Environmental Leader

A new standard for assessing the environmental-friendliness of carpet was announced at the 2007 Greenbuild International Conference in Chicago, ScienceDaily reports.

Approved by the American National Standards Institute, the standard addresses chemicals and materials used in manufacturing carpet, the energy used in production, the use of recycled or bio-based content, methods of disposal and/or reuse and the overall environmental performance of manufacturers.

The Green Label certification program developed by CRI, that required carpets to meet emissions criteria for volatile organic compounds and other chemicals, is part of the new standard.

Silver, gold and platinum certification levels will be awarded to manufacturers based on the number of points earned, with a total of 114 points possible. In addition, some categories mandate that specific requirements be met to achieve the higher certification levels.