As awareness of the importance of healthy indoor environments has grown, protecting indoor air quality (IAQ) has become a top priority. In 1992, the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) launched its Green Label program to test carpet, cushions and adhesives, and help consumers identify products with very low airborne emissions of VOCs. CRI launched its next phase of improvements called 'Green Label Plus' for carpet and adhesives. This enhanced program set an even higher standard for IAQ to help customers choose the lowest emitting products on the market.

 

article continues below ↓

Green Label Plus

 

CRI's Green Label Plus program involves testing by Air Quality Sciences, an independent laboratory, that tests carpet and adhesive samples using up-to-date, dynamic environmental chamber technology. The test methodology was developed in cooperation with the U.S. EPA and has been adopted by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) as D5116-97 - Standard Guide for Small-Scale Environmental Chamber Determinations of Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products. Look for the CRI Green Label Plus logo as 'proof' that carpet and adhesives have been tested and certified by an independent laboratory to meet stringent criteria for low emissions.

 

Below are tips to help you in the safe and healthy selection and installation of new carpet:

1. Install a carpet bearing CRI's Green Label Plus, showing the carpet has been tested to meet low VOC emissions criteria.
2. If the carpet is to be glued down, use an adhesive product displaying the Green Label Plus, indicating that it has low VOC emissions.
3. Install a cushion bearing CRI's Green Label.
4. To minimize airborne dust, vacuum the old carpet thoroughly prior to removal, and vacuum the floor after the old carpet and cushion have been removed, using a CRI Seal of Approval (SOA) vacuum cleaner.
5. Ventilate with fresh air (open windows, operate a fan, and/or run the fan of the heat/air or ventilation system) during the old carpet removal and the new carpet installation and for 48 to 72 hours after installation.
6. Use a professional installer, preferably one who displays the CRI Seal of Approval, and confirm that the minimum industry-accepted installation standards, CRI 104 and/or CRI 105, are followed.
7. Plan and implement a scheduled maintenance program that includes vacuuming regularly (weekly) with a CRI SOA labeled vacuum cleaner and extraction cleaning (about once a year in a residence).
   

 

About The Carpet and Rug Institute

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 the CRI Blog.