Increased use of disinfection products as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic led the State of Massachusetts and the University of Massachusetts Lowell to undertake a review of available information concerning more sustainable products that are effective against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, to support buyers in selecting the safest effective products.
They identified disinfectant products that may be safely used in schools, specifically products that: 1) do not contain toxic ingredients; 2) do not create safety hazards when stored in large volumes; 3) have shorter dwell times; and 4) do not require PPE or other specialized safety equipment. For information about safer disinfectants that are effective against SARS-CoV-2, and safer for workers and building occupants, see the TURI list of safer disinfecting products.
Note: It is important to use disinfectants only when necessary.
Proposed procurement goals and metrics:
- Achieve 100% of spend on safer disinfection products as defined by the Toxics Use Reduction Institute at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell
- Metric: Percent spend on safer disinfection products compared to total spend on all disinfection products
- Require product ingredient disclosure in all contracts or all vendors meet the California Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017
- Prefer products that meet the USDA BioPreferred standard
- Prefer products that meet EPA Safer Choice labeling requirements
- Require disclosure of PFAS in all products considered for purchase: Michigan Executive Directive 2021-8, Reducing State Purchases of Products Containing Intentionally Added PFAS
Case studies:
- Portland, OR’s Healthy Purchasing Initiative requests “chemical ingredient hazard disclosure of goods and materials purchased by the City including but not limited to: cleaning supplies, office supplies, building products and materials, infrastructure materials.” RPN