Standard Helps Define How Clean Is Clean

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The commonly accepted method for the disposal of soiled feminine care products in women’s restrooms -a metal or plastic hinged receptacle mounted or built into the stall partition- is a health and safety risk to restroom patrons and cleaning staff.  The insides and outsides of these disposal receptacles are one of the most contaminated yet most neglected fixtures in women's restrooms.  Restroom users are exposed daily to potentially harmful germs and blood borne pathogens as well as offensive odors and unsightly mess.

“Even OSHA does not significantly address this issue, although it clearly is a blood and body fluid of concern and a common blood-contact opportunity,” said Lynn Kraft, a building services contractor and ICAN/ATEX associate. “Used feminine hygiene products present a health concern for the custodians and others who have contact with the receptacle before it is disinfected, assuming that it ever is. This is an area demanding more attention and some advances in disposal technology.”
 
To address this issue, Ann Germanow, Founder of the Scensible Source Company, approached cleaning experts, including Krafft, to put in writing the first cleaning guideline for stall feminine waste disposal receptacles.
 
“The goal of this standard is to heighten awareness to the problem and to provide special instructions that can easily be adopted into routine restroom cleaning.  Doing so will help keep the women’s restroom safer and cleaner (and odor-free) for restroom users, maintenance personnel, janitorial staff and any employee whose regular job responsibility includes emptying feminine waste disposal units,” said Germanow.
 
The Best Cleaning Practices for Sanitary Product Disposal Receptacles was published July 6, 2010 as an educational resource on the website of ISSA, the world’s most recognized cleaning association.  Contributors are Allen Rathey, President of InstructionLink/JanTrain,  Inc. and The Housekeeping Channel, LLC, Professional Edition; Lynn Krafft, Building Services Contractor and International Custodial Advisors Network, ICAN/ATEX Editor; Perry Shimanoff, MC2, Management, Maintenance and Cleaning Consultant; and Ann Germanow, Founder and CEO The Scensible Source Company, LLC