Why Choose Low Emitting Materials

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That new paint and carpet smell in a home, school or building isn’t just annoying. It can actually be hazardous to your health. Many of the building materials we use every day emit chemicals during and after installation. This includes materials such as:

Purple Duralife Lockers Colors

  • Interior paints
  • Interior adhesives and sealants
  • Flooring and carpeting
  • Manufactured wood products
  • Furniture and upholstery
  • Ceilings, walls, thermal and acoustic insulation

What these materials have in common is that they all contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The most common contaminant of indoor air, VOCs are associated with a range of health effects, and can be a particular concern for children, seniors, and people with respiratory problems.

 

Selecting Low VOC and No VOC Products and Materials

The good news is that many low VOC and no VOC products are now widely available, making it easier for architects, designers and facilities managers to include low emitting products and materials in the design of their projects.

Selecting low emission products and materials not only improves human health and protects the environment, it can also help projects achieve LEED credits, an important consideration in today’s design and construction.

At Scranton Products, we believe in supporting a healthier environment. As a leading manufacturer of lockers, toilet partitions, and other HDPE (high density polyethylene) products, Scranton Products adheres to the highest standards, developing low emitting products that meet LEED requirements for air quality and sustainability, as well as GREENGUARD emissions standards.

Our products are free of VOC emissions, are eligible for LEED credits, and are GREENGUARD Gold Certified, meeting strict certification requirements for use in schools and healthcare facilities. In addition, all of our products are made from recycled materials and are 100% recyclable.

By selecting low emitting products made with Scranton Products HDPE, architects, designers and facilities managers can help to improve the indoor air quality of their projects while reducing environmental impact.

For more information on selecting Scranton Products low-emitting, sustainable products for your project, click on the link below.

Contact Scranton Products Today

LEED Building Is A Better Building

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LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally recognized “green” building certification. LEED certification standards lead to a safer, greener, cleaner and more energy efficient environment within the building where they are applied. With a certification process more than 25 years in the making, LEED has grown to become the most widely used green building rating system in the world. As a process, it offers third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at reducing energy and water usage, promoting better indoor air quality, and improving quality of life.

 

Third Party Verification System

As an internationally recognized third-party verification system, LEED influences how buildings and communities are planned, constructed, maintained and operated. In order for a building project to earn LEED Certification, it must meet certain criteria and goals within the following categories:

Location and Transportation – how close a project is to mass transit
Materials and Resources – use of locally sourced, sustainable products
Water Efficiency – reducing potable water usage
Energy and Atmosphere – improving energy performance and indoor air quality
Sustainable Sites – utilizing nearby natural resources and ecosystems that can naturally take part of the design, minimizing environmental pollution
Regional Priority Credits – addressing a particular concern based on location
Innovation – any idea not covered under the main LEED areas

Each of these credit categories contains a varied series of suggested opportunities. The building project earns points when it properly uses and integrates these opportunities. The LEED certification is applicable to both residential and commercial construction, and projects can earn one of four certification levels: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.

 

Image used with the permission of the U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. under its “Limited License” provision

 

Benefits Of LEED Certification

 

Any project, at any stage in development, can pursue LEED certification. Although LEED-certified projects typically have a higher initial investment because of stricter standards for construction, materials and labor, this initial investment can be recovered with lower operating costs. According to a study conducted by the New Building Institute, LEED buildings average a 24 percent decrease in energy consumption. In addition to reduced energy and water usage, LEED buildings also provide substantial reductions in costs associated with building maintenance, management of construction waste, and liability.

LEED-certified buildings also offer many other benefits. Typically built with occupant comfort in mind, these buildings offer increased sunlight, open spaces, and significantly better air quality, creating healthier, more comfortable, and very attractive places to live, work or play. For communities, having a LEED certified building not only reinforces the community’s commitment to sustainability, it also brings jobs to the community, since one of LEED’s best practices is utilizing local labor and materials wherever possible.

