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Environmental and Health Issues and Recommendations
Purchasing carpet that is certified as meeting the California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard will help you address the following environmental and health issues:   Prevents Waste, End-of-Life Management:
About 840,000 tons of carpet - roughly two percent of California's waste stream - end up in California landfills every year. [1] Preventing waste can conserve natural resources and save landfill space. You prevent waste when you:
- Reduce the amount of material you buy to accomplish any task;
- Reuse a product; or
- Purchase carpet products from manufacturers that meet or exceed the end-of-life recycling goals of the Carpet Area Recovery Effort (CARE). Many manufacturers have carpet take-back programs in place and reclaim and recycle the carpet they replace.
In addition, carpet tiles can be replaced as they are damaged or wear out, rather than requiring the replacement of a whole area of carpet.  Recycled Content:
Many carpets are available with recycled content. Look for products that contain postconsumer material, which is finished material that has completed its life cycle as a consumer item, and would have been disposed of as a solid waste, but is instead diverted from landfill disposal and recycled or reused. Purchasing recycled-content products that are made with postconsumer material directly supports the recycling programs of local jurisdictions.
Compared to manufacturing with virgin materials, which for carpet products are usually derivatives of petroleum products, making carpet with recycled materials usually:
- Requires less energy;
- Conserves natural resources;
- Emits lower levels of climate-changing gases; and
- Produces less pollution.
 Less Hazardous:
Buying carpet that does not contain toxic or hazardous chemicals or materials reduces pollution and protects human health and the environment.  Indoor Air Quality (IAQ):
Look for carpet products as well as carpet adhesives that emit zero- or low- amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and meet California's Section 01350 specification or the Green Label Plus criteria from the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI). VOCs often have an odor, and are often characterized as the "new carpet smell." Low-VOC versions of carpet products are readily available, and many commercial carpet products now meet the Green Label Plus criteria.
See the Introduction for complete descriptions of these environmental and health issues.
BACKGROUND AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH ISSUES
About 840,000 tons of carpet - roughly two percent of California's waste stream - end up in California landfills every year. [2] Purchasing environmentally preferable carpet can reduce waste, support recycling and recycled-content product procurement, and protect the health of building occupants by reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds that escape into indoor air from new carpeting. For details, see the environmental and health issues and recommendations discussed at the beginning of this chapter.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Before you purchase a product, consider the task that you wish to accomplish with the product. Do you really need to make a purchase? Can your existing product be cleaned or repaired to extend its life? A thorough carpet maintenance program can greatly extend a carpet's life, and greatly improve the human health attributes of carpet.
When you purchase new carpet, look for those products with environmentally preferable attributes.
LAWS AND POLICIES
California
California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard
After August 31, 2006, all carpet purchased by the State of California is required to be independently certified to meet the criteria of the California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard (PDF, 298 KB). This came into effect through State Management Memo 06-08 (PDF, 41 KB) and applies to all carpet purchased for new construction, renovations, replacement carpet, through State Procurement, California Multiple Award Schedules (CMAS) contracts, or any other procurement method. This applies whenever there are three or more products that meet the Standard, and the only exception is for the patching and repair of carpet within an existing field of carpet.
The California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard is built on NSF-140 (PDF, 331 KB), a national standard currently going through the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) review process as a draft standard. The NSF-140 Standard uses a point system including nine prerequisite credits and up to 114 possible points and four levels of attainment (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum). Points are obtained in the following five categories:
- Safe for Public Health and Environment
- Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
- Recycled Content or Biobased Materials
- Facility or Company Based Practices
- Reclamation, Sustainable Reuse, and End of Life Management
The California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard takes the NSF-140 national standard further by adding 14 additional prerequisites in areas important to California and a full 100 percent audit by a third party certification organization, as well as at least 52 credits overall from all categories. California Platinum certification requires all prerequisites and at least 71 credits overall from all categories. Additionally, California Gold only recognizes and accepts products that meet these highest two levels: California Gold and California Platinum. The additional prerequisites added include requirements for:
Audits and the third party certification program are currently administered by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) through their Sustainable Choice program.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ Certification
Executive Order S-20-04 requires that all new and renovated State-owned facilities be designed and built to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements. The Green Building Action Plan (PDF, 34 KB) - detailed direction that accompanies Executive Order S-20-04 - asserts that all new State buildings and major renovations of 10,000 square feet and over must be designed, constructed and certified at LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations (LEED-NC) Silver or higher, or LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB), as applicable. Smaller building projects must use the same design standard, but do not require certification.
