Is My Floor Covering Eco-Friendly?
When it comes to protecting the environment, it appears increasingly difficult and complex to find a purely good product. Let's take floor coverings as an example. Cork is drawing attention as a renewable resource that leaves forests intact. It is soft, warm and quiet, and can be installed with a non-formaldehyde adhesive. However, it doesn't grow very well in the U.S. and must be shipped across the Atlantic. Result: this plucky, resilient material leaves a carbon footprint.
Wool carpeting is another natural fiber floor covering that has minimum impact on the environment. It is very crush resistant and beautiful. However, it too must be imported, making it another carbon footprint-producer.
Let's consider one other example: Recycled Content Synthetic carpeting. It is made of plastic water bottles, a local material, which diverts billions of pounds from the landfill: Hurray! It is durable, colorfast, and cleans easily. However, it has high emissions (emanates gases over time in your home).
So how do you choose a floor covering? There are many more than listed above. Rely on a combination of function and usage in the room; aesthetic appeal; your own commitment to the environment; and your budgetary considerations.
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Getting the Lead Out
We now have a standard for lead-safe work practices when dealing with lead-based paint. On March 31 of this year, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) issued its final rule to comply with the
Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992. Rather than bore you with legalese, we'll share the three key operative words here: "reliable, effective, and safe." The rule goes into effect April 22, 2010.
One other key date is December 22, 2008. That's when contractors will
be required to provide a copy of the EPA's new lead information
pamphlet - "Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for
Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools" - to owners and tenants of
buildings that will undergo renovations that disturb lead-based paint.
Please note: if your home was built in 1978 or later, you do not need to worry about lead paint. That is the year lead was taken out of all manufactured paints by law.
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