 

A Commitment to Sustainability
At Scranton Products, we believe in supporting a healthier environment and are focused on providing our customers innovative sustainable solutions that create a positive environmental impact.

 

Because our products are designed to meet specific LEED requirements, incorporating Scranton Products sustainable HDPE materials into your projects can contribute points toward LEED v4 certification in the following categories:

 

Material & Resources:

·    Recycled Content

·    REACH Optimization

·    Construction Waste Diversion

Indoor Air Quality:

·      Low Emitting Materials

·      Interior Lighting – Surface

·       Reflectance

 

For more information on our complete suite of sustainable products, please contact us to start a conversation today. All of our products are 100% recyclable and are made from recycled materials, incorporating between 30 and 85% recycled content, including both post-consumer and pre-consumer materials. In addition, our products are free of VOC emissions and are GREENGUARD Gold Certified.

 

Lets talk about sustainability. Contact Scranton Products today.

Configurations of Toilet Partitions

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Configured for Beauty and Privacy

When choosing toilet partitions privacy, aesthetics, and durable performance are just a few aspects that need to be considered, and selecting the right configuration is essential to the overall design of your public restroom facility.  At Scranton Products, we believe in responding to client needs with innovative, customizable solutions, and we offer a full range of features, options, and configurations to help you create exceptional bathroom designs.

One of the most important concerns in a public restroom is privacy and Scranton Products offers several partition options that can be configured to meet your facility’s privacy concerns. Our Aria™, Eclipse®, and Hiny Hiders® partitions have variable configurations that deliver contemporary looks and superior privacy. You can customize the partitions in many different ways to achieve the level of privacy you require, from a standard 55” height to a 72” height. Choose sleek, smooth, minimum-sight design options for the ultimate in privacy and clean aesthetics, or select from an array of floor-mounted overhead-braced, ceiling-hung, or floor-to-ceiling configurations.

Our innovative Aria Partitions™ offer the highest degree of privacy and aesthetics. This shoeless system provides overlapping edges, continuous edge mounted hinges and floor mounted side panels, resulting in a striking, high-privacy design. Our striking Eclipse Partitions® provide a minimum-sight design that also delivers superior privacy and innovative aesthetics, featuring sleek hidden hardware and high-privacy angled door edges. While our Hiny Hiders® product line offers a range of configurations, privacy, and hardware options, providing the flexibility to create highly attractive and customized restroom designs, while offering superior value.

 

Superior Performance

When your bathroom facility is ready for an update, design options and material choice are important factors. Whether it’s providing privacy, eco-friendly design, resistance to harsh environments, bacterial resistance, or easy maintenance, we offer a full range of features, options, and configurations to create the unique storage solutions you require.

All of our systems are made with HDPE, and feature solid-core construction that is impermeable to moisture and resistant to mold, mildew and bacteria. They are also extremely durable and sustainable, manufactured from 100% recyclable materials. Made with a solid color throughout, there is never a need to paint these partitions, significantly reducing maintenance time and cost, and enhancing interior air quality.

To learn more about our high-quality toilet partitions and the range of configurations available, visit our website to download more detailed information on our complete product line. 

 

The Top 3 Things to Consider Before Updating Your Commercial Bathroom

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There are plenty of benefits to performing much-needed updates to your commercial facility, especially when it comes to the bathroom. The bathroom in your facility is often frequented by the occupants, so you’ll want to take the necessary steps to not only make it more inviting, but you’ll also want to think ahead down the road when choosing the right materials.

Here are the top 3 things to consider before updating your commercial facility.

Improving Occupant Privacy & Comfort

Privacy is a crucial element in commercial facility restroom. Coworkers can be friendly and affable, but when it’s in the bathroom, privacy is a necessary factor. The most common complaint heard about workplace restrooms is not necessarily a lack of privacy, but there is a room for improvement. Most toilet partitions feature door gaps, as well as exposed feet and ceiling room that can be problematic for the taller occupants. These sightlines can add to the discomfort of using the bathroom.

