The Carpet and the Environment

Carpets have been used ever since the prehistoric times when animal skins were shed then woven to be placed on the cave floors. Many developments have emerged since then to provide great comfort and fashion for your place. About half of the flooring purchases made each year accounts for carpets. This has been a part of homes, offices and even schools. But there have been issues raised as to the safety of the carpet and the effects the production has been causing to the environment.

One issue raised was the allergic reaction it supposedly creates for the carpet-owner once installed. There were many questions about the air quality that the carpet provides once it enters your area of comfort. Volatile organic compounds were said to be inherent in these carpets and this could be detrimental to the health of the consumers. These VOCs were said to be byproducts of the chemical manufacturing of synthetic carpets. Other airborne components can also stick to the carpet and could provide a breeding ground for organisms. These could get inhaled into the human body as the carpet is an area most frequented. The Carpet and Rug Institute are answering all these issues. They have been working with the government and scientific researchers to study the effect of carpets on air quality. All the findings have showed VOC emitted from carpets does not cause adverse effects to an individual. These VOC only have very low levels of emission that cannot be harmful to a person. Within 24 hours of installation, new carpet’s emission level will drop significantly. During this time, windows must be open to provide good ventilation for the carpet. Within 2 to 3 days, VOC emission will drop further to undetectable levels.

The CRI has also provided consumers with indoor air quality testing and labeling programs for carpets, adhesives and cushion materials. This process involves the testing of the products for its emitting level and labels those that have very low emitters with a green label. This was started in 1992 and called the Green Label. The Green Label Plus has now been added. A logo will be placed on the products that have passed the test and will certify that they have met the criteria for low emissions. There have also been installation guidelines for the consumers to maintain a good air quality during installations.

Researches have also showed that removing the carpet will not reduce the number of allergens in your home. The carpet even provides as a safety net that holds all the allergens in place in between cleanings so as to not get into the individual. A routine cleaning is what’s necessary to get rid of these allergens and also to prevent other organisms such as carpet beetles and carpet bugs living in your carpet.

Another issue raised is about the effect carpet production causes on the environment. The industrial waste and post-consumer carpet products that are being generated by carpet production add to the wastes on existing landfills. Many carpet industries have tried to lessen the quantities of natural and energy resources they use in daily operations. Reducing waste, conservation of water, electricity and fuels and recycling have been practiced. The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) has also been created to increase recycling and reusing of post-consumer carpet to reduce the waste carpets going to landfills. This is a joint effort of the government and the industries to facilitate carpet recovery so they would be reused as raw materials.

Many developments may still be made for carpets. And as long as carpets provide the comfort and the luxury it does and as long as environmental issues continue being addressed, carpets will be in our home, offices and schools for a long time.