The purchase of California Gold or California Platinum certified carpet qualifies the project for attainment of the LEED-NC v2.2 (PDF, 448 KB) Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ) Credit 4.3, as well as the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) credit ME 4.6.1 (PDF, 2.04 MB).
State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC)
- Recycled-Content Product Procurement Requirements
- Public Contract Code (PCC) section 12203 requires State agencies (including California State Universities) to ensure that at least 50 percent of the dollars spent on plastic products be spent on plastic products with at least 10 percent postconsumer recycled content [exception: see content requirements for printer and duplication cartridges in PCC 12209(f)(2)].
- The SABRC plastic products (PL) category includes, but is not limited to, carpet, printer or duplication cartridges, diskettes, office products, plastic lumber, buckets, wastebaskets, containers, benches, tables, fencing, clothing, mats, packaging, signs, posts, binders, sheet, buckets, building products, garden hose, and trays (see PCC section 12207).
- Recycled-Content Certification Requirements
- PCC section 12205 requires all State agencies to obtain from all businesses written certification of the postconsumer content of each product offered or sold to the State. The certification shall be provided regardless of the content, even if the product contains no recycled material. However, a State agency may waive the certification requirement if the percentage of postconsumer material can be verified in a written advertisement, including, but not limited to, a product label, a catalog, or a manufacturer or vendor Web site. If written certification is necessary, use of form CIWMB 74, available on the CIWMB Web site, is a means of meeting the requirement. All supporting certifications are to be kept and available upon request.
- Carpets with California Gold or Platinum certification contain a minimum of 10 percent postconsumer material. State agencies with questions about SABRC certification for these products should contact the California Integrated Waste Management Board's State Agency Assistance Section.
- Recycled-Content Product Procurement Report
- Recycled-Content Product Procurement Contract Language
- PCC section 12217(f) directs State agencies to remove contract provisions that impede the consideration of recycled products and to replace them with performance standards.
Federal
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act requires procuring agencies to buy recycled-content products designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG). Carpet cushion and polyester carpet (the State of California usually purchases nylon carpet) are USEPA-designated items. "Procuring agencies include all federal agencies, and any state or local government agencies or government contractors that use appropriated federal funds to purchase the designated items. If your agency spends more than $10,000 per year on a product designated in the CPG, you are required to purchase it with the highest recycled-content level practicable." [3] This means that the recycled-content ranges recommended in the USEPA's Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) for the item in question are met. [4],[5] The USEPA's recommended recovered materials content levels for carpet cushion and polyester carpet (the State of California usually purchases nylon carpet) are available on-line.
"Executive Order 13101 and the Federal Acquisition Regulation also call for an increase in the federal government's use of recycled-content and environmentally preferable products." [6]
PERFORMANCE
Environmentally preferable (EP) carpets meet the same industry performance standards as their non-EP counterparts, while carrying the same manufacturer warranties for high traffic wear, fire rating, stain resistance, and color fade, given similar appropriate uses.
Select EP carpet that is appropriate for the intended use. Some carpets are recommended for light- to moderate-use areas, such as private offices, while others are rated for wider applications, including heavier-use areas like hallways and entrances.
There are many general performance evaluation considerations to weigh, including:
- Evaluating options based on the recycled content and recyclability of the face fiber, backing, and cushion.
- Evaluating the density and durability of the fiber, as well as the color and pattern, for the expected traffic level and use.
- Evaluating options that make spot replacement easier and delay full replacement, such as carpet tiles and easy-to-blend patterns.
- Evaluating VOCs associated with both the carpet and the installation adhesives to minimize off-gassing that can be harmful to both installers and occupants.
WHAT ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE CARPET PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE?
