NewslineVolume VI, Issue 15 - July 15, 2005The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
In This Issue: German Study Finds Carpet Minimizes Dust Risk
The article in the magazine is entitled "Better carpets" and discusses the debate among allergy patients, physicians, and scientists as to which flooring surface would prove best in alleviating allergy symptoms. The conclusion was a definitive "yes" to carpets. CRI will begin to innclude the study along with the many other bodies of scientific evidence it cites in helping to dispell any myths surrounding carpet and allergies. Contact James Beach at 706.428.2116. German version of the study is available here Lobbying Efforts Successful in New JerseyThe final New Jersey budget (and related legislation) passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor on Saturday, July 2, 2005 does not include a sales tax on carpet and other flooring installations or any of the other proposed new sales taxes. CRI worked closely with the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) to have this provision removed from the NJ Budget. The lobbying campaign included testimony by Keith Campbell, Chairman of Mannington Mills, at a Senate appropriations hearing. CRI was successful and helped leaders in the NJ Assembly stick to their no new sales tax pledge. Contact Jenn Mendez at 703.875.0634. Construction Specifier Magazine Touts CRI Commercial ARRAppearance Retention - New Help for Carpet Specifications written by CRI staffer Carroll Turner is the title of a six-page article published in the June issue of the Construction Specifier. The Construction Specifier is the magazine of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and serves the interest of architects, specifiers, contractors, and others in the construction industry. Monthly circulation of The Construction Specifier is in excess of 26,000 copies mainly to architects. The article describes the performance-based Appearance Retention Rating Guidelines developed by CRI for commercial carpet specification. Contact Carroll Turner at 706.428.2106. To learn more about ARR Commecial Guidelines EU Environmental Strategy Stirs Activist GroupsEnvironmental groups are protesting a decision by the EU government to back away from a proposed series of long-term environmental strategies, including tighter controls on air pollution. In an "unprecedented change of direction," the European Commission suspended the plan after pro-business lawmakers complained that the policy would "constrict" the economy and "destroy" jobs, according to the The London Times. British officials, in particular, have strongly opposed the strategies, which also address water quality, waste, soils, natural resources, pesticides and urban environments. A UK impact assessment tagged the cost of the air pollution strategy alone at between 5.9 billion Euros and 14.9 billion Euros a year, starting in 2020. Activist groups allege that powerful business lobbies are having undue influence. Contact Frank Hurd at 706.428.2136. OMB Pushes Plan to Reorganize EPA, Other AgenciesThe White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has submitted proposed legislation to Congress that would limit debate and fast-track votes on plans to reorganize federal regulatory agencies, including the EPA and FDA. The proposal would set up two commissions to examine agency duties and recommend ways to reduce or eliminate redundant duties and operations, according to Inside EPA. The OMB plan focuses particularly on the regulation of food, which is overseen by the EPA, FDA and USDA. The proposal involves a legislative process similar to fast-track trade negotiating authority, in which amendments are prohibited and only an up-or-down vote is permitted. Contact Frank Hurd at 706.428.2136. Op-Ed Promotes Competition to Meet Recycling GoalsEuropean governments should resist providing subsidies to industries that are not prepared to meet growing mandates for recycling, says Alfons Buekens, a teacher at Free University of Brussels and chairman of the European PVC industry's Monitoring Committee of Vinyl 2010, in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed. Instead, Buekens says implementation works best when left to private enterprise. "As Europe seeks to move toward a more thrifty, resource-efficient society, it must be wary of government-induced distortions in this process," he says. "It is up to free enterprise to cope with the new regulatory conditions. This will strengthen the more sustainable and innovative products and industries. Doing otherwise will not help the cause of sustainable development." He also notes how the European PVC sector is actively investing in new recycling technologies and collection methods. Contact Frank Hurd at 706.428.2136. CRI Meetings
* Joint Technical Issues Committee & Sustainability Issues Management Team,
July 21, 2:00 - 5:00 pm CRI Participation in Upcoming Events
* NEOCON East, September 14-15, Baltimore
If you are aware of other events that present significant opportunities to deliver our messages to our critical audiences, please contact Joan Seelaus at 706.428.2123. Check our website calendar for other industry related events |
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