NewslineVolume VI, Issue 2 - January 21, 2005The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
Special Edition - Sustainability 2004, Year in Review In This Issue: Unified Textile StandardA major effort to unify carpet standards was completed in December, 2004. The unified national textile standard under The Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability (MTS) has been approved by stakeholder ballot. As many of you know, the effort on a carpet standard started almost a year and a half ago. Discussions are under way on how best to administer the standard, facilitate the guidance document and deal with future revisions. The states of California and Washington are firmly behind this standard and that is a significant win which will carry weight with other states as we go into 2005. The Enviromental Protection Agency will be more heavily engaged in the next phases as we go forward. A press release is scheduled to be issued to the architect and design community. Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) The CRI Board of Directors unanimously agreed to continue the important work
of CARE. A thorough analysis of options for future landfill diversion potential
via industry based proprietary programs and non-industry "entrepreneurial"
approach was completed with the assistance of Dr. Matthew Realff of Georgia
Tech. CARE funding will continue on a voluntary basis and checks are arriving
for the 2004/2005 CARE sponsorship program. Over $150,000 in funds have been
received. In addition, several new members have been added. Ron Greitzer, President of Los Angeles Fiber Company, was featured on an environmental program in California, and Paul Ashman, President of Environmental Consolidation and Recovery Services (ERCS), did a great job during an interview on Dave Foster's Floor Radio show. Greenbuild 2004 - Portland ReportThe annual US Green Building Council (USGBC) event, Greenbuild, was held in Portland, Oregon in November, 2004. Louise Dobbs did an exceptional job of putting CRI's best foot forward. CRI's support of the Building Design & Construction (BD&C) Sustainability White Paper was obvious in BD&C Editor, Rob Cassidy's praise of CARE and his recommendation that the USGBC embrace the involvement of trade groups. Articles by both Werner Braun and Bob Peoples of CRI also appeared in Environmental Design & Construction Magazine, which published a special supplement on the carpet industry's sustainability efforts. Nadav Malin of Environmental Building News was very complimentary in his presentation of CRI's efforts to forge a unified textile standard. Also, Kirsten Ritchie, Scientific Certification Systems, made an excellent presentation on the newly crafted unified textile standard. Both presentations were made to capacity audiences. Cement Kiln TrialMajor funding was obtained in collaboration with Georgia Tech to conduct a full-scale test of the use of post consumer carpet as an alternate derived fuel in cement kilns. The first half of the trial took place in the fall where 15% of the coal was displaced by carpet. The trial went well and excellent analytical data was collected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A final report of this phase of testing is expected by early February. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) EffortsA strong push to move LCA into routine use was made in 2004. In addition to the Consortium on Competitiveness for the Apparel, Carpet & Textile Industry (CCACTI) project on LCA, the industry supported the development of a new wizard by the International Design Center for the Environment. The tool is referred to as eLCie and should make it much easier to do "what if" analyses around new product and process developments. California Department of the State Architect (DSA) Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Database ProjectThe California DSA has put the EPP Database project on hold while they conduct an internal review of how to proceed. Word is that this project will continue after the first of the year but exactly how is not clear. The State Architect, Steve Castellanos, has resigned and an interim State Arch has been named. We continue to work with the California Manufacturing and Technology Association (CMTA) on this issue. A planning meeting is expected in early 2005. National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building Guidelines DraftThe carpet industry participated with NAHB on the development of the first Greenbuilding Guidelines Draft on residential construction. CRI Green Label is included under the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) section along with guidance on recycle content carpet products. Initially there was a statement recommending 25% recycle content, but after explaining this is unrealistic and not available at this time, the guidance has been modified. CRI Meetings* Market Issues Committee, February 7, noon - 2 p.m., CRI Boardroom CRI Participation in Upcoming Events* Surfaces, January 25-28, Las Vegas, Nevada 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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