JUNE 18, 2014 | ISSUE 167
Retail Facility Business
Subscribe for Free | News Submission | Contact | Advertise

Recent News

 

NAI Avant Promotes Senior Property & Project Manager


Reeves

Columbia, S.C. - Amy Reeves' expertise includes healthcare, office, retail and project management.

Read more.

 

 

 

 

 

Divider Image

bebe CEO Resigns 


Brisbane, Calif. - Jim Wiggett, who joins the bebe team with close to 40 years of retail, merchandising and business experience, has been appointed interim CEO.

Read more.

 

 

 

 

 

Divider Image

 

Gander Mountain Coming to Myrtle Beach


St. Paul, Minn. - The nation's fastest-growing outdoors retailer will add its second South Carolina store this fall.

Read more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top Story

 

The ABCs of VOCs in Facilities 

 

Boise, Idaho - What are VOCs and could they be big polluters in your facility? VOC stands for "volatile organic compound." There are thousands of different VOCs and they have two things in common: they contain carbon, and they evaporate quickly.

 

Some are natural and relatively benign-baking bread and cutting onions releases VOCs. Some are natural but harmful, such as some VOCs from molds (microbial volatile organic compounds: mVOCs).

 

Other VOCs are synthetic and may be hazardous. They can be released by paints, solvents, caulking, adhesives and, of course, cleaning products - especially those made with petrochemicals. Many VOCs are irritants, carcinogens and mutagens - and some can give you a headache, or worse.

 

According to Dr. Christina Peterson, M.D., and neurologist: "For those of us who are headache sufferers (especially those of us with migraines), the chemicals contained in many cleaning products can serve as a headache trigger."

 

Peterson notes that cleaning products may contain trigger chemicals such as:

 

* Fragrance

* Solvents (alcohols, propylene glycol, glycol ethers, many others)

* Irritants (like kerosene or formaldehyde)

  

What about unscented products? Will using these reduce VOC exposure? Not necessarily. "Sometimes, a masking fragrance is used in products labeled 'fragrance-free' or 'unscented' to cover up the scent of a solvent or other VOC in the product," says Peterson.

 

Reduce Sources & Look for Certification

 

According to UL: "Source control [is] the best strategy to reduce indoor air pollution and limit chemical exposure. Source control can include selecting products that have been certified for low chemical emissions."

 

For example, Green Seal's GS-37 standard specifies that certified products do not contain reproductive toxins, volatile organic compounds, 2-butoxyethanol, alkylphenol ethoxylates, phthalates, and ozone-depleting compounds that contribute to the production of photochemical smog, tropospheric ozone, or poor indoor air quality.

 

Making sure you are using low-VOC cleaning products and processes - source control - is always a sound first step.

 

 

 

 

-- 
Allen P. Rathey is president of The Healthy Facilities Institute (HFI). He may be reached at [email protected].
 

 

 

 

 

 

SOURCE: The Healthy Facilities Institute (HFI)

 

 


Vendor News

 


Divisions Maintenance Group Welcomes New Vice President of Finance

Wint

 

Newport, Ky. - Brian Wint is responsible for providing oversight in the financial monitoring, analysis and evaluation of Divisions' business as a key member of the executive team. Read more.

  

 

 

Divider Image

KBS Appoints New Vice President, Exterior Services

Coyne

 

Mt. Kisco, N.Y. - Norm Coyne is a well respected exterior facility services professional with more than 25 years of experience in the facility services industry. Read more.

 

 

 

 


Upcoming Events 

 

  

2014 BOMA Every Building Conference & Expo

June 22-24, 2014

Gaylord Palms Convention Center

Orlando, FL

 

IFMA's World Workplace 2014

The Facility Conference & Expo

September 17-19, 2014

New Orleans

 

ISSA/Interclean

November 4-7, 2014

Orange County Convention Center

Orlando, FL

 

IKECA 2014 Technical Seminar

November 5-8, 2014

Hyatt Regency Columbus

Columbus, Ohio

 

NRF 104th Annual Convention & EXPO

Retail's BIG Show

January 11-14, 2015

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

New York City

 

NAFEM Show 2015

February 19-21, 2015

Anaheim Convention Center

Anaheim, CA

 

Color Masters Painting

Contact Us

Scott France, Publisher

RETAIL FACILITY BUSINESS
France Media, Inc.
3500 Piedmont Rd., Suite 415
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
(404) 832-8262
(404) 832-8260
 

[email protected]

 

www.retailfacilitybusiness.com


Sign Up


Copyright � 2014 France Publications, Inc., d/b/a France Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The opinions and statements made by authors, contributors and advertisers to Retail Facility Business E-Newsletter are not necessarily those of the editors and publishers.
To unsubscribe, please click on the links at the bottom of this email.