Indoor Air Quality
What Factors Affect Indoor Air Quality?
Today, indoor air quality (IAQ) is an important environmental consideration. Because we spend approximately 90 percent of our time indoors, we must do everything possible to improve the air we breathe. During the energy crisis of the '70s, Americans began to tightly close their workplaces and homes in order to conserve energy resources. Currently, many families have both parents working, with less cleaning time in the home. Ventilation and cleanliness play important parts in maintaining good air quality; although, the indoor environment is impacted by many factors.
Among the factors that may impact the quality of the indoor air in your home is the air drawn from outside. Other factors may be tobacco smoke, radon, and cooking odors, as well as renovating and redecorating products, such as wallpaper, furniture and cabinetry, carpet, paints, varnishes, particle board, wood finishes, caulking, and adhesives. Interior products in the home have the potential to impact the indoor air because they emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. The quality of indoor air also involves cleaning materials, building materials, ducts transmitting heat and air conditioning, activities in the building, people, pets, and furnishings.
One must look at the whole picture. Cleaning products used in the home, as well as interior furnishings, should be low VOC emitters, with emissions, sometimes improperly called off-gassing, that dissipate quickly. Scientific studies have demonstrated that new carpet is one of the lowest emitters of VOCs into the indoor environment and that these emissions dissipate very quickly. The low-level VOC emissions and the harmless odor from new carpet dissipate within the first 48 to 72 hours after installation. Carpet has not posed any health problems for millions of satisfied customers. Carpet is made primarily of the same innocuous materials found in clothing and other everyday fabrics; i.e., polyester, nylon, and olefin fibers, latex (synthetic rubber), and polypropylene (olefin) fabric backing.
Common Factors That Affect IAQ:
- People (exhalation, body odors, diseases)
- Activities (work such as cleaning, using correction fluids, carbonless paper, pest control products, and personal activities such as wear fragrances and smoking)
- Technology (photocopiers and laser printers)
- Furnishings (furniture, draperies, floor coverings)
- Finishes (paint, varnish, vinyl wall coverings)
- Building materials (caulking compounds, adhesives, wood laminates)
- Outdoor air quality
- Inadequate or contaminated air handling units
- Inadequate cleaning practices
F.A.Q.
- Can carpet affect a person's health?
The carpet industry has worked very closely with academic institutions, the government, and independent laboratories to evaluate carpet's role in the indoor environment. Throughout those evaluations, scientific evidence has indicated no links of adverse human health effects to VOC emissions from carpet. Although it is highly unlikely you will experience any effects from your new carpet, some individuals have reported allergy-like symptoms after new carpet has been installed. Some of these reports investigated by the CPSC resulted in a conclusion that it "could not establish a cause and effect relationship between the carpet and health effects experienced." - Is carpet an emitting product?
New carpet is a very low emitter. As with most other indoor products, choosing a low-emitting product, ventilating, and cleaning are the keys to good air quality. - How long do new carpet emissions last?
New carpet's emission level will drop significantly within the first 24 hours of installation, and with fresh air ventilation, the emission level will dissipate to an undetectable level within 48 to 72 hours. - What is the "new carpet" odor that sometimes is present after the installation?
This possible odor usually comes from 4-phenylcyclohexene (4-PC), a by-product of the latex binder used to hold the fibers and backing together. It, like a "new car" odor, will dissipate within a few days and is not harmful. - How do I know which carpet, cushion, or adhesive has been tested for emissions?
Look for and purchase a carpet, cushion, or floor covering adhesive that displays the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Indoor Air Quality Testing label. These three indoor air quality testing programs identify the products that have been tested and meet stringent indoor air quality requirements for very low emissions. The programs cover carpet, carpet cushion, and floor covering installation adhesives. - How do the IAQ testing programs work?
In the testing programs for carpet, separate carpet cushion, and floor covering adhesives for carpet installations, samples are collected from the manufacturer's production process. Each sample is tested individually for chemical emissions by an independent laboratory, using a dynamic, environmental chamber and highly sophisticated, scientific analytical technology. Volatile organic compound emissions are identified and quantified as though the products were in a real building indoor environment. Products that meet the emission criteria are allowed to display the label. Products are retested on an on-going basis to ensure compliance. In each of these programs, the authorized label displayed on the product contains an identification number assigned specifically to the individual manufacturer for each product type that meets the criteria. - Regarding indoor air quality, is there any difference between natural and synthetic fibers?
No. All types of carpet have very low emission levels, regardless of whether they are natural or synthetic fibers. - What can I do to minimize possible exposure to emissions?
Always choose carpet, cushion, and adhesives that display the CRI Indoor Air Quality Testing label. Before carpet is installed, ensure that the installer will follow the installation guidelines (CRI 105) established by the Carpet and Rug Institute. Follow the installation guidelines -- common sense procedures and the guidelines for keeping your home environmentally friendly -- at the end of this brochure. - I have an allergy to natural latex. Will new carpet cause a problem for me?
The backing latex on broadloom carpet is not a natural latex. The latex that bonds carpet fibers and the backing fabrics together is made from a synthetic latex, "SB latex" or styrene butadiene latex. SB latex is a synthetic, water emulsion made from compounds different from those found in natural latex. Latex allergies are the results of protein enzymes in natural latex. SB latex used in carpet does not cause the allergic, dermatological reaction associated with natural latex. - Does new carpet contain formaldehyde?
No. Formaldehyde is not used in the carpet manufacturing process in the United States. Sometimes, formaldehyde can be found in old carpet and other home textiles that have absorbed formaldehyde from other environmental sources. - Do stain and soil-resist treatments or dyes used to color my carpet affect IAQ?
