Ever heard of Green Label Plus? It’s a testing program for carpets and rugs as well as adhesive products, and it sets the highest standards for indoor air quality (IAQ). Frankly, it’s the highest ever set by the carpet industry. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) are responsible for creating the Green Label Plus to identify carpets tested by independent certified labs and meet strict criteria for low chemical emissions.
Every day the demand for “green” and clean indoor environments increases. We all want our indoor environments as healthy as possible. Choosing the right materials is a vital step. To assist, CRI has added Green Label Plus to it’s well-established Green Label program.
- Green Label ensures customers they are purchasing among the lowest emitting carpet, adhesive and cushion products on the market.
- Green Label Plus is designed for architects, builders, specifiers and facility managers who want assurances that carpet and adhesive products meet the most stringent criteria for low chemical emissions.
- Green Label Plus represents the fourth time the carpet industry has voluntarily enhanced the IAQ standard for its products.
Exceeding California Standards:
Green Label Plus exceeds even California’s strict indoor quality standards for low-emitting products used in commercial settings such as schools and offices. The carpet industry voluntarily enhanced it’s Green Label Program for carpet and adhesives to meet testing protocols used by the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), and worked in cooperation with California’s Sustainable Building Task Force and the Department of Health Services, and the Indoor Air Quality Section.
An agreement between CRI and the California agencies, Green Label Plus is acceptable in lieu of Section 01350, the CHPS low-emitting materials criteria for use in schools. Commercial carpet and adhesives that meet the criteria for Green Label Plus are listed on both the CRI and CHPS websites.
Rigorous Testing:
To receive Green Label Plus certification, carpet and adhesive products must undergo a rigorous testing process, as required by Section 01350 guidelines that measure emissions for a range of chemicals and is administered by an independent laboratory. The test methodology for small scale environmental chamber testing was developed in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Carpet products are tested for emission levels for seven chemicals as required by Section 01350, plus six additional chemicals.
- Subsequent annual and quarterly testing of certified carpet is based on 24-hour chamber testing for targeted chemicals and the total level of volatile organic compounds (TVOC).
- Adhesive products are tested for emission levels for 10 chemicals as required by Section 01350, plus five additional chemicals.
- Subsequent annual and semi-annual testing of certified adhesive products is based on 24-hour chamber testing for targeted chemicals and the total level of volatile organic compounds (TVOC).
- Green Label Plus expands on Section 01350 in several respects, including annual tests for the specific chemicals, a chain of custody process and an annual audit of the testing laboratory.
The CRI Indoor Air Quality Green Label Plus indicates:
- The manufacturer voluntarily participates in the program and is identified by an assigned number on the certification label.
- The manufacturer is committed to developing ways to minimize any adverse effects on indoor air quality.
- A representative sample of the product type is tested by an independent laboratory and meets the established emissions requirements.
The Carpet and Rug Institute, headquartered in Dalton, Georgia, is the national trade association for the carpet and rug industry. Its members are manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers, representing over 90% of all carpet produced in the United States. CRI is the source for science-based information and insight into how carpet and rugs can create a better environment – for living, working, learning and healing. For more information visit, www.carpet-rug.org.
