July Green Group of the Month
INFORM Inc.
INFORM Inc. is an independent, nonprofit organization that conducts research aimed at practical solutions to complex environmental and health-related problems throughout this country and the world – examining the effects of business practices on the environment and on human health. Its goal is to identify ways of doing business that ensure environmentally sustainable economic growth. INFORM's work is funded by more than 40 foundations, 24 corporations, and government grants.
INFORM government, industry, and environmental leaders around the world use reports. Its three research areas focus on:
- Advancing the Shift to Sustainable Transportation
- Promoting Waste Prevention and Design of Less Wasteful Products
- Toxic Chemicals and Human Health
INFORM tackles the toughest environmental challenges in a serious, objective way. It has earned a reputation for thorough, accurate analysis and clear, solution-oriented reporting.
The organization publishes its research in books, newsletters, articles, and on the Internet. It has published more than 100 reports on how to avoid unsafe uses of toxic chemicals, protect land and water resources, conserve energy, and safeguard public health.
INFORM does not lobby or litigate. It is dedicated to developing constructive solutions to business problems and to working with companies, communities, government agencies, and environmental organizations to translate ideas into action.
Excellent Green Cleaning Resource
The INFORM Website presents a long list of fact sheets and reports (most available to download free of charge) that are highly helpful to green facility managers. For example, the INFORM report “Cleaning for Health: Products and Practices for a Safer Indoor Environment” reveals that toxic chemicals found in many cleaning products can jeopardize the health of janitorial workers and other building occupants. Several states and local governments have found that switching to “greener cleaners” has improved indoor air quality, reduced complaints among janitorial staff and even saved them money. The INFORM report is a one-stop guide to environmentally preferable cleaning products and methods that have been effectively used in office buildings, schools, hospitals and other facilities in the United States and Canada. It describes pioneering product evaluation programs and lists the brands that were chosen based on environmental and performance criteria. It also provides a model specification, as well as manufacturer contacts and other resources for those who want to develop a safer cleaning program for their buildings.
A sample of INFORM fact sheets and issue summaries on the subject of “Toxic Chemicals and Human Health” include:
- Industrial Lead Fact Sheet
- Industrial Cadmium Fact Sheet
- Industrial Mercury Fact Sheet
- PBT-free Data Sheet
- Cleaning for Health Program - Research and Outreach Focus
- Healthier Cleaning General Guidelines
- Implementing an Environmentally Preferable Cleaning Program
- Environmentally Preferable Cleaning Products Sample Specification
- Green Cleaning Site Visit Checklist
- Tracking Toxic Chemicals
- Cleaning for Home Health
- Your Clean and Healthy School
- Environmental Health Threats to Children: A Look at the Facts
- Toxics in Everyday Products
- Purchasing for Pollution Prevention fact sheets on:
- Low-mercury fluorescent lamps
- Mercury-free vehicles
- Mercury-free medical and surgical equipment
- Mercury-free industrial thermometers, manometers, thermostats, and switches
- Mercury-free HVAC and building equipment
- Mercury-Containing Products and Alternatives
- Mercury-Containing Products and Alternatives in the Health Care Setting
- Non-PBT alternatives for Art Departments
- Non-PBT alternatives for Building Construction and Maintenance Departments
- Non-PBT alternatives for Health Care Facilities
- Non-PBT alternatives for Public Works Departments and Vehicle Maintenance
- Facilities
- Non-PBT alternatives for Schools, Colleges, and Universities
- What's Wrong with Lindane?
- Lindane-free Lice Treatment
- Lindane-free Scabies Treatment
- Lindane-Free Case Studies
- Risks of Lindane Alternatives
- Purchasing for Asthma Prevention fact sheets on:
- Industrial markers
- Janitorial cleaners
- Restroom and urinal deodorizer blocks
- Diesel-powered school and public transit buses
- Pressed-wood products such as particleboard and medium-density fiberboard
- Spray lubricants
- How to contract for products that do not contain asthmagens and respiratory irritants
- Asthmagens in Institutional Cleaning
What Makes INFORM Unique?
- Its in-depth case studies of the practices of industries and individual companies that affect the environment – these provide the basis for INFORM's conclusions and evaluations
- Its thorough, accurate, and objective research, presented in clear and easy-to-read reports – these serve as reliable resources for leaders in business, government, and community organizations to use in shaping new policies and programs for protecting the environment
- Its emphasis on identifying constructive and practical measures that can be taken, by both government and business, to conserve resources and reduce pollution
- Its extensive educational outreach
Partnerships
INFORM believes that meaningful progress depends on a public that is well informed about environmental problems, on dialogue rather than confrontation, and on collaboration among business, government and communities to achieve lasting solutions.
