NewslineVolume V, Issue 9 - April 30, 2004The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
In This Issue: Deadline for Participation in 2003 Safety ProgramThe CRI Health & Safety Program will hold its annual breakfast on Wednesday, May 26, 2004. During the event, awards will be presented and recognition will be given to CRI member companies with outstanding safety records during the 2003 calendar year. If you are a member of CRI and wish to participate in this program, you can mail, email or fax a copy of your OSHA 300A form to CRI no later than May 4, 2004. Contact Charlott Coker at 706.428.2127 or fax 706.428.3127. Senate Considers FSC/ETI BillThe Senate is expected to resume consideration on Monday of legislation repealing the foreign sales corporation/extraterritorial income tax regime. The Senate will work through as many as 80 amendments to the legislation. Repeal of the FSC legislation will likely result in the discontinuance of the sanctions imposed by the European Union on March 1 against a broad list of U.S. products exported to Europe. Contact John Miller at 706.428.2109. U.S. Officials Cite Progress From China TalksThe Bush administration has announced progress on several fronts following last week's high level Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) meeting in Washington between U.S. and Chinese officials. China has agreed to step up the enforcement of its laws against intellectual property rights (IPR) piracy. China presented an action plan on enforcement that will hopefully significantly reduce IPR infringement. China made a commitment to criminalize a greater range of IPR violations and pledged to apply criminal sanctions to the Chinese pirating and counterfeiting of goods. An IPR working group will be formed to follow up on the action plan. In addition the countries discussed ways in which trade into China can be conducted on a more open and freely operating basis without the practice of using middlemen in business transactions. Contact John Miller at 706.428.2109. The Status of Mold Legislation in the StatesPrimarily fueled by the worry over indoor mold growth, 2003 will be remembered as one of the most active years for indoor air quality (IAQ) state legislative initiatives. Presently, attention seems to be focused more on IAQ in schools and in public buildings than on mold. In 2003, 27 state legislatures considered more than 60 pieces of IAQ-related legislation, with 18 becoming law. Thus far, 2004 is proving to be active in both areas, but not as much so in the area of mold. Some highlights of proposed bills include a comprehensive school IAQ bill in Florida, a proposed bill in New Hampshire mandating the state's Department of Education to develop and implement IAQ standards for public elementary and secondary schools, and most recently in New York State legislation establishing an office of ombudsman for public schools to investigate complaints regarding environmental, health and safety conditions in public schools. Mold certification and training are still of prime interest to legislators, and Wisconsin, Kentucky and Florida are already working on proposed bills to ensure that those who assess and remediate mold in indoor environments are properly trained. Contact Jenn Mendez at 703.875.0634. UCCNet and Bar Coding for Carpet Industry Products MeetingA meeting to discuss a retailer-initiated effort to persuade carpet mills to label their products with standardized bar codes containing company and product data will be held at CRI on Monday, May 3, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Representatives from Home Depot and Lowes will be participating in the meeting. We invite all carpet vendors (regardless of your customers) to join us at CRI for a discussion about this very important issue related to the bar coding initiative. Contact Sally Fortenberry at 706.428.2108 for more information or to let us know you will be attending the meeting. Finally! Media Report That Has It RightNot all the news in the media is bad, although it seems that way in regards to carpet. A design columnist in the Naples (FL) Daily News who goes by the name of Decor Diva, was asked two questions recently regarding carpet and allergies and indoor air quality. She cited CRI and our Green Label Program and went as far as to say carpet served as a filter. Nice to know there are some out there who are listening. Contact James Beach at 706.428.2116. Russian Study Shows Lower Risks From CarpetA recent Russian study of 5,981 students between the ages of 8 & 12 studied the correlation of wheezing, asthma and allergies to renovation and installation of materials, including flooring. The study showed that synthetic carpet risks were significantly lower than linoleum flooring. Contact James Beach at 706.428.2116. CARE Conference Concludes in FloridaThe Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) Second Annual Conference concluded today. The release of CARE's Second Annual Report was among many highlights of the event that included updates on the progress the organization has made in its first two years of existence. A total of 93.7 million pounds of carpet was diverted from landfill in 2003. Other highlights of the event included: $103,250 worth of grants funded; CARE Recycler of the Year; CARE Person of the Year; and the announcement of a new signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding for Carpet Stewardship. Contact James Beach at 706.428.2116. CRI Participates in CSI Annual Show and ConventionThe Construction Specifications Institute held its 48th annual convention at McCormick Place in Chicago the week of April 21-24. As one of the 70 educational sessions, CRI participation included a presentation by Carroll Turner, CRI Technical Services Manager, entitled "Specifying Commercial Carpet for Maximum Performance, Ease of Maintenance and Environmental Preference." The CSI Organizational Mission Statement is to "advance the process of creating and sustaining the non-residential built environment." CSI members include specifiers, architects, contractors, and owners. Contact Carroll Turner at 706.428.2106. Conference on Energy Conservation for Carpet and TextilesAttend Georgia Tech's Energy Conservation Conference at Dalton State College on May 11, 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. There is no charge to attend the conference. The one-day conference focuses on ways to reduce the energy costs at the manufacturing plant level and covers purchasing and conservation tips for the major energy users, including steam systems, motors, and compressed air. To register or obtain further information, phone 706.272.2702. Clemson University Carpet Manufacturing Technology Conference - Discount For CRI Member CompaniesDiscover the latest advances in process applications during this two day information-packed conference to be held at the NorthWest Georgia Trade & Convention center, Dalton, Georgia, on May 25 & 26, 2004. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of processes, technology and markets from 18 experts in business and education. CRI is a co-sponsor of this educational conference. It is not too late to register and obtain a $100 registration fee Discount for CRI member company attendees. For more information or to register, call Kay James at 864.656.2200. View complete conference agenda. CRI Meetings* UCCNet & Bar Coding Meeting, May 3, 10:30 a.m., CRI Boardroom CRI Participation in Upcoming Events* Ninth Annual Conference on Recycling of Fibrous Textile and Carpet Waste,
May 10-11, NorthWest Georgia Trade & Convention Center 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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