HOW TO AVOID
CHEMICAL LADEN CARPETS
HOW TO AVOID
CHEMICAL LADEN CARPETS
That "New Carpet" SmellSome floor covering problems are theoretical; what is unquestionably true is that many carpet installers, who for years used adhesives to lay fresh carpet in enclosed spaces, have been so badly affected by health problems that they can no longer work. Complaints range from skin reactions, nausea and vomiting to assorted, sometimes severe, headaches and body pain or swelling. But despite such anecdotal evidence, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) hasn't identified notable carpet-based health hazards; instead, it says that variations in the manufacturing process may lead to occasional "bad" carpet batches. And although 4-PC is the chemical most responsible for the "new carpet" smell many find irritating, CPSC exonerates it as a danger to health.
The Carpet and Rug Institute began carpet testing and labeling in the early 90s to mollify scared consumers. It strengthened the program in 1994 after complaints that it didn't warn about potential hazards, and provided inadequate testing. The Institute today says new carpets emit a tiny fraction of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) other building products exude, and no scientific correlation has been made between illness and carpet.
Manufacturers have been reformulating adhesives and seam sealants since 1991 to reduce solvent levels and cut VOC emissions. Some now claim VOC levels of zero; low-VOC products are available from all manufacturers. Meanwhile, mechanical adherence methods with no glues or solvents have become available. TacFast, a hook-and-loop method based on Velcro, holds carpet in place and allows easy removal when renovating.
For those wedded to wall-to-wall, carpet labeling, combined with either mechanical installation or zero-VOC adhesives, adds up to far lower emission levels today than was the case 10 years ago. For the truly chemically sensitive, hard flooring and natural fibers help considerably. John and Lynn Bower are just finishing their new home, which John says has no carpets at all, not even natural fiber area rugs.
Natural fiber rug problems can be minimized by removing carpets during renovations, cleaning them regularly by taking them up and beating them outdoors, and placing them where they won't be walked over by feet fresh from the outdoors. Conversely, problems with other manufactured carpeting, and the adhesives used to glue it down, continue to cause headaches both metaphorical and real.
And don't ask the National Audubon Society headquarters in New York City about their undyed, pure wool carpeting from New Zealand, carefully selected as minimally toxic and environmentally-safe. It was so critter-friendly it recently birthed a major moth infestation, forcing a pesticide application to resolve the problem.
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Thank you!Written by: Judy Waytiuk.
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