Other Carpet Products

The general public perception of carpet is it is all the same. Some is softer, some looks nicer, and some may even last a bit longer. But most distinctions end here.

The truth is the carpet industry has adapted its products to the varying and transient desires of the consumer.

Currently, the new trend is "green flooring," or "green carpeting."

Now, what exactly is green flooring?

Flooring is considered to be green if its perceived environmental impact is noticeably less deleterious in comparison to other products in its class. For example, bamboo flooring is considered as green flooring because in contrast with its main competitor, hardwood, forests don't have to be razed to create their products, and bamboo fields can be replenished in a few years rather than a few decades. This does not mean that bamboo is without its environmental consequences, it means that bamboo is a more "eco-friendly" alternative to the mainstream product.

In the case of carpeting, this also holds true. A type of carpet is considered to be green if its negative environmental consequences are in some characteristic way diminished from the norm in the industry.

The following a detailed, though not exhaustive, list of green considerations that pertain to consumers seeking out carpeting.

Before new carpeting is considered, one should attempt to find out the best way to dispose of the old carpet (if there is an old carpet). If the local dump does take and recycle the carpeting that is to be replaced, then take it there. There is no reason to not do this. In most instances, the carpet has to be taken to the dump anyway. The only difference is pile you place it in. This step alone can make a big difference. This is especially true when one considers how common carpet is in both work and home settings. It is most likely the most common type of flooring. Therefore, it possesses the biggest potential for a positive environmental impact in the flooring industry.

In deciding which type of carpet to purchase, consider carpet tiles. Why? Carpet tiles tend to extend the longevity of the floor covering as whole because stains and damages on a few areas of the carpet can be removed and replaced cheaply. the longer a product lasts, generally speaking, the greener it is. Long lasting carpet does not clog up land fills as fast, or require as much chemical processing to make new carpets because less have to be made less frequently when they endure.

 

Another key consideration is the types of fibers which make up a rug or carpet. Carpets can be made of everything from nylon to wool to polyester. This goes for carpet pads as well. A carpet made of wool will most certainly take less energy to recycle and emit fewer toxic elements back into the earth once it's decomposed. Composite chemical agents such as polyester or nylon are not as easily recycled since there are constituents which are non-recyclable or just require significantly more transformation before they can be reused.

Next it is import to consider not just how a type of carpet will degrade but how it is produced. Polyester or polyethylene-type carpets undergo extreme processing to force the bonding of molecules that may not normally cohere. As is well-known in chemistry, when two elements are forced to split or bond there are residual elements created. Such elements in the case of carpet-type polymers manufacture toxic and harmful chemicals that not only pollute air and water tables, but harm the people who work in those factories. On the other hand, since wool is an organic material that comes straight out of the soil, such results do not occur.

The types of adhesives used to bind various parts of carpeting have been known to release what are called VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds. It is best to acquire a flooring product where "Eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment [which] are among the immediate symptoms that some people have experienced soon after exposure to some organics," are not likely to result (epa.gov). What is bad for your own health you can typically assume is harmful to the environment as well.

There are a variety of other green characteristics a type of flooring or carpeting may or may not possess. The abovementioned are the most fundamental. For more information on such matters a good approach is to contact the company you are considering buying from and find out as much about how the carpet is made and what it is made of. Then, you can do some simply Googling and decide what its "eco-footprint" really is.