand Soaps: Products designed to remove both organic and inorganic substances from skin. This includes consumer/household hand soaps, institutional hand cleaners, and industrial heavy-duty use hand cleaners.
  • Consumer/Household Hand Cleaners: Products advertised to clean hands by individual consumers or for use in restrooms and breakrooms in small offices. These products are often sold in a bottle that is not designed for use with separate dispensing equipment.
  • Industrial/Heavy-Duty Hand Cleaners: Products advertised for heavy-duty use to remove oil, grease, ink or other hard to remove soils in industrial settings. This includes products that are commonly used in garages, print shops, and other facilities to remove oil, grease, ink, or other hard-to-remove substances.
  • Institutional Hand Cleaners: Products advertised for routine, non-specialized hand cleaning in office buildings, schools, retail and other public buildings.