Carpets
Environmental Attributes to Look For
- Low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- No toxic dyes
- Recyclable
- Recycled-content
- Reduced energy use (from manufacturing)
- Reduced or improved air emissions (from manufacturing)
Procurement Guidance
EPP Guide: Greening Your Purchasing of Carpet
Procurement guide for federal purchasers of environmentally preferable carpet.
Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) - Carpet and Carpet Cushion
Recycled-content recommendations for procurement of carpets.
Model Procurement Guidelines for Carpet, Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance
Procurement guidance for procurement of environmentally preferable carpet.
Case Studies
EPP Program list of Carpet Case Studies
Web Resources
EPP Database
EPA Web Sites
Carpet Product Stewardship
Information on EPA and industry efforts to promote carpet product stewardship.
Other Government Web Sites
King County, Washington: Environmentally Responsible Carpet Choices
Information on various environmental considerations in purchasing carpet and links to manufacturers and distributors of environmentally preferable carpet.
Minnesota Department of Environmental Assistance: National Agreement on Carpet Recycling
Information on the Memorandum of Understanding for Carpet Stewardship between members of the carpet industry, representatives of government agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
Non-Government Web Sites
Antron® Carpet Reclamation Program
The Antron® Carpet Reclamation Program reclaims old carpet for reuse and recycling.
Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)
Information on carpet types, performance and care, materials used in carpet, and health and environmental issues. Developers of the CRI Green Label program.
Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE)
CARE promotes the reuse and recycling of carpet. Includes a comprehensive listing of carpet recycling programs, information on market and product development for recycled carpet, information on other end-of-life options, and general guidance for purchasers on performance and environmental attributes.
Green Seal, Carpets and Commercial Adhesives
Green Seal is an independent, nonprofit organization that sets environmental standards and awards a Green Seal of Approval to products that cause less harm to the environment than other similar products. Green Seal's Choose Green Report on Carpets (December 2001) offers a list of recommended carpet brands, their manufacturers, and contacts. Green Seal's consensus-based Environmental Standard for Commercial Adhesive, GS-36, also covers carpet adhesives. Both the report and the standard are available through Green Seal's Web site.
McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC), Carpet Fibers
MBDC sets environmental standards and awards a "Cradle to Cradle" certification to products considered healthy for humans and the environment throughout their lifecycles, and products that are sources of high-quality materials for perpetual cycles of assembly, use, disassembly and recycling or composting. The certification criteria and a list of certified carpet fibers are available on the MBDC Web site.
National Negotiated Outcomes Group on Carpet
Partnership of several states, the carpet industry, and EPA addressing concerns about the large quantity of carpet that enters the solid waste stream.