Safety in Our Supermarkets
Despite the broad public attention currently focused on green products, organic foods, and safer cleaning standards, California supermarkets are using toxic cleaning chemicals that most consumers would rather not have near their food.
While supermarket shelves are stacked with organic foods and safe, “green cleaning” products for the home, those same supermarkets continue to use harsh and often toxic chemicals to clean the stores. Known hazardous and corrosive chemicals are used daily around the food we take home.
To ensure the safety of janitors’ and the food our families buy from the markets, customers and janitors are joining together to call on California supermarkets to adopt “green cleaning” standards including non-toxic cleaning chemicals, improved cleaning equipment and machinery, comprehensive safety training, and fair labor standards and wages for janitors and other supermarket workers. Supermarkets have a responsibility to provide Quality Jobs, Safe Food, and Healthy Communities.
Hazards to Food Safety, Human Health, and the Environmental
Unfortunately, there is little research on the use of toxic chemicals in supermarkets. However, studies of key chemical ingredients clearly document hazards to the environment and significant negative impacts on indoor air quality and human health. Hazardous ingredients in these cleaners are often inhaled, absorbed through direct skin contract, and can even be absorbed by the skin through emitted vapors. Workers who clean supermarkets report that corrosive chemicals can eat through clothing and shoes, and commonly experience a number of adverse health effects from the chemicals they use daily, including constant headaches, eye irritation for days at a time, shortness of breath, persistent coughing, serious rashes and skin burns.
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Safe, Clean and Green Alternatives
California supermarkets should follow the lead of other industries that have already established and implemented green cleaning standards to protect consumers and workers, including:
Green Buildings. The commercial office building industry has established the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program spearheaded by the United States Green Buildings Council, setting environmentally sound standards that include green cleaning measures. Many municipal and state governments have opted to give incentives and in some cases mandated the use of LEED standards. California will mandate standards by 2010. Additionally, the International Facility Management Association has recommended choosing green cleaning products certified by either the EcoLogo program or Green Seal, saying “these products are as effective as, and possibly superior to, conventional cleaning products… and are proven safer for the users, building occupants and visitors, and the environment.”
Green Schools. In response to findings that children as well as cleaners and staff were severely affected by exposure to chemicals and hazardous waste, the states of New York and Illinois have set strict standards for green cleaning in schools. The Illinois Green Cleaning schools Act of 2008 requires the use of green cleaning supplies and establishes green cleaning procedures.
Green Restaurants. The Green Restaurants Association has set voluntary guidelines for establishments seeking LEED certification, taking into account FDA restrictions. According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2009 forecast, approximately four in ten full-service restaurant operators and almost three in ten quick-service operators plan to devote more of their budgets to green initiatives.
A Call to Protect Consumers, Workers and Our Communities
Green cleaning is more than a trend — it is a necessary move towards protecting our communities. In the supermarkets industry, there is an even more urgent need to protect the food products we take home to our families. The supermarket industry, government officials, consumer advocates, worker advocates and environmentalists have an opportunity to enhance food safety and protect the environment by enacting legislation and policies that:
➢ Ensure current chemicals are safe for consumers, workers and the environment
➢ Recommend safer, environmentally-preferable alternative chemicals
➢ Ensure the use of environmentally-preferable cleaning practices
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This website is operated by SEIU Local 1877, United Service Workers West, a union of more than 18,000 janitors and 22,000 other property service workers across California. SEIU USWW represents more than 650 janitors who clean Safeway and Lucky’s stores in Northern California.