environmental K e e p i n g i t G r e e n Ta n d u s

environmental Keeping it Green ® Monterey Ta n d u s C&A Crossley Tandus was the first carpet manufacturer to: Sustainable Development “Growth ...
0 downloads 2 Views 4MB Size
environmental

Keeping it Green

®

Monterey

Ta n d u s C&A

Crossley

Tandus was the first carpet manufacturer to: Sustainable Development “Growth that meets economic, social, and environmental needs without compromising the future of any one of them.” - World Research Institute Sooner or later someone stops and says there has to be a better way. A more meaningful way. A more significant way. Because

A heritage of environmental leadership

Develop a closed loop recycling process for reclaiming and

For more than 35 years, Tandus has been proud of its

products.

leadership in innovative technologies that provide functional performance and measurable environmental benefits.

recycling 100% of all returned vinyl-backed material into recycled content backing. Obtain third-party certification of its entire line of ER3 modular carpet and R3 six-foot structured back broadloom. Obtain third-party certification for the recycling of its own Tandus’ award-winning and internationally recognized Center for Environmental Innovation has reclaimed and recycled

“As interest in sustainable design and construction practices

more than 100 million pounds of carpet and industrial waste

continues to grow, our commitment to our customers and

since 1995.

A company’s bottom line must also include humanity and

ourselves is to continue building on our long history of

Publicly embrace and conform to the FTC Guides, national

the environment. At Tandus, we believe this time is not

technological innovations that lead to a more sustainable

guidelines issued by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission

sooner or later. It is now. We’re choosing to not just make

future,” said Mac Bridger, CEO of Tandus.

(FTC), with the cooperation of the U. S. Environmental

there has to be more to business than just economics.

carpet, but to make a difference.

Protection Agency (EPA), to ensure companies’ green

Environmental awards & accomplishments Tandus has reclaimed and recycled more than 100 million pounds of carpet and industrial waste since 1995. (2005) Development of ethos™, a new recycled content, cushion backing made from recycled PVB film reclaimed from laminated safety glass. (C&A, 2004) Keep Georgia Beautiful Award – Outstanding Achievement in the Environmental Improvement Category (C&A, 2004) Antron Sustainable Flooring Award – Fairbanks International Airport (C&A, 2004) Business of the Year in Mobius Environmental Awards by Resource Recovery Board Nova Scotia (Crossley, 2004) C&A becomes the first and only carpet manufacturer to earn Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) certification for two entire product lines; ER3‚ ethos, modular carpet and ER3 sixfoot structured back broadloom. (November 2003) Antron Inaugural Sustainable Flooring Award – Prospect Valley

claims comply with the established standards regarding

Elementary (C&A, 2003)

recyclability, recycled content, biodegradable, etc.

Inaugural Environmental FlorTek Award – presented by American

of taking shorter steps means we’re able to meet many

Proactively provide a guarantee in writing that all vinyl-backed

Floorcovering Alliance (C&A, 2003)

goals. Tandus has proven that what’s right environmentally

carpet reclaimed for recycling will be recycled into new floor

NRC Recycling Works Recognition Award – Presented by the

and socially is also very good business sense. Our strategy

coverings. No landfills, no incinerators, no waste-to-energy.

National Recycling Coalition (C&A, 2002)

has given us a competitive market advantage and gained

Certify its product attributes (such as recycled content and

Keep Georgia Beautiful Award – Outstanding Achievement in the

new customers. We’ve done what many have said couldn’t

VOCs) that can contribute toward earning credits in the

Environmental Improvement Category (C&A, 2001)

be done, and it’s had a very dramatic impact on our

U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and

company in terms of revenue and earnings.

Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system.

It’s having a practical vision, being about balance

Establish a formal program to reclaim approved vinyl-backed

the visionary “What if?” and the practical “How

carpet after its useful life, regardless of manufacturer, and pay

can we make this real?” It’s with this manner of

the customer for it.

That’s why we’re making different choices about how we run our business and the direction we want it to go. Our strategy

business management that we can turn goals into achievements.

