WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is redesigning its Design for the Environment Safer Product Label to better convey to consumers that products bearing the label meet the program’s rigorous standard to be safer for people and the environment. “We want consumers to be able to easily find safer products that work well,” said Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator for Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “The agency wants to hear from the American people on which designs will help people identify household cleaning and other products that are safer for families and the environment.” The redesigned label is intended to...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Florida-based Liberty Building Forensics Group, a leading building forensics firm that has solved complex building moisture and mold problems, has a warning for hotel design and construction teams. Rigid adherence to brand standards in new hotel construction without factoring in specific regional and climatic conditions can result in significant mold and moisture issues.Design standards are developed on a global basis, not taking into consideration specific limitations of regional climates. Regional violations in design standards have been shown repeatedly to result in extensive and costly mold and moisture problems in hotels.Brands claim their standards are only guidelines, and that...

TAMPA, FLA.—Green Lodging News welcomes Marble Shine Services as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Marble Shine Services represents a line of environmentally sound cleansers, sealers, impregnators and renewable finishes for stone, tile, concrete, VCT, wood, and a host of other hard surface flooring types. Marble Shine Services’ StoneClean Concentrates biodegrade quickly and do not include toxic compounds. They include no citrus, soy or detergent products so no cleaning residues are left behind. Call (503) 362-5651, e-mail marbleshine57@yahoo.com, or go to www.buystoneclean.com for more information.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A webinar on carbon monoxide safety will be held for AH&LA members on Thursday, August 21, 2014, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (EST). The moderator will be Tony Mendez, corporate safety/security services, resort management, Bluegreen Corp. Speakers will include: Byron Briese, Rolf Jenson Associates; Tom Daly, The Hospitality Security Consulting Group; and Stacy Welch, PE, Senior Director, Fire Protection and Life Safety, Marriott International, Inc.Although incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning are rare, regular maintenance and equipment checks can help hoteliers protect both guests and employees. As with smoke alarms, there are no federal mandates or regulations governing...

LAKE PLACID, N.Y.—Guests at the new Lake House at High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid can opt out of daily housekeeping services. In addition to significant reduction in the use of chemicals and their disposal, guests will earn a $5 daily credit which can be applied at the Bar at Lake House, or in Dancing Bears Restaurant at High Peaks Resort. Alternatively, the guest credit may be donated to the Mirror Lake Watershed Assn., which works to preserve the pristine beauty of Mirror Lake.“It is important for all of us who live and work in Lake Placid to help...

NATIONAL REPORT—Prior to one of her recent trips, Judy Smith* called the motel where she was going to be staying and requested that no chemicals, air fresheners or room deodorizers be used in her room. Unfortunately, housekeeping only got the message about not using cleaning chemicals and not the part about not using air fresheners or room deodorizers. Upon entering her $110 room, Judy said a flowery fragrance of artificially scented products hit her immediately and her throat began to close. “I became hoarse and had to leave the room, sit outside for an hour or longer while my...

TAMPA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Tampa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes ECOS Paints as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. ECOS Paints have no odor, are non-toxic, generate zero VOCs, and provide exceptional coverage (up to 1.5x traditional paints). ECOS Paints are 12,500 times purer than traditional zero VOC paints. ECOS Paints are ultra hard-wearing, allowing quicker room renovations and improved customer comfort. ECOS Paints are factory tinted with European zero VOC colorants. The company’s cans are made from post-consumer recycled materials and are 100 percent recyclable. Call (864) 595-3840, e-mail lodging@ecospaints.net, or go to www.ecospaints.net for...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc. released its 2013 Corporate Sustainability Report. This annual profile of the company’s commitment to sustainability highlights how Ecolab partners with customers, NGOs and communities to help address some of the world’s most complex resource and business challenges.Ecolab’s mission is to provide and protect what is vital: clean water, safe food, abundant energy and healthy environments. With a combination of service, expertise and innovation, in 2013 Ecolab helped customers across more than 40 industries operate more efficiently, expand business responsibly, help address regional resource scarcity challenges, adapt operations to meet changing demands and achieve sustainability goals.“Fundamental...

TAMPA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Tampa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added a Plus Manufacturing case study to its website. The focus of the case study is the Enzian Inn in Leavenworth, Wash. The case study addresses how the Enzian Inn’s housekeeping staff uses Plus Manufacturing’s soap-free, residue-free Procyon to clean carpet in the inn’s nearly 100 guestrooms. Housekeepers at the inn apply Procyon in a Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)-Certified extractor, the AquaClean FLX, from Advance. The combination of Green Seal GS-37-Certified and CRI-Certified, soap-free Procyon with the low-moisture extractor yields great results, fast dry times, and...

EAST LONGMEADOW, MASS.—Excel Dryer, Inc., manufacturer of the original, patented, high-speed, energy-efficient XLERATOR hand dryer, introduces the new XLERATOReco hand dryer. The XLERATOReco uses new “no heat” technology to dry hands in 15 seconds using only 500 watts.“The XLERATOReco ‘no heat’ technology significantly reduces energy consumption required by hand dryers with heated air and has the smallest carbon footprint of any other hand dryer,” said William Gagnon, Excel Dryer’s Vice President of Marketing. “At Excel Dryer, we put a lot of energy into saving it. XLERATORecocontinues Excel Dryer’s commitment to providing the most cost effective and energy-efficient hand dryers...