AmSan-United for a Cleaner, Safer and Healthier America

AmSan Vision-To Be the Leading Solution-Based Provider in the Industry.

stevekol1 — Sat, 17 May 2008 16:57:00 GMT

AmSan - Who We Are

Beginning in 1997, AmSan was created by uniting 41 of the nation's premier sanitary supply organizations into one company.

Together we share a common vision. We believe that by combining local market focus with broad-scale national resources, we are able to deliver optimal value to our customers.

Today, AmSan is the largest distributor specializing in the Jan-San industry.

We invite you to get to know us in-depth; who we are at the core, what drives us, inspires us and makes us different enough to earn your trust and business.

AmSan's Unique Distinctions

We're out to make a difference in the cleanliness and quality of your environment while supporting your operational efficiency and bottom line. Here are four distinctions that make it all possible.

Providing Outstanding Products matched to Customer needs. We are Jan-San experts and specialists in facilities maintenance with all national brands and our own complete Renown line.

Optimizing our Local Focus with National Capabilities. We service local, regional and national accounts customized to your needs.

Understanding your Unique Needs and Provide Solutions that DeliverValue. We offer an integrated portfolio of cost management tools and resources called AmSan Proforma that will enhance your operational efficiencies, improve the quality and increase your productivity.

We Specialize in Jan-San. We are the largest national distributor focusing on Jan-San and the full range of proven products, services and solutions that are unmatched in our industry.

Good Hand Hygiene-One of the Best Defenses Against MRSA

stevekol1 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:34:00 GMT

Major health organizations make it very clear: Because MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) can be transferred by person to person contact, one of the best prevention methods is good hand hygiene. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada recommend washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.MRSA is a type of staph that is usually manifested as skin infections, such as pimples and boils in otherwise healthy people and may, in some cases, cause a serious infection. It is resistant to numerous antibiotics such as methicillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. There are two types of MRSA: Healthcare Acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) and Community Acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) The spread of MRSA occurs more frequently in some types of environments, including hospitals, schools, dormitories and even military barracks.
GOJO offers comprehensive programs that include effective soaps and hand sanitizers to help facilities reduce the spread of germs. Innovative dispensing options include wall mount dispensers, bottles and sanitizing stations that can be placed anywhere. Additionally, GOJO offers tools to help encourage hand hygiene compliance.

For more information on how you can purchase Purell for your organization contact Steve Kolesar at 603-548-4218 or skolesar@amsan.com or go to www.amsanne.com

Why Green Cleaning in Schools

stevekol1 — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:53:00 GMT

Each school day, some 53 million students and 5 million staff attend our nation’s schools, representing some 20 percent of the American population. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), half this population may be exposed to polluted indoor air, lead, asbestos, chemical fumes, pesticides, molds and other toxins, along with overcrowding and poor sanitation.

New York recently enacted a state law to make sure schools address this issue and other states are likely to follow suit (see the Resources and Tools section of The Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning for more information). A well-designed green cleaning program can help reduce these harmful exposures and yield many other positive benefits for students, custodial staff, administrators and the environment, including:

1. Green Cleaning Helps Students Stay Healthy and Learn
Research shows a clear link between poor indoor air quality, sick students and teachers, and poor academic and occupational performance. Furthermore, children miss more than 14 million school days each year due to asthma exacerbated by poor indoor air quality, which disproportionately affects low-income and minority students. Green cleaning can help reduce the environmental hazards that negatively affect children's growing, developing bodies.

2. Green Cleaning Protects the Health of Custodial Staff
Members of the custodial staff, especially women of child-bearing age, are particularly susceptible to health problems caused by their frequent and close interaction with cleaning chemicals and equipment. Choosing safer products and training staff in proper usage can help reduce the number of injuries caused by caustic chemicals, respiratory irritation and dangerous equipment, decrease Workers' Compensation claims, and lower insurance costs.

3. Green Cleaning Increases the Lifespan of Facilities
Proper maintenance extends the longevity and performance of school building materials and furnishings by preventing damage and premature aging, which in turn reduces waste and unnecessary spending.

For example, school districts allocate a significant amount of money to carpeting, which is expected to have a useful life of 10 to 15 years. A square foot of typical carpet can hide as much as three times its weight in dirt and sand, which act like thousands of small knives, cutting and wearing out fibers in a few short years - long before its useful lifespan and before the district had budgeted to replace it.

4. Green Cleaning Preserves the Environment
Traditional cleaning products can contain harmful chemicals. Depending on the duration, rate and extent of exposure, they can cause cancer, reproductive disorders, major organ damage and permanent eye damage. These cleaning chemicals are also routinely washed down the drain where they find their way into drinking water, lakes and streams, adversely affecting plant and animal life, threatening public health and adding to pollution.

The cleaning industry consumes six billion pounds of chemicals, including non-renewable natural resources such as petroleum, and generates 4.5 billion pounds of paper products requiring the cutting of 35 million trees annually. Buying recycled paper and plastic products can help conserve precious natural resources for future generations.
Source http://healthyschoolscampaign.org/campaign/gr...
Steve Kolesar
www.amsanne.com

The Myths About Disposable Wipers

stevekol1 — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:44:00 GMT

Shop Towel Laundries Claim:
Disposable wipers are considered "Hazardous wastes" under RCRA.

Fact: The vast majority of single-use wipers are nonhazardous wastes as they are contaminated with simple oils and greases. Many states have become more flexible.

Shop Towel Laundries Claim:
Rented wipers are "environmentally-friendly."

Fact: EPA's data indicates single-use disposable wipers have less negative environmental impact than rented, laundered wipers due to the multi-media environmental impact of the laundering process to air, water, and land.

Shop Towel Laundries Claim:
Environmental liability exposure is eliminated with rented, laundered shop towels.

Fact:
Under current environmental law (CERCLA) rented wipers share the same potential liability exposure as do single-use disposable wipers.

Shop Towel Laundries Claim:
Rented, laundered wipers reduce user costs.

Fact: Laundry rental contracts are notoriously filled with hidden costs for replacement, energy and environmental charges, and automatic price increases. Disposable wipers have completely predictable acquisition, use, and disposal costs.

Shop Towel Laundries Claim:
Rented, laundered wipers are exempt from Dept. Of Transportation (DOT) hazardous material regulations

Fact: Users of any product that may become a "hazardous material" are obliged to follow DOT regulations when shipping regulated materials off site--whether a rented towel or disposable.

Shop Towel Laundries Claim:
Rented, laundered wipers are safer for workers.

Fact: Rented wipers are commonly contaminated with metal chips and chemical residues from other users, while single-use disposables pose no cross contamination potential.

DISPOSABLE WIPERS ARE THE PREFERRED CHOICE OVER LAUNDERED SHOP TOWELS

Safer for the Environment
No Residual Sludge from Laundry Water
Minimal Energy Consumption
Often Made from Recycled Materials
Greater Value for the Money
Safer for Employees and Equipment