Recycling at Work Award – presented by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (C&A, 2001)

Where do we stand? PERFORMANCE Driven by the desire to understand how to make products that look and work better, Tandus incorporates innovative styling and high-performance standards to create stylish carpet that endures beautifully in demanding environments. Focused on design, quality, performance and customer service, Tandus leads the industry in high-quality, high-

EPA Performance Track difference in quality among various latex and polyurethane

compounds

is

considerable.

While utilizing cheaper compounds may make our products less expensive, they would also compromise

durability,

and

perhaps

more

importantly, compromise Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) by off-gassing more VOCs.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Environmental Performance Track program is designed to recognize and reward facilities that consistently exceed regulatory requirements, work closely with their communities, and excel in protecting the environment and public health, the program’s mission is to improve environmental performance, transform relationships, and encourage innovations. With more than 300 members in 41 states and Puerto Rico, representing virtually every manufacturing sector as well as facilities in the public sector, application to Performance

performance products.

maintenance

Track is open to all U.S. facilities, large and small, public and private.

25-Year Warranty

Tandus’ C&A brand creates a unique floor

A charter member of the program since its inception in June 2000, C&A is

covering that has all the performance benefits of

committed to reducing solid waste, water and energy use as well as (CO2) or

hard-surface flooring with the aesthetic features

greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent, and is working to achieve the goals.

of soft-surface flooring. Tandus has pioneered to maintain these attributes over the lifecycle

testimonials

of the floor covering. We’ve also developed

“At Cal/EPA ‘walking the walk’ is a cultural expectation – especially as our

relationships with a number of third party vendors

own operations impact the environment we strive to protect. We hope to lead

certified to our maintenance specifications to

by example – reducing our ecological footprint and establishing new and

help keep your Tandus products in top form.

more efficient and environmentally beneficial ways of conducting business.

Tandus’ C&A brand offers a 25-year non pro-rated warranty against excessive surface wear, edge ravel, zippering, resiliency loss of backing, and delamination of the secondary backing from the primary backing containing the face fiber on all six foot floor coverings with closed cell vinyl cushion backings.

antimicrobials Tandus does not use antimicrobials in the production of its floor covering. Tandus has an environmental responsibility to avoid the addition of unnecessary chemicals to customers’ environments, or to the natural environment, simply to be able to make a marketing claim. In the absence of health or product benefit, adding antimicrobial treatments to our carpets would add cost and introduce unnecessary chemicals into the facilities in which the floor covering is installed.

indoor air quality Designing products that minimize or virtually eliminate the off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is very important to Tandus. Vinyl backed products are treated with RS, a peel-and-stick technology, that allows facilities to remain open to the public while the flooring is installed. Tandus produces its broadloom backings with the highest quality grades of latex and polyurethane compounds. The

several maintenance systems and products

lifecycle analysis Tandus products have earned the industry’s

The flexibility of our carpet is an important part of our ability to meet changing needs through changing programs – at little or no cost to the taxpayers or the environment! Kudos to Tandus for taking that walk with us…”

best “BEES” (Building for Environmental &

- Terry Tamminem, Secretary California

Economic Sustainability) Life Cycle Rating.

Environmental Protection Agency

The BEES software evaluates products on eight or 12 environmental impacts, from raw

“Tandus provides great design options, good durability and quick and

material acquisition through disposal. When

flexible installation along with performing exceptionally on the Indoor Air

judged using all 12 environmental criteria,

Quality (IAQ) criteria due to the use of “peel & stick” non-mastic installation.

Tandus’ ER3 modular tile product (C&A style

After four years of use, it continues to hold up, there have been no areas

Habitat) received the best overall rating in

of edge curl, the peel & stick backing continues to adhere over and over

its category.

again as the carpet is moved or changed and we are very happy with its

This assessment confirms

that Tandus’ vinyl-backed carpet is more environmentally preferable when compared to other manufacturers’ carpet tile products, including those with alternate backings.

performance.” - Theresa Parsley, Assistant Secretary for Facilities Programs, California Environmental Protection Agency

testimonials (Continued) Tandus Europe was selected to provide the carpet for the

How do we do it?

