NSF Sustainability, a division of global independent public health organization NSF International, has verified an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for a broad variety of nylon carpet styles and colors manufactured by Mannington Commercial and backed with their rEvolve modular backing system. EPDs are a transparent product environmental attribute reports used by government purchasers, green builders and owners, architects and interior designers to help make more informed product decisions in selecting products that meet their environmental purchasing goals.
“As one of the first companies in their industry to release a third-party verified EPD, Mannington is demonstrating their commitment to environmental stewardship and transparency in addition to being positioned to win the business of major governmental agencies and environmentally responsible companies with green purchasing requirements,” said Tom Bruursema, General Manager of NSF International’s Sustainability division.
NSF Sustainability provides independent and science based verification of EPDs, which offer an international standard of communicating a product’s environmental impact throughout its entire life cycle from cradle to grave. EPDs are recognized globally, and as a preferred reporting tool in the new LEED V4 Green Building Rating System Standard Drafts expected out later this year.
“By releasing a NSF Sustainability-verified EPD, we are able to effectively accentuate our Mannington rEvolve modular carpet tiles in the marketplace and respond to increasing customer demands for more environmentally sustainable products and transparency in environmental claims,” said Dave Kitts, Vice President, Environment at Mannington.
Mannington Commercial’s rEvolve modular backing system is constructed of a thermoplastic polyolefin and provides an alternative to vinyl backing for specifiers seeking viable options for high performance carpet backing. Additionally, Mannington’s rEvolve carpet tiles are certified to NSF/ANSI 140 Sustainability Assessment for Carpet to the Platinum (highest) level.
The NSF National Center for Sustainability Standards (NCSS) facilitated the development of the flooring Product Category Rule (PCR) utilizing an open consultative process with participation from an expert panel of floor manufacturers, suppliers, regulatory agencies, life cycle practitioners, trade associations and end users. PCRs define which data is used in a life cycle assessment (LCA) and how the data is collected and reported in the resulting EPD. The LCA measures inputs, outputs and environmental impacts of a product across its lifespan from cradle to grave.
The NCSS has developed PCRs and American National Sustainability Standards for a wide range of product categories, including chemicals, commercial and institutional furniture, carpets, wallcovering, textiles, flooring, building products and materials, and is developing others for broad industries including water treatment products and chemicals.
NSF Sustainability helps companies build a portfolio of sustainable products and spans the complete PCR/LCA/EPD process. NSF can support PCR development, verify LCA and EPD data, and provide third-party verification of final EPD reports. Other LCA-based programs include Carbonfree product certification, which allows companies to demonstrate the carbon neutrality of their products. For more information on NSF Sustainability, visit nsfsustainability.org or contact Dennis Gillan at 734-476-2543 or sustainability@nsf.org.
