CRI Sustainability Manager Jeff Carrier On NSF 140 Standard for Sustainable Carpet

CRI Sustainability Manager Jeff Carrier Talks about the NSF 140 Standard for Sustainable Carpet and Tells How to Find Carpets that are Certified to the Standard.

I am really proud of the changes the carpet industry has instituted on behalf of the environment. Through programs like CRI’s Green Label and Green Label Plus certifications for VOC emissions from carpet, pad, and adhesives, and Seal of Approval testing program for carpet cleaning solutions and equipment, the carpet industry has voluntarily reduced its environmental footprint significantly. For example, from 2003 to 2007, CO2 emissions dropped by over 50 percent, water usage declined 30%, and recycling and renewable energy use skyrocketed – at the same time that production increased! For more information on the carpet industry’s sustainability story, check out CRI’s 2008 Sustainability Report.

Jeff Carrier is the Sustainability Manager for the Carpet and Rug Institute. Jeff monitors environmental practices within the carpet industry and coordinates efforts for CRI’s environmental initiatives. He is very knowledgeable, and always willing to share what he knows with me – thanks, Jeff!

I talked to Jeff about a new development at CRI: To make it easier for specifiers and interior designers to find environmentally sustainable carpets by offering a list on the CRI website of all the carpet products that have been certified by the Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard called ANSI/NSF 140 2007.

I asked Jeff about the importance of having a standard to assess the sustainability of carpet and the benefit of listing all the products together in one place.

BR: First of all, Jeff, what is the ANSI/NSF 140 2007 Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard?

JC: NSF 140 is the first-ever ANSI standard for sustainability in building products. It does a lot of things for the consumer, government purchaser, and manufacturer, but probably the most important service it provides is to facilitate communication between those key groups. Manufacturers receive feedback through the consensus process about the needs and desires of the purchasers, and the standard lets consumers see and interpret the characteristics of individual products easily.

BR: What is the value of a central listing? Who will use it?

JC: Listing all the approved products on one section of the CRI web site provides users with one source for the most up-to-date information. This will be very useful to architects, designers, purchasing agents, and mill sales representatives who are trying to stay current on the most sustainable carpet products available. Since NSF-140 is recognized for LEED credits in the categories of Innovation, Indoor Environmental Quality, and Materials and Resources, those engaged in the LEED process will also benefit from the site.

BR: What must a manufacturer go through to have products certified?

JC: Typically, the process begins with a company’s internal operations. A guide book is available at the NSF website for manufacturers that helps them align their manufacturing operations for entering the certification process. Once the initial arrangements have been made, the manufacturer will contact one of several certifying companies for an audit. The audit is an extremely detailed process that includes document reviews, toxicology examinations, and on-site inspections. A complete Life Cycle Analysis is a requirement for manufacturers seeking to earn a Platinum Certification on their product. Audits normally take a couple of months of intense work. It is normal for discrepancies to be discovered and corrected that will bring the manufacturer into compliance. Once all discrepancies have been addressed, the auditor will complete the evaluation and issue a score. 37 to 51 points earns Silver Level, 51 to 59 points earns Gold Level, and 60+ earns Platinum Level.

BR: Who has passed? How many products?

JC: There are currently 10 manufacturers providing an extensive array of products. The basic unit for certification is called a platform. A platform represents a category of products that perform similarly in terms of environmental performance – for example, one platform may incorporate a variety of styles that look very different but have similar environmental characteristics. Since NSF-140 is primarily intended to address the commercial market, a reader will sometimes see that a manufacturer has achieved certification on a “backing”. This is another word for platform since the backing is the most environmentally unique portion of a carpet product.

If anyone would like to talk to Jeff about NSF 140 or other environmental issues related to the carpet industry, he says you can email him at jcarrier@carpet-rug.org.

In the meantime, you might want to bookmark the Carpet and Rug Industry Sustainable Carpet Product Platforms page for easy reference.

Until next time,

Bethany


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