Swiss RE offices. Tandus was asked to create a custom

Infinity initiative

carpet that followed the structure of the award-winning

The industry’s first closed-loop recycling program.

running line style Twisted Suede, but with additional design elements. One of the most important aspects of the carpet is the extent to which its sustainability qualities fit precisely with the requirements of both the design firm and Swiss RE.

Unlike other recycling programs, which divert old carpet into secondary products, C&A’s Infinity Initiative converts old carpet into new carpet, meeting all the criteria of a true closed-loop recycling system. Closed-loop refers to the

“We wanted a workspace that would reflect our corporate

process of recycling a product back into itself, a key element

values and our commitment to sustainability. It was good to

in natural resource preservation and sustainability.

work with designers and suppliers like Tandus Europe who were in tune with our objectives. Our office space looks superb: we have the best-looking building in London and we’ve created offices that make the most of it’s unique qualities.” - Sara Fox, Project Director for Swiss RE In May of 2004 the Fairbanks International Airport was honored as the Grand Prize winner of the Antron Sustainable Flooring Award. Recognizing sustainable interior design practices through the use of performance-driven flooring in commercial carpet applications, the award was open to projects with floor coverings made with Antron nylon installed 10 or more years

C&A is the only manufacturer in the industry to issue a Sustainable Warranty, a guarantee that 100% of reclaimed materials will never be placed in a landfill or incinerator.

The Process Size Reduction: Reclaimed material is transported to our Dalton facility, where it is cut into small pieces.

Environmental Center Tandus’ award-winning and internationally recognized Center for Environmental Innovation has reclaimed and recycled more than 100 million pounds of carpet and industrial waste since 1995.

FLOORE Mining Buildings for resources instead of the earth The C&A Carpet Buy Back Program - the industry’s first and only Your old floorcovering can be a source of revenue when you partner with C&A. The fact is, we need your old

Pelletizing: These small pieces are then processed into

carpet to use as feedstock to produce our award-winning,

fine pellets. A state-of-the-art computer-controlled system

high-performance carpet. We’ll purchase your old carpet

uniformly blends the pelletized material by weight.

(even if it’s our competitors’) and guarantee that 100% of it will be recycled into new floorcovering. No landfill disposal.

ago. The Fairbanks Airport features Tandus carpet that has

Extrusion: This blend is then extruded into a continuous

No incineration. No waste-to-energy incineration. It’s our

been on the floor since its original installation in 1975.

pliable three-foot rope. A conveyor transfers the material to

Sustainable Warranty to you.

“One of the best apects of this entire installation for me was

the calender. Besides the environmental benefits of less waste, reutilizing

the agreement we signed with Tandus to recycle our old

Calender: Hardened steel cylinders continuously form the

resources, and reducing dependence on non-renewable

carpet. They arranged to leave a truck on our site to load our

pliable material into a recycled composite sheet backing.

resources, Tandus customers benefit from the FLOORE

used carpet, and then, as it filled up, we returned it to Dalton. In the end, we saved about one million pounds from going into the Douglas County landfill, while also eliminating the need to use one million pounds of virgin materials. That has

Cutting: Completed backing material is rolled and cut ready for powerbonding to nylon face materials. Inventory: Backing inventory is stored in rolls.

an enormous impact on our environment and is a real source of pride for me and my company.” - Rick Thomas, First Vice President, Facilities and Planning, Mutual of Omaha

Finished Product: 100% recycled content ER3®

Carpet Buy Back Program by turning disposal or landfill fees into revenue from old carpets.

Getting Started Call your Tandus representative to confirm that your old carpet, whether it’s ours or a competitor’s, can be recycled.

backing - standard in modular and 6 ft. broadloom - is 100%

After it’s determined to be recyclable, the old carpet is

recyclable over and over and over.

removed and delivered to C&A’s Center for Environmental Innovation in Dalton for recycling into new carpet.

