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Educate

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"Tell me and I Forget, Teach me and I Remember, Involve me and I Learn."


- Benjamin Franklin

Roger McFadden

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Senior Scientist and Green Chemistry Evangelist

Formulate

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“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” 


- R. Buckminster Fuller

About Roger McFadden

  

About Roger McFadden

Roger McFadden is currently Senior Scientist at McFadden and Associates, LLC. Prior to McFadden and Associates, Roger was Vice President and Senior Scientist at Staples, Inc., with headquarters in Massachusetts a position he held from July 2009 until February 2016. Before joining Staples, Roger was Chief Science Officer for Corporate Express with headquarters in Colorado a position he held from May 2006 until June 2009. Before joining Corporate Express Roger was Senior Scientist and Director of Research and Development for Coastwide Laboratories in Portland Oregon a position he held from 1988 until 2006 when Coastwide Laboratories was acquired by Corporate Express. Before joining Coastwide, Roger worked as a innovative consulting chemist and product designer for several chemical manufacturing companies. 

Holding a MS in chemistry, Roger is a master formulator of cleaning and coatings products for the commercial and household market sectors. He is also a cleaning expert and educator for health care organizations, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, chemical companies, janitorial supply businesses, public agencies and private corporations. He speaks and teaches on a variety of professional cleaning, environmental, safety, health, sustainability and green chemistry topics. Professional cleaning trainers frequently engage Roger to do his creative and fun "Chemistry of Cleaning for Non-Chemists" Classes.

Roger served on the California Green Ribbon Science Panel. He is a charter member of the Green Chemistry Commerce Council (GC3) and is currently on the GC3 Executive Advisory Panel and also serves as a strategic adviser to the GC3 Retail Leadership Council. McFadden served on the Chemical Risk and Information System (CRIS) advisory board for Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU). Roger served as chairman of Oregon Governor’s Community Sustainability Council Stakeholders Workgroup for Cleaning. Roger currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the John Merck Fund and Board of Directors of two non-profit organizations including Beyond Benign and Clean Production Action.

Roger speaks and teaches on a number of topics including “Greening the Supply Chain to Meet Your Sustainability Objectives”, “Cleaning up the Toxic Supply Chain”, “Building a Supply Chain with an Environmental Conscience”, “Insuring a Future for our Grandkids”, “Supply Chain Management for the Future”, “Small Things Make a Giant Difference”, “Sustainable Cleaning and Improving Indoor Air Quality”, “The Business Case For Transitioning to Safer Chemicals” and many other related topics. Roger has been published in several peer-reviewed publications including New Solutions in addition to numerous trade publications, including Today’s Facility Manager, Commercial Construction and Renovation, Medical Construction and Design Magazine, Cleaning & Maintenance Management Magazine, ISSA Today and is frequently quoted in numerous newspapers, blogs and technical articles and publications. Several of Roger’s articles were published in the Fourth Edition of a University Textbook titled, Professional Management of Housekeeping Operations authored by Dr. Thomas J.A. Jones and published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Roger believes that we need a revolution in product design with an environmental conscience and commitment to green chemistry and green engineering; the future belongs to companies that integrate green chemistry and green engineering principles to eliminate hazard and waste at all stages of product life cycle; and that educational institutions can advance the benefits of green chemistry and green engineering by incorporating them in textbooks, curriculum and across multidisciplinary fields including fundamental sciences, business, law and engineering.

Professional Experience

President and Chief Science Officer – McFadden and Associates, LLC – February 2016 to Current

Formulating chemist and genuine innovator. Areas of innovation expertise are in green/sustainable chemistry, green engineering, nano and bio-based chemistry, innovative hard surface coatings, biomimicry, integration of sensors and robotic into cleaning systems, better chemicals management, EPA Safer Choice, Cleangredients®, and GreenScreen®. Expertise in Safer Chemicals Formulation and Sustainable Product Design, Sustainability, Science Advisor, Applied Green Chemistry and Conduct Chemicals and Materials Alternatives Assessments.

Vice President, Senior Scientist – Staples – August 2008 to February 2016

Sustainability, Science Advisor, Green Chemistry, Safer Chemicals Formulation Expert, Conduct Chemicals Alternatives Assessments

Chief Science Officer – Corporate Express – May 2006 to August 2008

Designed and managed the CE Research and Development Laboratory and Sales Training Center, Sustainability, Conduct Chemicals, Materials and Product Alternatives Assessments, Green Chemistry Application, Safer Chemicals Formulator Expert, B2B Sales and Customer Support

Director of Product Research and Development – Coastwide Laboratories – June 1991 to May 2006

Redesigned and managed the chemical manufacturing plant for Coastwide Laboratories.

