Section 2800.40  Cleaning Supply Purchases with Alternative Qualification

a)         Although the Council has determined that there is an adequate supply of pre-qualified cleaning supplies at competitive prices in the product categories listed in Section 2800.30(a), schools may procure and use cleaning supplies in the listed categories that are qualified through an alternative method.  More specifically, schools may procure and use cleaning supplies qualified as environmentally sensitive through alternative means, provided the products meet the criteria set forth in this Section.

b)         Schools may procure and use non-pre-qualified cleaning supplies provided that the manufacturer or distributor of those supplies provides alternative qualification of environmental sensitivity by providing the Council with independent documentation verifying that the products meet the criteria of at least one of the Green Seal standards (GS-37 or GS-41 for chemicals; GS-9 for paper) or EcoLogo standards (CCD (Certification Criteria Document)-104, CCD-146 or CCD-148 for chemicals; CCD-86 for paper).

c)         The verification must come in the form of testing data provided by one or more independent third-party laboratories.  Any laboratories that maintain accreditation meeting the standards of ISO/IEC 17025 (International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission; 1, ch. de voie-Creuse, Case postale 56 CH-1211, Geneva 20, Switzerland, telephone: +41 22 749 01 11; www.iso.org; 2005, no later amendments or editions included) may conduct the required testing.  The Council shall post the required tests for each of the qualification standards on its website.

d)         The Council shall charge no fee to the party seeking alternative qualification.  The party seeking alternative qualification shall bear all laboratory and other costs necessary to obtain the required test results.

e)         A properly submitted verification form shall entitle the product to alternative qualification for a period of no less than one year.  Unlimited automatic renewals of the qualification shall be accepted at no charge for additional one-year periods provided that there have been no substantial changes in either the relevant criteria for qualification of that product, or in the formulation of that product.  If substantial changes have occurred, a renewal of alternative qualification requires new laboratory verification.

f)         A school may procure and use any pre-qualified or alternatively qualified cleaning supplies in meeting the requirements set forth in the Act.  The Council will post the list of pre-qualified and alternatively qualified cleaning supplies on its website.