Using better partitions is necessary for achieving higher privacy. HDPE plastic partitions can reduce these unnecessary sightlines, with clasp doors and customizable frames. Privacy doesn’t have to be a foreign concept when it comes to your commercial bathroom.

Getting a Step Ahead of the Elements

Due to the ever-present humidity and moisture in restrooms, there can be negative consequences if you choose the wrong materials. Most toilet partitions, like Phenolic, feature a paper core. Over time, the core can become drenched. When left unchecked, it’ll start sprouting mold spores, which not only adds a pungent odor to your restroom, but it can contribute to respiratory issues.

HDPE plastic partitions are a solid construction with no inner paper core. They won’t absorb the moisture and they can stand up to the constant barrage of humidity. You’ll be free from worry about unwanted mold and mildew.

Reducing Maintenance Costs

One of biggest and most costly issues that facility managers have to deal with is maintenance. Commercial facility restrooms usually require considerable maintenance, which leads to high costs and a significant amount of time and effort. Replacing partitions and meticulously scrubbing the floors and walls are no fun, so why not get ahead of the costly maintenance by using the right materials?

When you utilize HDPE plastic partitions, you’ll essentially reduce your maintenance costs and man hours. Due to the durability and non-absorbent qualities of this plastic, you won’t have to worry about any considerable repairs or replacements. In fact, HDPE plastic partitions are built to last and are warranted for up to 25 years. You’ll certainly enjoy the many benefits of this high-quality, reliable, and low-cost maintenance partitions in your commercial facility restroom.

Want to learn more about the right tactics with updating your commercial bathroom? Download this free eBook, The Professional’s Guide to Commercial Bathroom Renovations and Remodels, from your friends at Scranton Products!

Product Transparency

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According to the U.S., Environmental Protection Agency, over ninety-percent of our time is spent indoors. Now more than ever, people want to know that they are living and working in a healthy environment. They demand to know the products surrounding them are safe, how they were made, and from what type of materials.

The New Normal

While we have not always taken additional steps to ensure our well being through awareness, it is fast becoming the norm. Environmental safety (both indoors and out) is topping the list as a priority.

Over the years, building product transparency has changed from a mere movement to a necessity within the construction industry. And as the demand for clean and healthier living grows, so does the need for greater transparency in building products and materials.

The benefits are clearly four-fold. Building owners are looking for ways to make buildings healthier for occupants. Architects are now identifying building products that are healthy, sustainable and environmentally friendly, enabling them to make informed decisions when specifying products and materials. Manufacturers can effectively market their products, and owners and occupants are gaining insight into how healthy and environmentally friendly their buildings – and the materials within them – are.

A Leader in Product Transparency

With a 30-year history in sustainable product development and production, Scranton Products has long led the way in meeting the demand for product transparency.

All of our products – including each of our locker lines, bathroom partitions, vanities and other HDPE products – are manufactured in the USA from American-made solid HDPE (high-density polyethylene), using recycled materials containing both pre- and post-consumer content. Free of VOC emissions, all of our products are eligible for LEED credits, and are GREENGUARD Gold Certified, meeting strict certification requirements for use in schools and healthcare facilities. In addition, all of our products are 100% recyclable and are available in 100% post-consumer material.

At Scranton Products, we have always been committed to supporting a healthier environment. If you would like to find out more about our low emitting products that meet both GREENGUARD emissions standards as well as LEED requirements for air quality and sustainability, please click on the link below.

The Top 3 Reasons to Choose Aria Partitions™ for Your Restroom Makeover

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If you’re planning to renovate some areas of your facility and you’re considering a makeover of your restrooms, you’ll want to utilize the best materials and design implementations to craft a unique and positive restroom experience. There are plenty of design tactics to open the space up a little bit more and make it more warm and welcoming. However, when it comes to choosing your toilet partitions, you’ll want to make the right decision that will benefit you, your occupants, and your facility’s restroom.

Here’s the top three reasons you should choose Aria Partitions™ for your restroom makeover.