®

Monterey

Ta n d u s C&A

Crossley

tandus.com 800.248.2878

E Printed on Recycled Paper. 03-06-244

Environmental Mission Statement Tandus environmental and social responsibility incorporates a culture of corporate accountability for its actions as a company and their impact on the world and its environment. The company is committed to a holistic program of sustainable initiatives, which are focused on developing solutions to protect the environment for current and future generations; therefore, creating a better quality of life for mankind and all living species. Specific core programs are dedicated to continual improvement and measurement in resource utilization management, air and water quality, energy utilization and GOAL ZERO programs for waste and emissions.

Tandus Recycling Program

At Tandus, we are mining buildings for resources instead of the earth. FLOORE – The Tandus Carpet Buy-Back Program Client’s old floorcovering can be a source of revenue when you partner with Tandus. The fact is we need your old carpet to use as feedstock to produce our award-winning, high-performance carpet. We will purchase Client’s old vinyl-back carpet and guarantee that 100% of it will be recycled into new floorcovering. No land fill disposal. No incineration. This is our Sustainable Warranty to you. Tandus has developed the only closed loop (carpet-into-carpet) recycling program available in the industry today. Our carpet collection / recovery system is a currently operational, in-house, commercial scale, recycling process to recycle post-production and post-consumer vinyl-backed carpet. Tandus would welcome the opportunity to discuss additional value-add and cost reduction alternatives related to our reclamation/recycling process, which may not fit into the structure of the on-line bid. Following is a detailed description of our recycling program.

RECYCLED CONTENT PRODUCTS C&A Floorcoverings believes that it is important for manufacturers to be honest and accurate when reporting environmental information and therefore, complies with the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims.1 The guides were established to eliminate unfair and deceptive practices that could impair a consumer’s ability to make informed choices. Consistent with FTC Guides, C&A has sought and received independent, third-party certification of its recycled content product claims as well as verification of its recycling program. C&A chose to partner with SCS because of their history as a third-party evaluator and stringent certification process. Established in 1984, SCS is an internationally recognized organization that independently verifies the accuracy of environmental product claims.2 C&A's products have been third-party certified for recycled content by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) annually since 2001. The use of recycled material reduces, pound-for-pound, the amount virgin raw material utilized by C&A. Annually, over 10 million pounds of virgin material is replaced by recycled material in C&A products. Utilizing recycled carpet reduces the use of virgin raw material and the associated energy and emissions related to their harvesting, processing and transportation. EPP CERTIFIED: C&A’s ER3 tile, ER3 cushion rolls and ethos cushion products have received Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) certification from Scientific Certification Systems. SCS designed the EPP Carpet standard to address all key stages of the product life-cycle and incorporate environmental and human health issues. SCS’s criteria evaluates products using five sets of criteria including Resource Conservation, Product Manufacturing, Product Performance, Extended Product Responsibility, and Innovation. ER3® MODULAR TILE In 1998, ER3 100% recycled content secondary backing became the standard in the company’s modular product line -- matching virgin carpets in price, quality, aesthetics and performance. ER3 tile products are available at no additional cost and are covered by a 15 year, non-prorated, limited warranty. All product styles are available with 100% recycled content secondary backing and many styles also utilize premium quality, recycled content nylon face yarn. The recycled content of ER3 Modular products range from 31 to 50% overall recycled content and include a minimum of 9% post-consumer carpet (depending on the style). Products meet or exceed all performance testing required by the General Services Administration (GSA) and are available on GSA contract under recycled content classification SIN 31-16a. ER3 products also meet the intent and guidelines of Presidential Executive Order 13101 and the spirit 1

Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims, 16 CFR Part 260, web site www.ftc.gov For more information, review the Environmental Labeling issues, Policies and Practices Worldwide Appendix B pp. 169-188, United States Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 742-R-98-009, December 1998.

