NewslineVolume XII, Issue 10 - June 18, 2010
The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
In This Issue: New Extractors, Vacuums Add to Seal of Approval Totals
Three companies have earned certification in the SOA vacuums category. Rexair LLC, from Troy, Michigan, has achieved Silver-level certification for its Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner System household canister model. From Peoria, Illinois, Sanitaire's SC412A QC commercial backpack has passed Seal of Approval testing at the Bronze level. NSS Enterprises, Inc., of Toledo, Ohio, has received Bronze-level certification for its two commercial upright models, the NSS Pacer 214UE and NSS Pacer 218UE. Tornado, a division of Tacony Corporation based in Fenton, MO, has achieved Bronze-level certification for its Tornado CV 48/2 and Tornado CV 38/2 commercial uprights. Congratulations to all the new SOA participants! Contact Pat Jennings at 706.428-2123. Search and View Lists of SOA-Approved Products CRI Defends Validity of Seal of Approval TestingCRI has issued a press release that responds to critical questions raised in a published white paper produced by Racine Industries, a longtime critic of the CRI's Seal of Approval program for testing and certification of carpet cleaning products and equipment. The CRI release vigorously defends the SOA program, and quotes CRI President Werner Braun: "The Seal of Approval program has raised the standard of carpet cleaning, which has led to better cleaning products on the market and higher customer satisfaction overall." The Racine Industries paper specifically targets components of the SOA testing that use X-Ray Fluorescence, or XRF, to identify and measure carpet soil removal in vacuums and extractors. XRF imaging was originally developed and used by NASA as part of the Space Shuttle program. The CRI press release addressed concerns expressed in the Racine report, and is excerpted here: Will an independent validation study be planned and completed? At this time, an independent validation study has been completed and the scientific paper is undergoing peer review prior to publication. Will a protocol be released? The protocols for the SOA, like the protocols for all of CRI's signature programs, were released over five years ago and have always been available on the CRI website. Will the reported concentrations of the compounds be reproducible outside of the one licensed laboratory performing this method? The CRI protocol is readily available to any laboratory, and CRI has repeatedly stated its desire for other laboratories to undergo certification to perform XRF testing. Will a determination of relevance be conducted to see if the laboratory-generated results actually apply to the field? CRI and Professional Testing validated the use of NASA-designer soil in the SOA protocols. Soil-filled vacuum cleaner bags were collected from locations across the United States. After comparison testing, the NASA-designed soil was found to be consistent with the various soil samples collected. CRI has performed numerous "real-world" tests of SOA-certified cleaning products and systems and has consistently found that even extremely soiled carpet can be brought back to its original beauty through the use of SOA products. Correlation studies between XRF and the previously-used gravimetrical measuring methods were also conducted that showed the two methods produced correlated results. Will accuracy and bias be determined and published if not improved? CRI will likely run a cooperative study as soon as another laboratory joins the SOA program. CRI is an ANSI-accredited product certifying body and has placed the SOA/Green Label vacuum cleaner program, which uses XRF testing, under the ANSI umbrella. ANSI provides diligent oversight of the CRI protocols and testing procedures, and conducts comprehensive audits of both CRI and the laboratory on an annual basis. "CRI has a policy of listening not only to what consumers say, but also to what professionals on the front lines of the cleaning industry tell us as well. Since Racine Industries' attack on CRI's SOA program went public, we have heard nothing but support from SOA Program participants who continue to use the seal as way to differentiate themselves as superior performers," Braun said. "The Seal of Approval program pays tribute to the idea that if you can measure something, you can improve it." View the Complete Press Release Contact Bethany Richmond at 706.428-2125. Carpet Industry Supports "Cash for Caulkers" LegislationCRI supports proposed new legislation which would recognize carpet's energy-saving benefits and would allow carpet to contribute to a tax credit for homeowners. The legislation, called the Home Star program, has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and similar bills are pending in the Senate. The program is supported by President Obama and has been playfully called "Cash for Caulkers". Carpet is a natural fit for the Home Star program, as it has long been recognized as the only floor covering to measurably improve the R value (thermal resistance) of floors. "The enhanced R-value realized with the use of carpet can actually contribute to energy savings and lower utility costs," said Carpet and Rug Institute Vice-President Frank Hurd. View the Complete Press Release Contact Bethany Richmond at 706.428-2125. Hurd Speaks at Grand Opening of Carpet Recycling FacilityCarpet and Rug Institute Vice-President Frank Hurd joined Delaware Governor Jack Markell as featured speakers at the Grand Opening celebration for Modular Carpet Recycling in New Castle, Delaware. Ron Simonetti, MCR's CEO and founder has over 20 years' experience in the recycling, plastics, and flooring industries. MCR will reclaim an expected 12 million pounds of post-consumer carpet each year and convert it into approximately 5 million pounds of nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 polymers that can be re-extruded into carpet face fiber. Mr. Hurd praised MCR's capacity for reclaiming post-consumer carpet and diverting it from the landfill. Contact Jeremy Stroop at 706.428-2127. CRI Meetings
* Policy Committee, July 14,
9:00 - 11:00 am CRI Participation in Upcoming Events
* BOMA, June 27 - 29, Long Beach, CA 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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