Boosting Your Restroom’s Style

Having a stylish bathroom will certainly appeal to the occupants in your facility, adding an extra dose of comfort where most people feel vulnerable. Aria Partitions™ offer a sleek appearance. Aria Partitions™ are customizable and can be tailored to fit any design pattern or layout. They offer seven unique panel designs, 17 door designs, as well as 27 different colors and textures. You get to choose your preferred style to go with the theme and aesthetics of your new stylish restroom.

Improving on the Privacy for Your Occupants

Privacy is a huge factor to consider with your restroom, especially when it comes to choosing the partitions. Most toilet partitions have a few design flaws that can add to a discomfort of the occupant through exposed feet and ceiling areas, showcasing clear visibility that someone is in the stall. The doors even feature gaps that make the occupant slightly visible from certain angles, so improving the privacy is key.

Aria Partitions™ offer the utmost privacy. These partitions offer an enclosed bathroom experience, where occupants don’t have to worry about sightlines that make them visible to other people in the restroom.

Cutting Down on Maintenance Costs

One of the best reasons to choose Aria Partitions™ for your restroom makeover is due to the low maintenance that these partitions require. Aria Partitions™ are made from HDPE (high-density polyethylene) solid plastic, which can withstand the humidity and moisture in your restroom. These two factors contribute heavily to the wear of standard partitions because they soak the inner paper core and sprout mold, which leads to foul odors and the possibility of negative health effects. Since HDPE is solid, there’s no paper core that’s susceptible to mold growth, meaning you don’t have to replace them.

The partitions are also durable. They’re resistant to impacts, dents, and scratches, so you don’t have to worry about any cosmetic issues with the doors or frames. HDPE is also non-absorbent, so you don’t have to worry about repainting if graffiti shows up since it can be easily wiped clean.

When it’s time to find a lasting material for your restroom makeover, Aria Partitions™ are the perfect choice.

Quick Guide: Choosing the Right Bathroom Partitions for Your School

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Conducting renovations and remodels in your school is important when you need to replace certain materials, fixtures, or components. When it comes to your bathroom, you’ll need to use the right materials to ensure that they’ll be able to last in the sometimes-hostile environment that a school restroom can be due to the moisture and humidity. This is especially true when it involves your toilet partitions.

Here’s a quick guide to choosing the right bathroom partitions for your school.

Choosing a Stronger Material

When it’s time to replace your toilet partitions, you’ll want to make sure that you’re using a strong and durable material that can withstand the elements, as well as rough handling. Phenolic is a commonly used material for toilet partitions because they’re sleek, light, and has a strong screw retention. However, due to the light frame of Phenolic, it can endure some surface damage, so you’ll want a stronger and more reliable material.

Combatting the Restroom Elements

School restrooms are almost always moist, which can have drastic effects on your toilet partitions. Due to the constant humidity, the inner paper-core can become drenched. Over time, this can begin to sprout mold, which can lead to foul odors and lead to respiratory issues. Once mold growth is spotted, the entire partition needs to be replaced. To stay ahead of this, you’ll want to find a material that is solid all the way through and can’t absorb the moisture.

Reducing the Cost of Maintenance

Excessive maintenance on your restroom partitions is never fun. Whether you’ve to tighten the screws, adjust the hardware, or paint over graffiti regularly, you’ll notice that the costs and the man hours go up. Choosing a reliable material that can help you reduce your maintenance costs will not only save you money, but the materials will essentially pay for themselves after a few years.

Keep Privacy in Mind

Privacy is always an important factor when it comes to restrooms. Most toilet partitions leave certain areas exposed through door gaps and open spaces at the tops and bottoms of the stall. These sightlines can effectively be avoided by using more privacy-oriented toilet partitions.