Researched and designed more than 140 products for Coastwide Laboratories including a broad assortment of cleaning products that were better for the environment and safer for human health (Marketed and Sold under the Coastwide Laboratories Sustainable Earth® brand

Drafted and published first environmental and chemical gatekeeper policy directing the company and its suppliers towards safer chemicals and materials in its manufacturing processes. 

Drafted and managed the implementation of the company’s Sustainable Product Design Standard.

Formulated the first floor sweeping compound without the carcinogen “crystalline silica”

Formulated the first hand soap without the use of formaldehyde or triclosan. 

Designed and conducted sales and customer training presentations and educational sessions on a variety of environmental, safety, health and wellness topics including indoor air quality, cleaning for health, infection control practices in health care, green cleaning, OSHA bloodborne pathogens and OSHA Hazard Communication Standard.

President, Formulating Chemist – Nova Compounding Company – November 1980 to June 1991

Consulted with major chemical and brand companies in the U.S. and Canada to design floor coatings, cleaners, paints, inks and industrial cleaning systems.

Formulated and designed more than 200 products and private labeled for janitorial supply companies in the U.S. including floor coatings, cleaners, graffiti removers, laundry detergents, vehicle washes, ice melts and many other industrial cleaning type products.

Formulated a full line of windshield washer fluids, waterless hand cleaners and tire treatments for the largest windshield wash brand in the U.S. 

Formulated, marketed and sold slip resistance treatments for hard surface floors to janitorial and food service distributors throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

Formulated a proprietary product line of water stain remover products and floor slip resistance cleaners and coatings (Marketed and sold under the brand Dynamic Research Powerhouse, Traction, Water Stain Breaker) that were sold by distributors throughout U.S. and Canada. 

Summary of Activities and Collaborations

Currently on the Board of Directors of the Green Chemistry and Commerce Council (GC3) https://greenchemistryandcommerce.org/

Currently on the Board of Directors of the non-profit Beyond Benign https://www.beyondbenign.org/

Currently on the Board of Trustees of the John Merck Fund https://www.jmfund.org/

Currently on the Board of Directors of non-profit Clean Production Action – Creator of GreenScreen, BizNGO and Chemical Footprint Project https://www.cleanproduction.org/

Formerly on the Board of Directors for GreenBlue Institute 

Actively engaged in a number of safer chemicals initiatives including GreenBlue Cleangredients; ASTM Hard Floor Care Committee; UL Floor Care Slip Resistance Advisory Committee; CPA Green Screen; Healthier Hospital Initiative; Health Product Declaration Collaborative; 

ACS Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference – Co-chaired the 17th Annual Conference in 2013

California Green Ribbon Science Panel

California Green Products Innovation Institute

EPA Safer Choice Program 

Advisory Board for Chemical Risk and Information System at Oregon Health Science University

Chairman of Oregon Governor’s Community Sustainability Council

Education

­University of Nevada at Las Vegas MSc/Chemistry

Western Baptist College Major Liberal Arts

Western Oregon University Major Liberal Arts/Education

Northwest Nazarene University Major Theology/Science

Articles and Publications – Partial List

Roger McFadden, New Solutions Journal, “The Business Case for Transitioning to Safer Chemicals” (Baywood Publishing, 2011) 

Roger McFadden, Cleaning Management Magazine, “What’s In a Floor Finish”(1993)

Roger McFadden, Cleaning Maintenance Magazine, “Utilizing Green Chemistry in the Cleaning Industry” (CM, 2008)

Roger McFadden, Building Services Management, “Prioritizing Maintenance, Steps to Adopting Sustainable Cleaning” (2008)

Files coming soon.

Our Services

Teaching the Basics

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We provide information about the chemistry of cleaning, green cleaning, green chemistry, green engineering, sustainability, safer chemical alternatives and many other safety, health and environmental topics.


Areas of expertise: Green Chemistry, Green Product Engineering, Chemical Alternatives Assessments, Green Cleaning Product Certifications; Professional Cleaning Expertise. Cleaning and Coatings Scientist and Formulator. Safer Chemistry, Cleaning Applications and Engineering; Environmental Sustainability, Critical Care, Cleanroom Care, Infection Control Practices, OSHA HazCom, OSHA BBP, Alternatives Assessments. 


Extensive Public Speaking experience to large and small groups on a wide range of human health and wellness, green chemistry, sustainability, global warming, supply chain, safer alternatives and IAQ. 

