CMI Compliance with Environmental Sustainability Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which LEED credit category is most directly impacted by custodial chemical selection?
- Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) (Correct answer)
- Energy and Atmosphere
- Sustainable Sites
- Water Efficiency
Correct answer: Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
Chemical selection affects indoor air quality through VOC emissions and occupant exposure, directly impacting the Indoor Environmental Quality credit category.
Question 2: When disposing of a full aerosol can of cleaning product that is no longer needed, a custodian should:
- Follow facility hazardous waste disposal procedures (Correct answer)
- Puncture the can to release pressure and recycle
- Place it in the regular trash
- Pour the contents down the drain and recycle the empty can
Correct answer: Follow facility hazardous waste disposal procedures
Full aerosol cans are considered hazardous waste and must be handled through proper facility waste disposal channels, not regular trash.
Question 3: What is the environmental purpose of using a color-coded microfiber cloth system in custodial operations?
- Prevents cross-contamination, reducing the need for extra disinfectant applications (Correct answer)
- Identifies which cloths are biodegradable
- Meets OSHA chemical segregation requirements
- Allows single-use disposable workflow
Correct answer: Prevents cross-contamination, reducing the need for extra disinfectant applications
Color coding prevents cross-contamination between areas, reducing chemical overuse and the need for additional disinfection treatments.
Question 4: A school custodian is selecting a floor stripper. Which ingredient should they avoid to minimize environmental harm?
- High levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (Correct answer)
- Surfactants derived from plant oils
- pH-neutral formula
- Biodegradable solvents
Correct answer: High levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Floor strippers with high VOC content release harmful gases that degrade indoor air quality and contribute to outdoor smog formation.
Question 5: Which practice best supports water conservation in custodial restroom cleaning?
- Using trigger sprayers instead of flooding surfaces with product (Correct answer)
- Mopping floors twice daily with fresh water each time
- Using hot water for all cleaning tasks
- Replacing all fixtures with manual faucets
Correct answer: Using trigger sprayers instead of flooding surfaces with product
Trigger sprayers apply only the needed amount of product and water, reducing overall consumption compared to bulk application methods.
Question 6: The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) primarily governs:
- The management and disposal of solid and hazardous waste (Correct answer)
- Indoor air quality standards for cleaning products
- Water discharge permits for janitorial operations
- Energy efficiency in commercial buildings
Correct answer: The management and disposal of solid and hazardous waste
RCRA establishes the framework for managing hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste from generation through disposal.
Question 7: A custodial team switches from single-use disinfectant wipes to reusable microfiber cloths with a diluted disinfectant. The primary sustainability benefit is:
- Reduced landfill waste from disposable products (Correct answer)
- Lower labor costs per cleaning cycle
- Higher kill rate for pathogens
- Compliance with EPA Safer Choice requirements
Correct answer: Reduced landfill waste from disposable products
Single-use wipes generate significant landfill waste; reusable cloths eliminate this waste stream while maintaining effective cleaning.
CMI Compliance with Environmental Sustainability Standards 3
Which LEED credit category is most directly impacted by custodial chemical selection?