BILL REQ. #:  H-0626.1 

Read first time 01/14/09.   Referred to Committee on Environmental Health.

     AN ACT Relating to reducing the environmental health impact of cleaning in state facilities; and adding a new chapter to Title 70 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that cleaning products are necessary for creating and maintaining sanitary conditions in state facilities and workplaces. However, chemicals contained in cleaning products can be released to the environment during normal use by evaporation of volatile components or by leaving residue on cleaned surfaces. Choosing less hazardous cleaning products for use in our workplaces and our facilities and taking steps to reduce exposure can minimize harmful impacts to office and custodial workers, improve indoor air quality, and reduce water and ambient air pollution. Purchasing and appropriate use of products that perform well and that have positive environmental attributes such as biodegradability, low toxicity, low volatile organic compound content, reduced packaging, and low life cycle energy use can reduce the environmental impact of routine cleaning activities while also ensuring cleaning effectiveness. Therefore, the legislature finds that the adoption of practices to select, procure, and use environmentally preferred products will benefit the environment and the health and safety of workers and visitors to state facilities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) All state agencies that purchase cleaning products or services must ensure that cleaning products have properties that minimize potential impacts to human health and the environment consistent with maintenance of the effectiveness of these products for the protection of public health and safety. For purposes of this chapter, "state agency" means any office, department, division, bureau, board, commission, or other agency of the state of Washington or of any subdivision thereof.

     (2) The department of general administration, in consultation with the department of health and the department of ecology, shall consider nationally recognized accrediting information from multiple sources and provide consultation and guidance to state agencies to:
     (a) Select and procure products and use practices that reduce or minimize the risks of harmful effects to employees, custodial workers, visitors, and other building occupants and to the environment;
     (b) Promote adoption of practices endorsed by this chapter;
     (c) Recognize state agencies that adopt and implement environmentally beneficial facility and workplace management policies and practices;
     (d) Encourage contractors supplying goods and services to state agencies to select and procure such products; and
     (e) Encourage lessors and building managers who provide leased space to state agencies to select and procure such products.
     (3) The department of general administration, upon renewal of a lease and for all new leases, must require lessors and building managers who provide leased space to state agencies to use environmentally preferred products and practices.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) When procuring cleaning products, state agencies shall purchase environmentally preferred products or document the reasons for selecting nonpreferred products. The products must conform to guidance for environmentally preferred purchasing of cleaning products that may be provided under section 2 of this act, or must be products that have been identified by the department of general administration as compliant with this chapter.
     (2) When there is a need to control the spread of germs, infection, and disease in areas where high levels of bacteria are present or in areas where mandated by law, the use of germicidals, disinfectants, and antimicrobiological products to disinfect surfaces must be reported as required in subsection (3) of this section. The use of these products must be in accordance with responsible cleaning procedure requirements, including:
     (a) Controlled and efficient use;
     (b) Proper dilution, mixing, and handling;
     (c) Following label instructions;
     (d) Monitoring of chemical quantities used; and
     (e) Compliance with chemical hazard communication and personal protective equipment use requirements under chapter 296-800 WAC.
     (3) All state agencies that procure or use cleaning products shall prepare and submit a report electronically to the department of general administration biennially listing the amount and type of cleaning product used. When the use of nonpreferred products is reported, information must include the total number, type, and amount of nonpreferred products used and the reasons for their selection. Agency reports must be published on the department of general administration's web site and made available to employees and the general public.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   Local governments and school districts are encouraged to review their purchasing and use of cleaning products and select those having properties that minimize potential impacts to human health and the environment consistent with section 2 of this act. The department of general administration shall encourage local governments and school districts that are members of the department of general administration's state purchasing cooperative to achieve the goals of this chapter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   State agencies shall transition to cleaning products having properties that minimize potential impacts to human health and the environment within six months of the effective date of this section in a manner that avoids waste of existing inventories, accommodates establishment of supply chains for new products, enables the training of personnel in appropriate work practices, and allows the phase out of products and practices inconsistent with this chapter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   Sections 1 through 5 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 70 RCW.