Buckeye International is a long-standing leader in the commercial cleaning and facility care industry, known for its focus on high-performance products and innovative, sustainable solutions. We spoke with Scott Maag, Vice President and Director of Research & Operations, about how the company balances performance, safety, and environmental responsibility and what opportunities lie ahead for advancing sustainable cleaning practices.
Can you briefly introduce Buckeye International and describe your role in the cleaning and facility care industry?
Buckeye International is a U.S.-based manufacturer and innovator in the commercial cleaning and facility care industry, with a long-standing commitment to quality, integrity, and innovation. We design and manufacture high-performance cleaning chemicals, floor care solutions, dilution control systems, and packaging — all made in the USA — so facilities can achieve better results while using less product, water, and energy.
Our role in the industry goes beyond supplying products. Through proprietary technologies like Liquescent® chemistry, sustainable packaging, advanced dilution systems, and comprehensive training programs, Buckeye helps organizations protect human health, reduce environmental impact, and operate more efficiently. We partner with facilities to deliver smarter, safer, and more sustainable cleaning programs that support both operational goals and long-term stewardship.
What sustainability priorities are shaping Buckeye’s work today, and how are customer expectations influencing those priorities?
Sustainability at Buckeye International is centered on doing more with less — delivering higher performance while reducing chemical use, packaging waste, water consumption, and energy across the product life cycle. Key priorities include developing concentrated, efficient chemistries; expanding sustainable packaging solutions that significantly reduce plastic; and advancing technologies like Liquescent® chemistry and closed-loop dilution systems that improve safety and minimize waste.
Customer expectations play a major role in shaping these priorities. Facilities today are looking for solutions that not only meet sustainability goals but also perform reliably, protect workers, and simplify operations. In response, Buckeye focuses on verified performance, safer formulations, made-in-the-USA manufacturing, and comprehensive training programs that help customers achieve consistency, compliance, and measurable environmental impact — without sacrificing results.
How does Buckeye approach balancing product performance, safety, and environmental responsibility?
At Buckeye International, we balance performance, safety, and environmental responsibility by designing products that work smarter, not harder. In high-use environments like schools, healthcare facilities, and commercial buildings, our Liquescent® technology, closed-loop dilution systems, and safer formulations reduce chemical exposure while delivering consistent, high-level cleaning results.
Efficiency drives our environmental approach — concentrated formulas, reduced-plastic packaging, and proper-use training help facilities protect people and the planet without compromising performance.
Many organizations are working toward safer chemistry and waste reduction goals. What practical strategies have you seen help facilities reduce environmental impact while maintaining cleaning effectiveness?
At Buckeye, facilities reduce environmental impact while maintaining cleaning effectiveness through our Hard Floor Care Program. Using high-performing, Green Seal-certified products like Penetrate® Environmental Floor Stripper and Verde® Environmental Floor Finish, staff can strip and refinish floors efficiently with less chemical waste. Longer-lasting finishes mean floors don’t need to be fully stripped as often, saving labor time, reducing exposure to chemicals, and allowing teams to focus on other projects — all while keeping facilities clean, safe, and sustainable.
Many facilities face space, staffing, and training constraints. How does Buckeye think about designing solutions that are practical and scalable for a range of environments?
Buckeye designs solutions that are practical, scalable, and adaptable to a wide range of facilities. Our Buckeye Eco Proportioning Program uses automated dilution systems to streamline chemical use, reduce waste, and save labor, while featuring several Green Seal-certified products for verified environmental performance. By combining smart dispensing systems with high-performing, sustainable products, Buckeye helps facilities optimize space, simplify operations, and maintain safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible cleaning practices.
What motivated Buckeye to pursue Green Seal certification, and how has partnering with Green Seal supported your sustainability and customer commitments?
Pursuing Green Seal certification allows us to validate that our products meet rigorous environmental and performance standards, giving our customers confidence in both safety and efficacy. Partnering with Green Seal helps Buckeye advance our sustainability goals by providing third-party verification of reduced chemical hazards, biodegradable formulations, and responsible manufacturing practices, while supporting facilities in achieving their own environmental objectives — all without compromising cleaning results or operational efficiency.
Looking ahead, what do you see as the biggest opportunities or challenges in advancing safer and more sustainable cleaning practices?
At Buckeye International, we believe the greatest opportunity in advancing safer and more sustainable cleaning practices lies in combining responsible chemistry, intelligent dispensing systems, and practical solutions that work in real facilities. Sustainability initiatives must ultimately succeed in environments such as healthcare, education, hospitality, and foodservice — places where performance, safety, and cost control are non-negotiable.
One of the most impactful opportunities is expanding the use of highly concentrated products and precision dilution systems that dramatically reduce packaging, transportation emissions, chemical overuse, and waste. When implemented properly, these systems deliver measurable environmental benefits while improving worker safety and operational efficiency.
At the same time, manufacturers face significant challenges when regulatory frameworks do not keep pace with science or industry realities. For example, the lack of finalization of the FDA’s Tentative Final Monograph (TFM) for antiseptic products has created long-term uncertainty around active ingredients and regulatory pathways. Similarly, the rapid push to eliminate entire classes of chemistry without clear distinctions between chemistries, timelines, or viable alternatives has made it difficult for manufacturers to responsibly innovate while maintaining product performance and supply continuity.
The cleaning industry is committed to safer products, but progress depends on clear, science-based regulatory guidance and reasonable implementation timelines. Manufacturers, certification bodies, and regulators must work collaboratively to ensure sustainability goals are pursued in ways that are technically achievable and do not unintentionally compromise product efficacy or supply stability.
Ultimately, the path forward is one that balances innovation, transparency, and practical implementation, allowing facilities to adopt safer and more sustainable cleaning practices without sacrificing performance or trust in the results.