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Research studies conducted by the EPA and other independent laboratories have concluded that in an indoor environment, carpet is one of the lowest emitters of volatile organic compounds (VOC's), especially when compared to paint, wallcovering and other items.
The CRI has established a voluntary program, the CRI Indoor Air Quality Carpet Testing Program. A state-of-the-art environmental chamber technology is used to test carpet products for emissions of specific VOCs. Air Quality Sciences, an independent testing lab, performs the tests using an Environmental Chamber Technology, which allows chemical emissions from specific products to be studied under conditions which duplicate building interiors. The carpet's chemical emissions are identified and used to estimate the results of the actual product installed in a building situation. Chamber results are determined using sophisticated, analytical chemistry techniques, such as gas chromatography / mass spectrometry and spectrophotometry.
The criteria used for the testing program are based on an emission factor measured in mg/m2 hr.
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Total Volatile Organic Compounds |
0.5 |
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Styrene |
0.4 |
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4-Phenylcyclohexene (4-PC) |
0.1 |
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Formaldehyde |
0.05
(to prove that it is not used in manufacturing) |
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For the future, the CRI is working with consumer-focused organizations, like the American Lung Association and the AFL/CIO, to support an ongoing Carpet Policy Dialogue. This policy would monitor and disclose any toxic or nontoxic VOCs that are produced by carpeting, to develop strategies to reduce VOCs even further, encourage manufacturer regulation, and increase public education on the issue.
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