By Bill Dearing
Laminate flooring hosts a variety of green advantages, and products certified to the new NALFA/ANSI standards are being used in increasing numbers because of them. Put simply, laminate flooring is easy on natural resources, recyclable and free of air-damaging chemicals—volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It also assists builders looking to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards for sustainable construction.

The North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA) feels strongly that quality, health and eco-friendly measurements are important in assisting the dealer, builder, designer, architect or consumer evaluate product claims and thus make an informed, educated decision.

But why, or how, do laminate floors attain these green elements? The following is a sampling of why it inherently has numerous green advantages and what being certified under the NALFA/ANSI standard means:

• The manufacturing of laminate floors does not involve the harvesting of old-growth hardwoods. Rather, product cores are comprised of at least 74% pre-consumer recycled waste (sawdust, wood chips from log processing and shavings from wood processing).
• Some NALFA members recycle their wood dust back into the process.
• All NALFA certified products can be installed as floating floors, eliminating the need for adhesives, which means less resources are needed to lay the floor, not to mention helping prevent any chance of VOCs getting into the room.
• Advanced production techniques produce high-quality and real-life images to help protect natural resources, like exotic woods, stones, etc. This means, in addition to no exotic or old-growth trees being cut down, there is no quarrying of stones or marble.
• Some laminate floors can be reused, thus extending their useful life. In fact, some companies have partnered with charitable organizations such as the Habitat for Humanity which will accept used laminate floors and reuse them as part of their building projects.
• At the end of its useful life, most NALFA-certified flooring can be recycled. When dismantled, the boards can be put back into a production process or ground for agriculture usage, a safe and cost-effective process instead of creating another environmental burden.
• Laminate flooring is also a health-favorable consideration when a buyer’s interest is a living area with fewer allergens. Laminate is free of solvents, preservatives and other chemicals that could agitate allergies or asthma.

Additionally, all NALFA-certified products comply with formaldehyde emission regulations for laminate flooring cores under the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

As a trade association primarily concerned with performance and environmental standards, NALFA continues work on its own sustainable standard to help consumers assess the “Green Factor” when it comes to laminate flooring and related products.

An announcement on progress and timing of this will be made during the flooring industry’s largest trade show in North America—Surfaces 2011, at the Mandalay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Jan. 24 to 27.

NALFA takes particular interest in education and transparency through its educational programs. Visit us at nalfa.com for detailed information about laminate flooring, the NALFA/ANSI standard, our members and NALFA certified brands.

Bill Dearing is president of the North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA)