TRSA Strengthens Clean Green Certification

TRSA announced updates to its Clean Green certification program that strengthens verification and reflect the latest technologies and sustainability best practices.

Improvements include enhanced wastewater treatment criteria and updated best management practices and standards that apply rigorous, performance-based requirements across all sectors.

The Clean Green program has long provided a third-party verified framework for promoting and measuring environmental stewardship in the textile services industry. These updates reinforce TRSA’s commitment to continuous improvement, transparency and alignment with recognized standards, including guidance from ASTM International.

“America’s linen, uniform and facility services companies play a critical role in advancing environmental sustainability across healthcare, hospitality and industrial supply chains,” said Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA. “By continuously strengthening programs like Clean Green, we ensure that our industry’s environmental leadership remains strong and achievable. These updates reflect real-world operational practices while keeping the focus on measurable outcomes. Ultimately, they will help our customers and communities experience the environmental benefits of working with professional laundry and textile service providers who are certified Clean Green.”

“These updates to Clean Green will make the certification process stronger, more transparent and more reflective of how today’s facilities operate,” said Samlane Ketevong, TRSA’s senior director of certification and accreditation. “While we have always required on-site audits during the certification process provides a higher level of confidence in the results, updated best management practices recognize new technologies and proven conservation methods. Ensuring our approach stays aligned with ASTM guidance further reinforces the program’s credibility and comparability across industries.”

Background on Clean Green Certification

TRSA’s Clean Green Certification program is a voluntary, third-party-verified sustainability standard designed specifically for the linen, uniform, and facility services industry. Facilities earn certification by meeting best management practices (BMPs) across water, energy, waste and chemical management. Clean Green complements recognized frameworks, such as ASTM standards, through documented processes, performance measurement, and independent verification. The updated guidelines reflect the work of TRSA’s Clean Green Advisory Board and Task Forces focused on strengthening and modernizing standards that have been in place since 2010. Approved by the TRSA board on May 12, the updated guidelines introduce the following key changes:

• Modernized Wastewater Treatment Criteria: Wastewater treatment is being repositioned from a mandatory requirement to a recommended best management practice, recognizing that many facilities achieve strong environmental outcomes through alternative, ASTM-aligned water-management strategies.
• Updated Best Management Practices: The guidelines are being refreshed to reflect advancements in equipment efficiency, water reuse, energy conservation and sustainable chemistry that were not widely available when the standards were first written.
• Improved Accessibility While Maintaining Strong Standards: The changes ensure Clean Green remains attainable for facilities across market segments while maintaining rigorous, performance-based sustainability expectations.

TRSA will provide updated guidance materials and implementation timelines to participating facilities as the revised Clean Green standards are implemented. TRSA will also provide updated resources to help certified facilities communicate the value of Clean Green certification to their customers across the different sectors the industry supports.

For more information about the Clean Green Certification program, visit https://laundryservices.org/clean-green/