Modular Carpet
Modular carpet is often the carpet product of choice for building spaces utilizing open modular systems furniture, or other modular office systems. This allows carpet to be replaced more easily with furniture in place without dismounting furniture systems. Other advantages include the ability to remove and replace a few stained, worn or damaged tiles at a time, instead of the entire carpet, extending the life of remaining carpet tiles. Modular carpet tiles are available in several sizes including 0.5 meter and 1.0 meter square tiles. They typically include a dimensionally stable backing, sometimes including some cushion or padding. Some modular carpet products are manufactured with a releasable adhesive already adhered to its backing, making installation easier.
Broadloom Carpet
Broadloom or roll goods types of carpet can sometimes be an appropriate choice for some building settings. Broadloom carpets typically use less material, particularly in the backing, and are often used in corridors, or in large or small rooms where individual pieces of furniture are used that can be easily moved. By using less material, broadloom carpets typically weigh less, and cost less, and in some situations may be considered more sustainable.
Some broadloom carpets include some extent of padding integrated into the backing. When carpet pad is desired, take care to use carpet pad that is high in postconsumer recycled content with low or no emissions. Some carpet pad products are made from 100 percent postconsumer recycled content carpet.
Environmentally Preferable Product Attributes
Some of these environmental attributes may be found in environmentally preferable carpets:
Adhesives
Besides environmentally preferable carpet products, it is important to consider the impact of carpet adhesives used to install carpeting. Some products are available with adhesives pre-applied to the carpet's backing, either utilizing a peel-off backing sheet, or not. This can reduce the amount of installation time, and in many cases, may allow, for example, self-adhered carpet tiles in high-wear areas to be swapped out with tiles from a low-wear location to extend the wear without reapplying adhesive.
It is important to specify and use low-emitting carpet adhesives, concrete moisture sealers, cove base adhesives, and other carpet-related products. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) has developed a low-emitting carpet adhesive program referred to as the Green Label Plus Adhesive Testing Program, which meets low emission requirements consistent with California's Section 01350 specification, as well as the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Low-Emitting Materials Credit 2 for use in a typical classroom. Additionally, the USGBC's LEED Green Building Rating System awards a credit in its Indoor Environment Quality Section for the use of Low-Emitting Materials - Adhesives and Sealants (EQ Credit 4.1).
COST
Carpets featuring environmentally preferable attributes are fully competitive with carpet lacking these attributes. Many carpet manufacturers now manufacture carpet products that meet the California Gold or other sustainable carpet criteria with no cost premium over comparable performing carpets.
SPECIFICATIONS
California
After August 31, 2006, all carpet purchased by the State of California is required to be independently certified to meet the criteria of the California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard (PDF, 298 KB).
Other
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Database of Environmental Information for Products and Services. Among other things, this database contains contract language, specifications, and policies created and used by federal and state governments and others to buy environmentally preferable products and services.
ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE
A thorough carpet maintenance program can greatly extend a carpet's life, and greatly improve the human health attributes of carpet. The use of environmentally preferable cleaning methods and safe cleaning chemicals will extend the useful life of a carpet and protect human health. The Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Best Practices Manual chapter on cleaning products provides valuable information on green cleaning methods and products. Additionally, existing buildings using green cleaning practices can earn credit for the LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) Rating System's Indoor Environmental Quality Credit No. 10.3. This can contribute to the attainment of LEED-EB certification, which is mandated for all State of California buildings larger than 50,000 square feet.
PURCHASING RESOURCES
California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard
A list of carpet manufacturers and backing systems certified to meet the State mandated standard is available on-line. Additionally, Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) maintains a list of carpet products that have been certified to the State standard, as well as their Sustainable Choice standards. Local government agencies and school districts in California can purchase many carpet products meeting the California Gold Sustainable Carpet standard through California Multiple Award Schedules (CMAS) contracts through vendors listed on the CMAS Contracts with Green/Recycled Content Web page. Be sure to ask specifically for products certified as California Gold or California Platinum. See also "How can I buy products from California Multiple Award Schedules (CMAS) contracts?"
California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB)
The CIWMB's Recycled-Content Product Directory lists thousands of products containing recycled materials as well as information about the manufacturers, distributors, and re-processors of these products.
Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)
CHPS has developed useful guidelines for carpet attributes, selection, installation and maintenance [see CHPS Best Practices Manual for Design (PDF, 1.7 MB), pp. 139-146].
