NewslineVolume XII, Issue 7 - April 23, 2010
The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
In This Issue: New Seal of Approval Vacuums Earn Certification
From Winchester, Virginia, Rubbermaid Commercial Products LLC has earned Bronze-level certification for its Rubbermaid 9VCF-16 and Rubbermaid 9VCV-12 model vacuums. Also certified at the Bronze level are: from Pingree Grove Illinois-based Minuteman International, Inc., its Hako Rocket Vac XP w/Turbo Floor Nozzle, V10 Pro w/Turbo Floor Nozzle, and V10 Pro Plus w/Turbo Floor Nozzle models. The Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company of Glenwillow, Ohio, has achieved Gold-level certification for their Royal M1058Z and Royal M1059Z models of commercial upright vacuums. Congratulations to CRI's new Seal of Approval particpant! Contact Pat Jennings at 706.428-2123. Search and View Lists of SOA-Approved Products Hurd Addresses Proposed Extended Producer Responsibility LegislationFor the past year, the Carpet and Rug Institute has followed extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation proposals in several states. California's proposed EPR legislation, the nation's first devoted solely to carpet reclamation, would have tremendous impact on the carpet industry. According to CRI Vice-President Frank Hurd, "If passed in its current form, California's proposed AB 2398, or the Carpet Product Stewardship Bill, would be extremely onerous. It would cost the carpet industry millions and millions of dollars." AB 2398 requires a 50% collection rate by 2014, increasing to 70% by 2017. Manufacturers must submit a stewardship plan to the California Department of Resources and Recycling, which must approve the plan and set the fees for all activities. Finally, manufacturers will be responsible for all costs associated with the collection, diversion, and or recycling of post-consumer carpet, including, but not limited to, paying cities and municipalities' costs for carpet collection. Hurd testified in Sacramento before the California State Assembly's Environmental Committee on the subject of AB 2398. Hurd was joined by representatives from the California Manufacturers and Technology Association and CRI member Shaw Industries. Prior to and immediately following the committee hearing, Hurd met with Speaker Perez and his staff, as well as with staff from the office of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Hurd says he is "cautiously optimistic" about the outcome of the legislative process concerning AB 2398. "It is CRI's intent to work diligently to have the bill pulled from the legislative calendar, and thus allow the carpet industry to proceed with its plan for sustainable funding of carpet recycling," Hurd said. Contact Bethany Richmond at 706.428-2125. View CRI President Werner Braun's Letter Concerning AB 2389 CARE 8th Annual Conference Sold Out
"Response to this year's conference has been fantastic and we are delighted with the show of enthusiasm for CARE and carpet reclamation in general," said CARE Operations Manager Jeremy Stroop, who planned the conference. "The caliber of speakers lined up for this year's conference is impressive". On the agenda discussing extended producer responsibility (EPR) and how it influences industries outside the flooring industry are representatives from the Rechargeable Battery Association, American Coatings Association and Product Stewardship Institute. Also included in the lineup are sessions highlighting new technologies, carpet recycling models from the collector to manufacturer and the recently launched Canadian Carpet Reclamation Effort (CCRE), an organization working to divert carpet from landfills in Canada. Anthony Minite, President of commercial carpet manufacturer Bentley Prince Street, will give the keynote address. For those unable to attend, all conference presentations will be available on the CARE web site following the conclusion of the conference. Contact Jeremy Stroop at 706.428-2127. CRI West Meeting Well AttendedApproximately sixty carpet industry professionals attended the annual CRI West meeting April 20 in Irvine, California. Following a breakfast sponsored by CRI member company Bentley Prince Street, CRI President Werner Braun and Vice-President Frank Hurd updated CRI's West Coast-based members on the state of the carpet industry and presented on CRI programs and initiatives, including growth of its Seal of Approval testing and certification program for carpet cleaning and Green Label Indoor Air Quality testing and certification program. Of particular interest was California's pending AB2398 Carpet Product Stewardship extended producer responsibility legislation and the recent CRI Board decision to seek a sustainable funding model for carpet recycling and the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE). Discussion also focused on the current development process of the ANSI carpet installation standard. CRI President Werner Braun noted that representatives from all of the West Coast carpet mills attended CRI West. "It was one of the best crowds ever," he said. Contact Bethany Richmond at 706.428-2125. Werner Braun Authors Weekly Newspaper ColumnIn the first of a series of articles scheduled to appear in the Dalton, Georgia Daily-Citizen News, Werner Braun tells readers about a pending study soon to be released by Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control that examines the role carpet plays in the lives of patients with asthma and allergies. In the article, entitled, "Asthma Study of Carpet Could Yield Big Results for Industry", Braun says research for the study, which began in 2005, is complete. A final report will be released as soon as the data is analyzed. According to the paper, the series of articles from the Carpet and Rug Institute is part of a coordinated effort to provide the Dalton community with more news of the carpet industry. Contact Bethany Richmond at 706.428-2125. View the Complete News Article CRI's Hurd Addresses INSTALL GroupCRI Vice-President and COO Frank Hurd was a featured speaker at the April biennial Leadership Conference of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) held at the group's Carpenters International Training Center in La Vegas. The topic for the meeting: the UBC's Installation Standards & Training Alliance (INSTALL) carpet installation training program. The three-day conference brought together nearly 300 union leaders and skilled installers to discuss the value of continued member certifications and was centered on the theme, "Skill, Productivity, Attitude." In the eight years since it was founded, nearly 2,500 individuals- about one-third of the union's members-have been certified under the INSTALL program, which is recognized by more than two dozen mills, plus more than 100 partner companies. UBC has a stated goal of 100% member certification in the next few years. Hurd praised INSTALL for its dedication to training and for its participation in the process of developing the current national carpet installation standard which is currently underway. "CRI has been trying to tackle installation since 1986, and with the development of S600, the document being created under the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to standardize carpet installation it may finally come true," Hurd said. "[The national carpet installation standard] is something INSTALL can use because it is not a carpet industry standard, but a national one. By bringing together experts from all areas, such as those from the INSTALL network, this is going to be a standard you'll be proud to certify to and work with." Contact Bethany Richmond at 706.428-2125. CRI Meetings
* Sustainability Issues Management Team, May 12, 1:00 - 3:00 pm CRI Participation in Upcoming Events
* CARE Annual Meeting, April 26 - 28, Sante Fe, NM If you are aware of other events that present significant opportunities to deliver our messages to our critical audiences, please contact Bethany Richmond at 706.428-2125. Check our website calendar for other industry related events
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