Manufacturer applied dyes and stain and soil-resist treatments are included in the finished carpet tested in its entirety in the CRI Testing Program. - Do carpet cleaning products, fresheners and deodorants, and pesticides add emissions?
All household cleaning products and pesticides add emissions. Read the contents of the label on the container. If you have decided to use the product, be sure to vacuum thoroughly after each use to reduce any residue. - Should I be concerned about dust mites in carpet?
No. Most mite allergen is found in bedding and upholstered furniture. Exposure to mite allergen usually occurs while sleeping, sitting, or through direct surface contact with the allergen itself. Dust mite allergen is very large and is not released from carpet into the breathing zone, even during periods of heavy activity. Maintaining humidity levels below 65% and regular vacuuming and cleaning will minimize mite population in your home. - Why has my allergist recommended removing carpet and other textiles from my home?
One of the approaches that allergists use in allergy treatment is allergen avoidance in the belief that the removal of all possible places where allergens are held will reduce allergic symptoms. This is a misconception. Although allergen (dust, pollen, mold spores, etc.) may be present in carpet, carpet is not a source of airborne allergen that produces allergic symptoms. - Will removing my carpet reduce my allergic symptoms?
No. Removing carpet will not reduce the number of airborne allergens that produce allergic reactions; in fact, removal of carpet may actually increase the amount of airborne allergen, because other surfaces do not offer the capability of holding allergen. Removing allergen materials from a carpet is as easy as regular vacuuming and routine cleaning.
"Green Label" Testing Programs
Good indoor air quality (IAQ) depends on good building design, implementation of effective operation and maintenance, and appropriate selection of low-emitting interior products. Since 1992, the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) has developed and administered the "Green Label" IAQ testing and labeling program, first for carpet and then for adhesives and cushion materials. These unique testing programs identify low-emitting products by requiring that representative product samples meet scientifically established standards.
"Green Label Plus" - The Higher Standard for Indoor Air Quality!
Over the life of the program CRI has continually worked to enhance its testing standards, and has recently launched its next series of improvements. Their new program -- "Green Label Plus" -- will once again set the standard and further ensure that the consumer is purchasing the very lowest emitting interior product on the market. This latest enhancement represents the carpet industry's continuing efforts to strengthen the IAQ standard for its products.
For the care of installed carpet, CRI created the vacuum cleaner testing program, which provides helpful information to aid in the selection of a quality vacuum cleaner.
Look for carpet, adhesives, cushion, and vacuum cleaners displaying the familiar CRI "Green Label" IAQ Testing Program logos.
Green Label Plus is an independent testing program that identifies carpets with very low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It is an enhancement to the CRI Green Label Testing Program, which has been consistently upgraded since it was developed in 1992. Green Label Plus once again sets the standard for good indoor air quality and ensures that customers are purchasing one of the lowest emitting products on the market. The new "plus" symbolizes the carpet industry's commitment to a better environment for living, working, learning and healing.
Background
The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), a consortium of public agencies and California utilities, has identified low-emitting materials criteria - Section 01350 - for use in schools. A school that specifies and installs the materials qualifies for points under Indoor Environmental Quality Credit 2: Low-Emitting Materials. CHPS and the Los Angeles Unified School District developed a list of products that are certified to meet the criteria (see the CHPS "Compliant Materials Table"). CRI worked in coordination with the California Department of Health Services' Indoor Air Quality Section (DHS/IAQ) and the CA Sustainable Building Task Force to establish a testing protocol for VOCs emitted from carpet in lieu of Section 01350.
Green Label Plus Measures Up
The Green Label Plus is an example of the Carpet and Rug Institute's leadership in the best practices of environmental responsibility.
| CHPS Section 01350 | Green Label | Green Label Plus |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain of Custody | X | X | |
| Testing for "Chemicals of Concern" | X | limited | X |
| Annual Testing | X | X | |
| Annual Testing for "Chemicals of Concern" | X | ||
| Quarterly Testing for TVOC | X | X | |
| Tested Against the Most Stringent Criteria | X | ||
| Certified Lab Required | X | X | |
| Reproducible Protocols | X | X | |
| Annual Audit of Lab | X | X | |
| Scientific Review Board | X | ||
| Odor Testing | limited | X | |
| Bottom line: Assurance specification = delivered |
X | X |
Testing Protocol
The CRI Green Label Plus logo displayed on carpet samples informs customers that the product type has been tested and certified by an independent laboratory and has met stringent criteria for low emissions. Carpet samples are tested by Air Quality Sciences, an Atlanta-based, independent laboratory using the most up-to-date, dynamic environmental chamber technology. The test methodology was developed in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and has been adopted by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) as D5116 - Standard Guide for Small-Scale Environmental Chamber Determinations of Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products.
California's Indoor Air Quality Program and the Sustainable Building Task Force approve Green Label Plus certification in lieu of Section 01350.
Green Label Plus Testing and Product Requirements:
- Initial test - The carpet meets the environmental emissions criteria as outlined in Section 01350.
- Quarterly testing - On a quarterly basis, the carpet meets the established emissions criteria for the total level of volatile organic compounds (TVOC).
- Annual testing - On an annual basis, the carpet meets the TVOC emissions criteria, plus stringent emissions criteria for thirteen individual chemicals.
Carpet manufacturers are permitted to use the Green Label Plus logo for product types that meet the stated emission criteria. The product type number on the label identifies the manufacturer of the carpet. Products are re-tested quarterly to monitor continued compliance with the test program requirements. Customers can feel confident in selecting a carpet bearing the CRI Green Label Plus logo. The label is assurance that the product is a low-emitting carpet that helps ensure good indoor air quality.