Glossary of Terms
| CARB | The California Air Resource Board is part of the California Environmental Protection Agency. The Board’s goal is to promote and protect public health, welfare and ecological resources through the effective and efficient reduction of air pollutants, while recognizing and considering the effects on the economy of the state. (www.arb.ca.gov/homepage.htm) |
| CRI | Carpet and Rug Institute (www.carpet-rug.com), the national trade association representing the carpet and rug manufacturing industry with technical services, member services, governmental and consumer affairs, and public relations. CRI provides green label approval to products that improve indoor air quality. |
| FaST™ | Tennant’s proprietary, self-collapsing foam scrubbing technology leaves just-scrubbed floors immediately clean, dry and safe for traffic. The Safe Scrubbing Alternative® uses 70 percent less solution to attract and remove soil while also removing old, slippery detergent residue to increase floor traction by up to 21 percent (NFSI certified). As less water is used, less waste water is created. Only FaST creates cleaner, safer floors that help reduce the risk of slip-and-fall accidents. |
| Green Cleaning | U.S. government’s executive order 13101 defines “environmentally preferable" products or services as having a “lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.” Tennant recognizes green cleaning definitions established by several independent organizations, including NSF International, CRI, Green Seal, NFSI, and LEED. |
| Green Seal | An independent, non-profit organization that strives to achieve a healthier and cleaner environment by identifying and promoting products and services that cause less toxic pollution and waste, conserve resources and habitats, and minimize global warming and ozone depletion.(www.greenseal.org) |
| GS-37 | The “green” standard for industrial and institutional cleaners as certified by Green Seal, an independent, non-profit organization that strives to achieve a healthier and cleaner environment by identifying and promoting products and services that cause less toxic pollution and waste, conserves resources and habitats, and minimizes global warming and ozone depletion. (www.greesnseal.org) |
| HEPA | Commonly used abbreviation for high efficiency particulate air filters; encompasses specifications and testing requirements set for air filters by the U.S. Department of Energy. (www.eh.doe.gov/hepa) |
| IAQ | Stand for indoor air quality |
| LEED | Acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. A Green Building Rating System® created and implemented by the U.S. Green Building Council. (www.usgbc.org)(www.usgbc.org) |
| NFSI | National Floor Safety Institute (www.nfsi.org), a non-profit organization with a mission to aid in the prevention of slip-and-fall accidents through education, training and research. Conducts laboratory and field testing to determine walkway materials, floor maintenance products and coatings that have achieved safety benefits worthy of NFSI certification. |
| NSF International | A non-profit, non-governmental organization established as a world leader in standards development, product certification, education, and risk-management for public health and safety, with a focus on food, water, indoor air, and the environment. (www.nsf.org) |
| pH neutral | Chemicals that are neither acidic nor alkaline are pH neutral. On the pH scale, low pH corresponds to high hydrogen ion concentration, and high pH corresponds to low hydrogen ion concentration. A substance that when added to water increases the concentration of hydrogen ions (lowers the pH) is called an acid. A substance that reduces the concentration of hydrogen ions (raises the pH) is called a base. |
| ReadySpace® | A proprietary technology invented by Tennant Company, ReadySpace® uses substantially less water to effectively remove dirt and debris, leaving a superb carpet appearance with virtually no wick-back. As less water is used, less waste water is produced, creating cleaner, healthier environments by permitting more frequent cleanings and reducing odors and molds caused by excess water. Carpets cleaned with ReadySpace® are dry and ready for use in less than 30 minutes. |
| VOC’s | Volatile organic compounds are gasses that are released from certain solids or liquids. Reducing VOC’s reduces the potential ill-effects they may have on occupants in indoor spaces. |