Using HDPE Plastic Partitions

When it’s time to get serious about getting the right partitions for your school, HDPE plastic is always a reliable material to use. This solid plastic provides a more durable structure that can stand up to humidity, moisture, and graffiti. There are plenty of styles and options that can be customized to fit the décor of your school’s restroom. HDPE plastic partitions are guaranteed to last for up to 25 years, which saves you on replacement costs. You can rest easy knowing that you’ll have reliable, durable, cost-effective, and sustainable toilet partitions in your restroom.

When it’s time to consider new toilet partitions, go with an option that will not only exceed your expectations, but one that will last you the years. Want to learn more about HDPE toilet partitions and styles? Check out this FREE eBook, Choosing Bathroom Materials¸ from your friends at Scranton Products.

How to Tell When It’s Time to Update Your School’s Lockers

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The lockers in your school are important because students need a space to keep the materials for their studies. It helps to have a designated storage space to house these materials when they’re not being used. If the lockers in your school are starting to show signs of wear and damage, it may be time to consider updating them. There are several ways to tell when it’s time to update your school’s lockers, so here are a few tips to help you know when it’s time to decide.

Dealing with Considerable Locker Damage & Wear

Lockers aren’t exactly treated gently. It seems a student’s preferred method of closing their lockers is by slamming them shut. Not only can this damage the door with nicks and dents, but it can also damage the hardware that keeps the door on the frame. Lockers endure a decent amount of wear over the years, so it’s important to routinely check the lockers to be sure that they’re in suitable shape.

The metal lockers in your school not only get scratched and dented over the years, but they’re also susceptible to rust. This is especially true in locker rooms. With the excessive amount of humidity and moisture, it makes it an ideal scenario for rust to appear on your lockers. Rust removal is effective, but time consuming and it can also lead to high maintenance costs.

Check out our Tufftec lockers here.

Graffiti is Constantly Showing Up

Graffiti is a common problem in all schools, especially middle school and high school. Bathrooms walls and stalls are often preferred canvases for budding graffiti artists. However, lockers are also a popular spot. In order to remove the graffiti, you’ll need to repaint the locker. Not only will this bump up your maintenance costs, but it can lead to VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions in your school. When there’s offensive graffiti present on your lockers, your hands are pretty much tied.

The Cost of Maintaining Your Lockers Keep Getting Higher

Tufftec Lockers in grey two-tonesUsually, the final straw for knowing when it’s time to update your lockers is when your maintenance costs have reached an all-time high. Instead of enduring these costs, as well as the time spent on maintaining your lockers, you should seek out a more cost-effective solution. This can allow you to not only update your lockers, but you can use this time to utilize a better material that can withstand the elements that have worn down your current lockers.

Check out our Duralife lockers here.

Replacing Your Lockers with HDPE

When you’re looking for a lasting replacement for your lockers, using HDPE plastic has its advantages. Not only is this solid plastic durable, but it can endure moisture and humidity in your locker rooms. Another important thing to know about HDPE is that it’s non-absorbent, so when there’s graffiti present on its surface, it can be easily wiped away. What may be the biggest advantage of using HDPE lockers is that they’re designed to last and are 100% sustainable, making them a long-lasting and eco-friendly replacement for your school’s lockers.

Want to learn more about HDPE plastic lockers and how they can benefit your school? Check out this FREE eBook, The Ultimate Guide to HDPE Plastic Lockers, from your friends at Scranton Products.

All About HDPE Recycling

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About HDPE Recycling

One of the biggest selling points of HDPE (high-density polyethylene) plastic partitions and lockers is that they are sustainable. Not only can they be made from recycled material, but they’re easily recycled and reused. Facility managers understand the need for sustainable building products, as well as the benefits of choosing such products for their facility. However, a lot of people want to know how HDPE is recycled.

How is HDPE Recycled?

There are different stages of HDPE plastic. While you’re familiar with the material for partitions and lockers, HDPE can also be found in containers, non-corrosive piping, and even plastic bottles. Each material has their unique properties, but all of it can be recycled and transformed into other HDPE plastic products.

