By Matthew Spieler
In today’s eco-conscious world, consumers are not just interested in purchasing a product because it is green; they want the company that makes it to be an overall good citizen when it comes to the environment. Luckily, retailers, designers and specifiers have plenty to talk about beyond product when it comes to the carpet industry and environmental stewardship.

There are so many facts and figures that one needs to be careful in presenting the information. Too much and the end user will tune you out; too little and it may be seen as if you’re just telling them what they want to hear. For example, the carpet industry is one of the only industries in the U.S. that voluntarily meets the Kyoto Protocol for carbon dioxide emissions. The emissions level for the industry today is the same as it was in 1990—even though 47% more product is produced.

Another thing mills have done is reduce the amount of energy and water used to produce a square yard of carpet. Compared to 1990, the industry’s energy and water usage has fallen by 70% and 46%, respectively.

Speaking of water, today, mills do not simply dispose of water used in the manufacturing process. Rather, the water is captured before leaving the plant and either reused or it is filtered and treated to such a degree that, in many cases, it is cleaner than when it came into the facility.

When it comes to carpet’s environmental footprint, one of the biggest issues in recent years is the fact it is such a bulky product that it not only takes a disproportionate amount of landfill space but takes lifetimes to biodegrade. To that end, in 2002, the category voluntarily created CARE in an effort to divert carpet from entering America’s dumps, which are quickly filling up. As a result of this initiative, more than one billion pounds of used carpet have been keep out of the landfill.

And here’s the thing: All this carpet is not just being piled up in some hidden place. Rather, it is being used in a variety of ways— from being shipped back to certain mills that are able to recycle the old carpet back into brand new broadloom without any loss of quality, to being broken down and used to make other products, such as the heavy duty molded black plastic in automobiles, to using all the stored-up energy to help fuel manufacturing facilities and even electric turbines to power homes and businesses.

In addition to just keeping carpet from U.S. dumps, the industry plays a vital role in reducing the amount of other materials heading for the garbage pile. The most known about is plastic soda and water bottles where the industry as a whole turns more than 25% of what America consumes into durable and stylish polyester carpet.

But there are other items as well, from automobile windshields to tires to other manufacturing waste from mattress companies and child seat producers, carpet mills have found ways to utilize these materials either directly into their products or to reduce their overall environmental footprint. For instance, some companies now use plastic cores instead of paper to roll up carpet. The plastic comes from a variety of sources—plastic bottle caps, stretch film waste and more—and have not only proven to transport carpet better than their paper predecessors, they have helped save literally hundreds of thousands of trees.

Beyond rescuing carpet from going to the landfill, the industry is also very proactive in protecting the areas in which its manufacturing facilities are located. At some locations, the plants are located in areas close to or even within a wetlands or other type of natural environment. Here the industry shines by not only preserving these fragile ecosystems, but going out of its way to strengthen them. Some companies have even received national recognition for their efforts.

Speaking of landfills, a number of mills and suppliers have begun to capture the methane gases that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere from the dumps. The gas is piped from the landfill to the manufacturer where it is used to fuel the plant, thus not only finding a safe use for a dangerous greenhouse gas but also reducing the amount of oil needed to run the facility. Others have begun experimenting with used cooking oil from homes and restaurants as a means of fuel. While this does not necessarily give off methane, it can leech into and contaminate water systems, so keeping it from being disposed of in the landfill serves a double purpose.

There are numerous resources available to give salespeople the necessary ammunition to help close the deal. The best place to go for a bird’s eye view of the carpet industry as well as for in-depth analysis of the category is the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI) Web site www.carpet-rug.org. From fact sheets to scientific studies and research papers, the site is a wealth of information concerning the industry and its role with respect to IAQ and other environmental issues.