Effective since the start of the school year, all cleaning supplies (with the exception of floor strippers and waxes) used in Madison Schools are Green Seal Certified. The Green Seal identifies products and services that cause less toxic pollution and waste, conserve resources and habitats, and minimize global warming and ozone depletion.

What this means in Madison schools is better indoor air, less chance of children reacting negatively to cleaning chemical residue and odor, which means a healthier environment for education.

"Green Seal cleaning chemicals, combined with other programs like our energy conservation efforts and recycling program, are helping MMSD become a green school district, reducing our impact on the environment and still providing a quality educational setting," said Doug Pearson, director of Building Services.

Pearson added, "Green Seal also requires the use of 100% recycled waste paper products. Our toilet paper and brown paper towels comply with this standard. In addition, our garbage bags are made of 30% recycled plastic."

Green Seal is an independent, non-profit organization that strives to achieve a healthier and cleaner environment. Green Seal has no financial interest in the products that it certifies or recommends, or in any manufacturer or company.

Thus, Green Seal provides credible, objective, and unbiased information whose only purpose is to direct the purchaser — MMSD — to environmentally responsible products and services.

Specifically, Green Seal meets:

• The criteria of ISO 14020 and 14024, the environmental standards for ecolabeling set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO);
• the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's criteria for third-party certifiers of environmentally preferable products;
• and the criteria for bona fide ecolabeling bodies of the Global Ecolabeling Network.

Other Related Links

• Green Seal