When recycled, HDPE is generally separated by grade since some HDPE plastic is thicker and more durable than others. All the plastic is rigorously cleaned to remove any particles or debris, so only the HDPE materials can be homogenized and processed. By removing any foreign debris and cleaning the plastic, HDPE is safe to continue with its recycling. Any particles left in will essentially ruin the end products.

HDPE then goes through a granulation process, which takes larger pieces of HDPE plastic and shreds it down, or melts it into pellets and granules for later use. This process will take the pellets and granules and combine or reshape them through several processes in order to create a new product using the same plastic that was originally recycled.

The Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Benefits of Recyclable HDPE Plastic

Given the durability of HDPE plastic, and how easily it can be recycled and reused in a variety of materials, makes it one of the more versatile building materials on the market. Today, sustainability is an important factor that a variety of industries need to consider not only to improve their impact on the environment, but also to reduce the amount of unnecessary waste. HDPE plastic can be reused and recycled again and again, making it a reliable, efficient, and long-lasting product that has endless applications. Choosing HDPE plastic is the smarter and greener choice towards sustainability.

HDPE Contributes to Well v2 and LEED v4.1 credits

Scranton Products® provides LEED v4 and LEED v4.1 documentation, leading to a safer, greener, cleaner and more energy efficient environment within the building where they are applied. Scranton Products® brands help contribute points to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for your building LEED is internationally recognized as a “green” building certification.

Want to learn more about the sustainability of HDPE plastic and how it can improve your facility? Check out this free eBook, Sustainable Building Products: How to Make Your Facility Eco-Friendly from Top to Bottom, from your friends at Scranton Products.

Indoor Air Quality Solutions for Your School

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According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the air inside your facility may have two to five times more pollutants than the air outside. In some cases, that number is over 100 times more. Given the fact that most people will spend roughly 90% of their lives indoors, it’s important to make sure that indoor air quality remains high.

There are few places where indoor air quality is more important than inside educational institutions. That’s why, in this post, we explore the importance of indoor air quality and how it can be improved inside your school.

How Serious Are Indoor Air Quality Issues?

The EPA, in conjunction with its Science Advisory Board, has named indoor air pollution as one of the top five environmental risks to the public’s health. Maintaining good indoor air quality is an important factor in helping schools to achieve their primary goal of educating students.

Pollutants that affect indoor air quality can also lead to long- and short-term health problems for both students and faculty. This can include anything from headaches and coughing to, in rare cases, dangerous conditions such as carbon monoxide poisoning.

But even allergens such as dust or pollen can lead to medical issues, especially for those suffering from asthma. According to the EPA, asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness.

To keep attendance and performance high, it’s important that your school has a good indoor air quality.

Solutions for Indoor Air Quality Issues

Having a quality HVAC system is vital for maintaining good indoor air quality inside your school. However, that’s not the only solution for your indoor air quality issues. There may be other factors contributing to the level of pollution inside your school, and unless these issues are dealt with, you’ll only be solving part of the problem.

One common cause of poor indoor air quality is the thoughtless selection of products and materials to be used in the school. Synthetic building materials, for example, can increase the level of indoor air pollutants, as can housekeeping supplies like cleaners and other chemicals.

To limit the number of air pollutants, you should use products that have limited effects on the environment as well as human health. Products that use recycled materials are good as well as products that strive to conserve water and energy.

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a great option when selecting building materials because of its zero volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions rate.

Using HDPE to Improve Air Quality in Your School

HDPE is a strong and naturally germ-resistant material that resists scratches, dents, rust, corrosion, mold, mildew, and graffiti. It can be used in a wide variety of applications, including bathroom partitions, lockers, shower stalls, and bathroom vanities. However, the main benefit that schools can gain from using HDPE is improved indoor air quality.

At Scranton Products, our HDPE products are GREENGUARD Gold Certified, meaning they’ve been rigorously tested and proven to exhibit important safety factors, making them suitable for use in schools and healthcare facilities. They’re made from recycled materials and contain no harmful VOCs.

Learn more about our HDPE and why it’s the best material choice for bathrooms and lockers.