PREVIOUS STANDARDS

Cleaning products are essential for healthy and appealing living and working conditions. However, they can also have a negative impact on human health and the environment.

To determine whether a cleaning product is truly sustainable or not, you need to look at its entire lifecycle. That means from sourcing raw materials and the manufacturing process to use and finally, its ultimate disposal.

The discharge of phosphorus compounds, for example, can damage freshwater and coastal ecosystems by introducing too many minerals and nutrients, leading to algal blooms. Some cleaning products may also contain long-lasting toxic substances, harming aquatic life in surface waters and streams.

Palm oil and palm kernel oil are common ingredients in conventional cleaning products. However, irresponsible palm oil farming can lead to deforestation, habitat loss for threatened species, poor air quality, and threats to the rights of local communities. Therefore, palm oil and palm kernel oil must be shown to be sustainably sourced.

Cleaning products must be safe for the end-user as well as for the workers who helped manufacture them. Conventional cleaning products can harbour ingredients that cause a range of adverse effects on health, ranging from mild (such as minor skin irritation) to very serious (such as being a potential carcinogen).

Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one of the main culprits behind Sick Building Syndrome, where occupants of a building complain of headaches, fatigue and other symptoms that disappear after leaving the building. The health issues caused by VOCs in indoor environments depend on the amount of VOCs present in the air, the length of time they are present, and how frequently people are exposed to them. People with allergies and asthma are particularly at risk.

Products certified under this standard can also contribute toward achieving credit points for projects being certified under the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star Performance tool. In addition, our standard also contributes to meeting WELL features under the WELL Building Certification.