Mayor Foster announced yesterday that the City will begin a program to experiment with exclusive use of green, environmentally-friendly cleaning products in city buildings. Environmentally focused Sun Valley Green will donate Green Seal certified, 100% biodegradable, non-toxic, recyclable cleaning products and containers, which also use less packaging than usual.
“This pilot program is another step on our City’s path to become an environmental leader,” said Mayor Foster. “Using green products, rather than traditional cleaning products, reduces the amount of toxic chemicals that collect in our indoor environments. The goal is to make our City’s buildings healthier spaces for our employees and the public.”
The announcement comes on the heels of other environmentally-friendly steps taken by the city, including solar panels installed at CSULB, the Long Beach Convention Center and the Long Beach Airport.
“Currently, there are more than 70,000 cleaning chemicals being used today and fewer than two percent have been thoroughly tested for their effects on people,” said Teresa Cochran, founder of Sun Valley Green. “Long Beach is taking the lead to ensure their employees are no longer exposed to these dangers. We are thrilled to partner with Long Beach.”