Carpets – New Standards, New Industry

In its continuing efforts to foster market-based solutions for the recycling and reuse of post-consumer carpet, the board of directors for the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) announced winners of the organization’s second cycle of CARE grants.

The companies awarded grants are: Environmental Recover & Consolidation Services (ERCS) in Massachusetts, NY Wa$teMatch and Carpetcycle in New York, and Blue Ridge Recycling in North Carolina. The winners received grants totaling $103,250. Nylon Board Manufacturing (Medford, MN.), makers of composite sheeting called Ny-Board and roofing shingles, which are made from recycled post-consumer carpet, was named Recycler of the Year.

“CARE is in the process of laying a solid foundation for a new industry in the U.S. This new industry will be built by entrepreneurs. Through this program CARE is able to provide financial support to promising entrepreneurs,” says Robert Peoples, CARE executive director. “I fully expect to see a steep rise in the availability of quality feedstock as well as innovative products using the feedstock as we move forward in our challenge to divert 40% of carpet being landfilled by the year 2012,” he says.

93.7 million pounds of post-consumer carpet was diverted from landfill in 2003, an 87% increase from 2002.

Carpet Industry Sets New IAQ Standard

The Carpet and Rug Institute’s new Green Label Plus independent testing program for carpet meets, and even exceeds, California’s indoor environmental quality standards for low- emitting products.

Working in coordination with California’s Sustainable Building Task Force and the Department of Health Services, Indoor Air Quality Section, the carpet industry voluntarily upgraded its Green Label testing program to meet or exceed testing protocols used by the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS). This is the fourth time in the 12-year-old program that the Carpet and Rug Institute has enhanced its carpet testing standard, a measurement by which manufacturers continue to reduce product emissions.

Under the agreement between the Carpet and Rug Institute and the California agencies, Green Label Plus will be accepted in lieu of Section 01350, the CHPS low-emitting materials criteria for use in schools.

The CRI Green Label testing program assures customers that approved carpet products meet stringent requirements for low chemical emissions. Every carpet receiving Green Label Plus certification has been tested for emission levels for all chemicals as required by Section 01350, plus six additional chemicals, using a 14-day test. Subsequent annual tests will target 13 chemicals; quarterly tests will measure the total level of volatile organic compounds (TVOC). Green Label Plus expands on Section 01350 in several respects, including annual testing for the specific chemicals, a chain of custody process, and an annual audit of the testing laboratory.

Air Quality Sciences, an Atlanta-based, independent laboratory will perform testing for Green Label Plus. To view a list of Green Label Plus approved carpet products, visit the CRI Web site at www.carpet-rug.com.

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FROM Environmental Design + Construction, a SustainableBusiness.com Content Partner