Smarter Sustainable Design

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We firmly believe that we need a revolution in product design with an environmental conscience and commitment to green chemistry and green engineering; the future belongs to companies that integrate green chemistry and green engineering principles to reduce exposure risk and eliminate hazard and waste at all stages of product lifecycle; and we believe that educational institutions can prepare current and future generations and advance the the benefits of green chemistry by incorporating it into textbooks, curriculum and across multi-disciplinary fields including fundamental sciences, business, law and engineering. 

Product Formulations

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Whether you are a small or large enterprise or if you need a simple 3 ingredient glass cleaner formulation, a 6 ingredient industrial degreaser, 7 ingredient disinfectant-cleaner, a complex 17 ingredient floor finish or a third-party certified green cleaning product you should be able to get a high performance formulation that you own at an affordable cost.  

Our Focus and Capabilities

Safer Chemicals, Ingredients and Materials

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A safer chemical is a chemical, ingredient or material that is more sustainable and has a reduced negative effect on environmental and human health and performs equal to or better than the product that it is designed or intended to replace. 


Our chemical experts can help you identify safer chemical and non-chemical alternatives. Let us help you eliminate and/or avoid the use of chemicals of high concern (CoHC) and prevent regrettable chemical substitutions.

Green Engineering

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Green engineering is the design, commercialization, and use of processes and products in a way that reduces pollution, promotes sustainability, and minimizes risk to human health and the environment without sacrificing economic viability and efficiency.


Green engineering embraces the concept that decisions to protect human health and the environment can have the greatest impact and cost-effectiveness when applied early, in the design and development phase of a process or product.


Green engineering processes and products holistically use systems analysis and integrate environmental impact assessment tools. 


Conserve and improve natural ecosystems while protecting human health and well-being. 


Use life-cycle thinking in all engineering activities. 


Ensure that all material and energy inputs and outputs are as inherently safe and benign as possible. 


Minimize depletion of natural resources and strive to prevent waste.

Green Chemistry

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Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation of hazardous substances. Green chemistry is an innovative, science-based and economic-driven approach to reducing or eliminating the use and generation of substances hazardous to human and environmental health across their lifecycles. It is guided by the twelve principles of green chemistry as presented in the book, “Green Chemistry Theory and Practice” authored by, Dr. Paul T. Anastas and Dr. John C. Warner. The twelve principles of green chemistry include:

1 Prevention - It is better to prevent waste than to treat or clean up waste after it has been created.

2 Atom Economy -- Synthetic methods should be designed to maximize the incorporation of all materials used in the process into the final product.

3 Less Hazardous Chemical Syntheses -- Wherever practicable, synthetic methods should be designed to use and generate substances that possess little or no toxicity to human health and the environment.

4 Designing Safer Chemicals -- Chemical products should be designed to affect their desired function while minimizing their toxicity.

5 Safer Solvents and Auxiliaries -- The use of auxiliary substances (e.g., solvents, separation agents, etc.) should be made unnecessary wherever possible and innocuous when used.

6 Design for Energy Efficiency -- Energy requirements of chemical processes should be recognized for their environmental and economic impacts and should be minimized. If possible, synthetic methods should be conducted at ambient temperature and pressure.

7 Use of Renewable Feedstock -- A raw material or feedstock should be renewable rather than depleting whenever technically and economically practicable.

8 Reduce Derivatives -- Unnecessary derivatization (use of blocking groups, protection, de-protection, temporary modification of physical/chemical processes) should be minimized or avoided if possible, because such steps require additional reagents and can generate waste.

9 Catalysis -- Catalytic reagents (as selective as possible) are superior to stoichiometric reagents.

10 Design for Degradation -- Chemical products should be designed so that at the end of their function they break down into innocuous degradation products and do not persist in the environment.

11 Real-Time Analysis for Pollution Prevention -- Analytical methodologies need to be further developed to allow for real-time, in-process monitoring and control prior to the formation of hazardous substances.

12 Inherently Safer Chemistry for Accident Prevention -- Substances and the form of a substance used in a chemical process should be chosen to minimize the potential for chemical accidents, including releases, explosions, and fires.

Contact Us

Do you have a question about cleaning chemistry or how to clean something?

Questions or Comments?

Ask Us? We provide information about the chemistry of cleaning, green cleaning, green chemistry, green engineering, sustainability, safer chemical alternatives and many other safety, health and environmental topics. 

McFadden and Associates, LLC

(503) 915-4640 Roger McFadden, President and Senior Scientist roger@mcfaddenassociates.com

Downloads

Files coming soon.

Downloads

Files coming soon.