BLOOMINGTON, IND.—The Green Cleaning Network, a nonprofit clearinghouse that shares information and educates the marketplace in order to accelerate the adoption of green cleaning, announces the launch of its new website. The timing coincides with two important announcements including the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) release for public comments of its revision to LEED for Existing Buildings Rating System (LEED-EB) and the Building Owners and Managers Assn. (BOMA) joining the Network and its board of directors. The website’s Discussion Forums will provide the opportunity to review the current and proposed documents, and discuss issues associated with them. According to Doug...

WINCHESTER, VA.—Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) announces its “Smarter Recycling” solution: The Glutton Recycling Station. It combines the trusted Glutton and Slim Jim strength and durability into a high-capacity station that can separate up to four waste streams for more efficient recycling. “Supporting our customers’ recycling efforts while working to help reduce their waste disposal and labor costs is our priority for the Glutton Recycling Station,” says Victoria Ciupak, product manager for Rubbermaid Commercial Products. “For a recycling collection to be successful, the receptacles have to be as easy to maintain as they are to use. And with Rubbermaid Commercial...

ATLANTA—In today’s marketplace, a green building means an energy efficient, healthy building, but nothing can tarnish that sparkling image faster than indoor mold growth. Lenders and insurers as well as building owners and managers know that when mold takes hold, it can cause deterioration of building materials, which can be expensive and inconvenient to replace. Indoor mold growth also can become a source of indoor air pollutants, which can lead to serious health problems, including allergic reactions and asthma attacks. To help take the guesswork out of selecting building materials that resist mold growth and to support product manufacturers in...

VISTA, CALIF.—One of the questions facility managers and building service contractors (BSCs) often ask when waterless urinals are installed in their facilities is, “How do you clean them?” Because waterless systems are becoming more and more popular in commercial buildings, Waterless No-Flush urinals, Vista, Calif., has added an online video that covers virtually all the maintenance issues related to cleaning and maintaining these no-flush systems. Although most waterless urinals are cleaned much like conventional urinals, there are differences that BSCs should be aware of. For instance, abrasive cleaners and brushes often used on traditional urinals can scratch and mar a waterless...

PHILADELPHIA—National Chemical Laboratories, Inc. has unveiled SHA-ZYME, a no-rinse daily cleaner and degreaser for use on porous hard surfaces such as concrete, quarry tile, ceramic tile, brick, or any grouted floor surface without floor finish or wax. Especially in kitchens and food preparation areas, SHA-ZYME removes grease and grime below the surface to make quarry tile floors (and grout) more slip resistant. SHA-ZYME removes breeding sites for unwanted pests (such as fruit flies) by dissolving organic waste on floors that attracts insects, creating a more sanitary condition in these areas. A specialized SMB (Synergized Multi-Blend) biologically engineered bacteria/enzyme combination continues...

NATIONAL REPORT—According to the American Hotel & Lodging Assn., there are approximately 4.4 million guestrooms in the United States. It is pretty safe to assume there is at least one mattress in each room. Assuming a thickness of 12 inches per mattress, the industry’s mattresses, stacked on top of one another, would reach 636 miles into the sky. With mattresses replaced every seven years, on average, it is obvious the lodging industry has a huge waste management issue on its hands. Where do mattresses go when they are no longer useable? Most end up in landfills. Liability and hygiene issues...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Orbeco Inc. as a Green Product Directory partner. Orbeco is a producer of natural cleaning products for surfaces, flooring and carpeting. The company’s mission is to keep hotel properties as clean as possible—naturally. Orbeco believes it is important to create a safe work environment for housekeepers as well as a healthier environment for guests by using non-toxic, efficient cleaning products. Orbeco’s products include Evolut-ION floor/surface cleaner, carpet cleaner, carpet odor neutralizer, and spotter. Go to www.orbeco.net, call (415) 292-7749, or e-mail pierre@orbeco.net.

DUNEDIN, FLA.—Mintek Mobile Data Solutions, a leading provider of turnkey, automated preventive maintenance (PM) systems, introduced WinTrack PM for the Windows Mobile platform at HITEC. The lodging industry’s annual technology exposition and conference was held June 25-28 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. WinTrack PM is the cornerstone of Mintek’s Lodging Asset Management Suite, which also includes the Web-based Maintenance Portal, Asset Director and Alerts. WinTrack PM software incorporates handheld devices and bar coding to add efficiencies to PM, rounds, inspections and work order processes. “Our new version of WinTrack PM will be Web-based, which will offer greater security,...

LIVERMORE, CALIF.—Drainbo has introduced its non-toxic, chemical-free, and all-natural drain cleaner called Drainbo. Available direct to hotels and restaurants, Drainbo has been specially formulated to keep local water systems, lakes and oceans free of the fats, oils, and greases (FOG) that are increasingly degrading them each and every day. Traditional chemical-laden drain cleaners used by most consumers to clear clogged pipes are among the most hazardous products on the market today, and not just because they pose a grave threat to children and pets if improperly stored. In fact, chemical drain cleaners end up not only corroding drain...

BOSTON—Hyatt Harborside at Boston’s Logan International Airport recently upgraded its pool water treatment system as part of their commitment to the environment as well as customer loyalty/satisfaction. Ecolab’s Pure Comfort Saline System offers an alternative to the traditional bleach sanitizer. The overall result is an improvement in water quality through elimination of eye irritation, dry skin and excessive chlorine odor. Numerous meeting planners have stressed this initiative, one of many taken by Hyatt Harborside at Boston’s Logan International Airport in efforts to improve energy efficiency and the environment, as being significant motivation behind their choosing this hotel...