NewslineVolume IV, Issue 18 - August 14, 2003The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
In This Issue: CARE Second Annual Conference ScheduledPlease mark your calendar and SAVE THE DATE for the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) Second Annual Conference. The Conference will take place April 28-30, 2004, in Pensacola, Florida. More details will be furnished as they become available. EPA Changes TRI Reporting ProcessAccording to an item in the Chlorine Chemistry Council newsletter, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making a significant change to reporting under the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program by no longer referring to waste sent to off-site disposal facilities as a "release." Inside EPA reports that heavy pressure from the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB) and industry groups led to the important policy change. Administration officials and industry groups noted that the prior reporting system caused improper double-counting of waste disposal because previously EPA had counted wastes that were sent to off-site disposal facilities, including landfills licensed under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act, as "releases." Now the Agency will refer to the waste as "off-site contained disposals." The decision is considered a win for waste treatment and recycling industry groups and, according to an industry source, offers "a more accurate depiction of how waste is managed." Contact Frank Hurd at 706.428.2136. Trends & Truths SeminarThe latest Trends & Truths Seminar took place recently in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Louise Dobbs of CRI spoke with designers, architects and facility managers about carpet and indoor air quality. These seminars are sponsored by DuPont Antron and Mannington, and are being held nationally to help educate those individuals that work in designing and maintaining healthcare and school facilities. Contact Jennifer Mendez at 703.875.0634. "Clean and Dry" and "Carpet for Cleaner Air" Messages Getting ExposureCRI's stories reach audiences nationwide through the North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS), a news service that circulates specially-prepared feature stories through hundreds of media outlets not otherwise easily accessible. The free, non-copyrighted articles are made available to newspaper editors and radio station news directors. Currently (as of August 12), CRI's most popular articles addressing mold and asthma and allergies have been placed in over 650 newspapers in over 25 different states with a combined readership of approximately 44 million people. This data is based on three articles written by CRI's James Beach: Health Facts You Can Use - Keeping Clean and Dry; Health Awareness - Mold and Mildew - Moisture is the Problem; and, Health Hints - Allergens: Nothing to Sneeze At. Contact Barbara Day at 706.428.2138. Barrier Messages Continue to be Promoted to Key AudiencesAs the year progresses, CRI is continuing to promote messages to key audiences to help lower barriers to member's profitability and growth. During the summer months, messages that carpet can benefit allergy/asthma patients in the home/work environments are sent to allergy/asthma physicians through ads in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. In addition, school administrators and facility managers were targeted through an ad in the District Administrator magazine advocating that carpet does not promote mold. This same school audience also received a blast email highlighting the cost advantages of carpet maintenance. The Parenting & Beyond television segment that aired on Oxygen, HGTV, and other home channels last March, continues to be advertised. In the Summer Edition 2003 issue of CHILD Magazine, a full page, color ad for Parenting & Beyond appeared with The Carpet and Rug Institute logo. Recently, this summer issue of CHILD received national promotion on the NBC morning show, "Today" when the editor of CHILD was interviewed by Katie Couric regarding an article in this magazine. CHILD magazine has a circulation of 925,000 and the target audience is women. Contact Barbara Day at 706.428.2138. CRI's 800 Number AutomatedAs part of CRI's cost-cutting efforts, we have automated our consumer information line (800.882.8846). Callers can order publications and get answers to frequently asked questions about carpet care, indoor air quality, and various other topics. For more information, contact Barbra Wilson at 706.428.2125. Congratulatory Correspondence Sent to Connecticut LegislatorsAs a result of the passage of Connecticut Bill 6426, "An Act Concerning Indoor Air Quality in Schools," CRI has sent congratulatory letters to the sponsors of the bill. The legislation requires regular inspections of all school buildings for the purpose of protecting the indoor environmental quality, and permits school boards to create an IAQ committee for each district or facility to increase staff and student awareness of factors that impact the quality of indoor air. CRI has been supportive of this legislation, as legislators have allowed industry input to create a common sense solution to the problem of indoor air quality. Copies of CRI's letter are available by contacting Jennifer Mendez at 703.875.0634. CCACTI Meeting to be HeldThe Carpet Committee of CCACTI (Consortium on Competitiveness for the Apparel, Carpet and Textile Industries) will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, August 26, 9:30 a.m. at The Carpet and Rug Institute. The purpose will be to gather suggestions for 2004 research project funding by the State of Georgia. The committee will generate a list of suggested topics from the carpet industry to aid researchers for the next Request For Proposals (RFP). For more information, contact Committee Chairman, Jerry Zolkowski at 706.272.2705. CRI Meetings* CRI Executive Committee, August 21, 9:00 a.m., CRI Boardroom CRI Participation in Upcoming Events* CCACTI Carpet Committee, August 26, 9:30 a.m., CRI If you are aware of other events that present significant opportunities to deliver our messages to our critical audiences, please contact Louise Dobbs at 706.428.2104. Check our website calendar for other industry related events |
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