Article Number : 4721 |
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| Date | 8/6/2009 8:33:22 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=4721 |
| Abstract | By Matthew Spieler HICKSVILLE, N.Y.—Over the years, the carpet industry has taken upon itself numerous initiatives to be among the most environmentally friendly of all building and home remodeling products. The proactive movement has led it to... |
| Article | By Matthew Spieler HICKSVILLE, N.Y.—Over the years, the carpet industry has taken upon itself numerous initiatives to be among the most environmentally friendly of all building and home remodeling products. The proactive movement has led it to be recognized as a leader in the green movement as well as for setting the example of how competing manufacturers can come together and work toward the common good. The most recent example of this took place rather quietly, with mills voluntarily ceasing the use of C-8 chemistryin stain-blocking and -resistance formulas because they produced the unintended traces of Perfluoroactanoic Acid (PFOA). In recent years, PFOA has received a good deal of press as research has shown large levels can be harmful to humans and the environment. Werner Braun, president of the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI), said PFOA manufacturers have confirmed the chemical is not, and has never been, an ingredient used to make carpet. “It was an unintended reaction byproduct present at trace levels in some carpets.” The levels in the carpet industry were so small the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said there is “no reason for consumers to stop using any consumer or industrial-related products because of concerns about PFOA.” Nonetheless, the industry decided to find alternative means to producing stain-blocking and -resistance formulas and a CRI survey confirmed that as of January, the carpet industry in the U.S. had ceased using the chemistry that produced the unintended traces of PFOA found in carpet treatments. “The carpet industry has a long history of doing what is right with regard to environmental stewardship as our record clearly indicates,” noted Braun, “and this is just another example of our industry doing the right thing.” Mills speak out Rick Ramirez, Shaw’s vice president of sustainability and environmental affairs, said the mill has tracked the development of information from chemical suppliers, the scientific community and regulatory agencies since the concern about PFOA first surfaced. Despite scientific studies indicating the by-product PFOA in trace amounts does not produce adverse human health effects and collective studies on this topic indicate consumer use of carpet as extremely safe, he said Shaw decided to take action. “As part of our dedication to sustainability through innovation, environmental and product stewardship, Shaw voluntarily eliminated using the chemistry that produces this byproduct in mid-2008. No measurable amount of PFOA is found in our finished carpet products and we do not see risk to consumers from our carpet.” He noted beyond Shaw, “The carpet industry has also followed in this action and we are proud of its proactive voluntary response.” Jenny Cross, senior sustainability manager at Mohawk, agreed. “This industry has always come together very well to address health concerns as related to our products.” Like Shaw, the company “fully believes there is no long-term health or environmental impact to the C-8 chemistries as used by the carpet industry. But we are pleased there are alternate chemistries that provide the same performance without PFOAs being involved.” She noted Mohawk and its vendors “have been proactively moving away from C-8 chemistries for some time now. 3M was the first to voluntarily change its Scotchgard formula in 2000 and we completely supported the move. Whether the issue is allergens, mold or stain chemistries, Mohawk will continue to be sensitive to consumer concerns with a goal of protecting the solid reputation of the carpet industry that we have all worked so hard to build.” Braun said even though the industry eliminated any trace of PFOA months ago, the organization did not make a big news splash because “based on all the information available, there was never any health or safety risk. The fact the industry moved away from the C-8 process is directly attributable to a voluntary stewardship program… [that] has been very successful. “Of course,” he concluded, “this is and has been the mantra of the carpet industry for most of the last two decades. When it comes to an environmental issue, the carpet industry is, has and will continue to do the right thing. In this case, the right thing to do was to find a process that eliminated any of the controversy, despite the fact every piece of scientific evidence and data showed there was never any health or safety issue involved with the product.” For more information about the industry’s elimination of PFOA, contact the CRI at 706.428.2116. |