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
The USEPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) Supplier Database is a searchable database of vendors who sell or distribute CPG-designated products with recycled content. The USEPA also maintains a Database of Environmental Information for Products and Services.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING CALIFORNIA MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULES (CMAS) CONTRACTS?
California's California Multiple Award Schedules (CMAS) contracts offer streamlined and efficient methods of acquiring carpet at previously established costs from already recognized contracts and substantial savings. These carpets are included in the CMAS Contracts with Green/Recycled Content List.
HOW CAN I BUY PRODUCTS FROM CALIFORNIA MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULES (CMAS) CONTRACTS?
Detailed contract user instructions are available on the Department of General Services Procurement Division's Web site in the Purchasing Authority Manual (PAM) Chapter 6, Section B.
See also the "Carpet" heading in the Sources - Products Available with Environmental Attributes: State Contracts and Prison Industry Authority chapter of the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Best Practices Manual.
Local agencies and California school districts may use State procurement contracts.
SUCCESS STORIES
RESOURCES AND WEBSITES See also PURCHASING RESOURCES.
California Department of General Services (DGS)
West Sacramento, CA
(916) 375-4336
DGS's California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard is available on-line.
California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB)
Sacramento, CA
(916) 341-6000
The CIWMB's mission is to reduce waste, promote the management of all materials to their highest and best use, and protect public health and safety and the environment, in partnership with all Californians. See the CIWMB's Construction and Demolition Recycling - Carpet Web page.
Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE)
CARE is a joint industry-government effort to increase the amount of recycling and reuse of postconsumer carpet and reduce the amount of waste carpet going to landfills. CARE was established as a result of a Memorandum of Understanding for Carpet Stewardship, a national agreement signed by members of the carpet industry, representatives of government agencies at the federal, state and local levels, and non-governmental organizations. See CARE's end-of-life recycling goals.
Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)
Dalton, GA
(706) 278-3176
The CRI is the national trade association representing the carpet and rug industry. See its Green Label Plus program criteria for indoor air quality.
Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)
(877) 642-CHPS
The Collaborative for High Performance School's goal is to facilitate the design of high performance schools: environments that are not only energy-efficient, but also healthy, comfortable, well-lit, and containing the amenities needed for a quality education. CHPS has developed useful guidelines for carpet attributes, selection, installation and maintenance [see CHPS Best Practices Manual for Design (PDF, 1.7 MB), pp. 139-146]
King County Environmental Purchasing Program
Seattle, WA
(206) 296-0100
(800) 325-6165
King County is an environmental procurement pioneer. See the Environmental Purchasing Program's Environmentally Responsible Carpet Choices Web page.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Washington, DC
(202) 272-0167
The USEPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment. See the following on-line resources:
- Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG)
- Database of Environmental Information for Products and Services. This database provides contract language, specifications, and policies created and used by federal and state governments and others to buy environmentally preferable products and services; environmental standards and guidelines for products; vendor lists of product brands which meet these standards; and other useful sources of information on products and services that are more environmentally preferable.
- Environmentally Preferable Purchasing - Carpet Resources Web page
[1] California Department of General Services. News Release: California State Government Takes the Lead, Reducing the Flow of Old Carpets Into Landfills. June 13, 2006. Available at http://www.dgs.ca.gov/Press/06-07/060613.htm. Accessed on December 15, 2006.
[2] California Department of General Services. News Release: California State Government Takes the Lead, Reducing the Flow of Old Carpets Into Landfills. June 13, 2006. Available at http://www.dgs.ca.gov/Press/06-07/060613.htm. Accessed on December 15, 2006.
[3] United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2004 Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines Buy-Recycled Series Construction Products Fact Sheet. Available at http://www.epa.gov/cpg/factshts.htm. Accessed on December 15, 2006.
[4] From California Integrated Waste Management Board staff communication with Office of the Federal Environmental Executive staff on December 12, 2005.
[5] United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2004 Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines Buy-Recycled Series Construction Products Fact Sheet. Available at http://www.epa.gov/cpg/factshts.htm. Accessed on December 15, 2006.
[6] United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2004 Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines Buy-Recycled Series Construction Products Fact Sheet. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/cpg/factshts.htm. Accessed on December 19, 2006.
Special Note: Portions of the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Best Practices Manual were borrowed or adapted from the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide published by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board of Minnesota.
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