Clean standard for K-12 schools in development

LINCOLNWOOD, IL — ISSA and its research partner, the Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI), recently completed Phase I of their research — consisting of laboratory and limited field testing in 70 schools and two day-care facilities — to determine the best methodologies and measurement systems that ultimately will form the foundation for a clean standard for K-12 schools, according to a press release.

According to the release, ISSA hosted multiple sessions at the 2009 ISSA/INTERCLEAN^® North America Trade Show, addressing its K-12 research progress in more detail.

Results from Phase I research, which consisted of both lab and field testing in schools, suggest that adenosine triphosphate (ATP) measuring devices appear to be a promising and appropriate approach to detecting significant differences between "dirty" and "clean" surfaces in schools; in addition, a comprehensive approach to defining "clean" and indoor environmental quality in K-12 schools is being developed, the release stated.

ISSA Director of Legislative Affairs Bill Balek said: "Based on the research conducted to date, ISSA is confident that this project will produce a scientific-based, pragmatic standard that will significantly improve the quality of the learning environment for students in K-12 schools across the nation and that will also provide ISSA members with a valuable tool that will help them succeed in today's demanding and increasingly more health conscious marketplace."

The goal of this three-year research project is the cooperative development of a science-based clean standard for K-12 schools that will be the springboard for industry data, training, measurement and certification programs, the release noted.

In addition to testing cleaning and measurement methods, performance metric data, such as student academic performance and absenteeism rates, are being provided by the participating school district; this aspect of the research will study the connection between indoor environmental quality, cleanliness and student health and performance, the release added.

Click here to read the complete release.