2

of section 6002 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which requires all federal agencies to purchase environmentally preferable, recycled content products. ER3® CUSHION ER3 Cushion is a recycled content cushion product for 6-foot broadloom applications. It is the industry’s first broadloom carpet made with a cushioned recycled content secondary backing. The cushion backing is produced using patented technology developed by C&A that closed-loop recycles post consumer carpet and manufacturing waste into recycled content backings for new floor coverings.3 The recycled content of ER3 Cushion products range from 34 to 51% overall recycled content and include a minimum of 5% post-consumer carpet (depending on the style). ER3 Cushion products provide an impermeable, wall-to-wall moisture barrier and meet the same stringent performance requirements of other Powerbond RS vinyl cushion products, i.e. unsurpassed durability, superior ergonomics and underfoot comfort and improved thermal and acoustical properties. The product meets or exceeds all performance testing specified by the General Services Administration (GSA) and carries a 25-year non-prorated warranty against edge ravel, excessive surface wear, excessive static, zippering, resiliency loss, and delamination. ETHOSTM In 2004, C&A introduced a new roll product, ethos cushion. The products’ cushion backing system contains 76% post-consumer recycled content made from reclaimed polyvinyl butyral (PVB). PVB is a thermoplastic film recovered from car windshield and safety glass recycling. Until now, there have only been limited applications for PVB film and most PVB waste was destined for the landfill. C&A is the first manufacturer to recover and recycle this material into a high-performance carpet backing. The ethos product meets or exceeds the performance of similar carpeting made with traditional PVC backings, but does not contain chlorine. It carries a 25-year non-prorated warranty and is also 100% recyclable today in C&A's existing closed-loop recycling process. The recycled content of the overall product ranges from 30 to 52%, depending on the style, and includes a minimum of 30% post-consumer content. Ethos is also available as a hard back modular tile. PRODUCT RECYCLABILITY / CLOSED LOOP RECYCLING All C&A products are 100% recyclable as defined by FTC guides, including recycled content products. The company actively recovers carpet and has full-scale, operational recycling capability. C&A is the only manufacturer that can recycle 100% of an installation -- and use 100% of that material in the production of new carpet. On any given project, one hundred percent of the vinyl-backed carpet (including competitor’s products) can be recycled including rolls, tiles, cut pieces, etc. Neither face fiber type (nylon 6 or 6,6) nor the degree of wear affects a product’s recyclability in C&A’s process. Product components are not separated prior to recycling. Everything returned to C&A is closed-loop recycled back into floorcovering products, including face fiber, backing, and intermediary components. The closed-loop process can be repeated over and over, assuring that carpet will never become waste.

3

U.S. Patent No. 5,728,741; 5,855,981; 5,914,343, 6406,574 and other patents pending

C&A instituted FLOORE, a “buy-back” program offering customers financial incentives to return and recycle their old vinyl backed carpet. C&A can take back and recycle any product it has ever made as well as any competitive vinyl backed carpet. All C&A products, including ethos, are 100% recyclable in this process as verified SCS. C&A does not utilize incineration as a form of disposal. In fact, C&A’s sustainable warranty guarantees that carpet returned to C&A will be recycled in its entirety and that no portion will be landfilled, incinerated (waste-toenergy) or disposed of in any other way. All C&A products can be recycled again and again. Scientific Certification Systems has verified that: “C&A has a carpet collection/recovery system and a currently operational, commercial scale, recycling process to recycle vinyl backed carpet. Carpet recycled in the process is used to produce ER3, 100% recycled content carpet backing.4 Powerbond carpet, when recovered, is 100% recyclable in this process.” C&A’s recycling program incorporates all of the following elements: 1) 2) 3) 4)

Any vinyl backed carpet can be recycled in the program. One hundred percent of the recovered material is used in the recycling process. One hundred percent of the reclaimed carpet can be recycled back into carpet. Carpet produced from reclaimed material has a minimum of 30% recycled content overall as certified by an independent third party organization, Scientific Certification Systems. 5) The recycled content carpet has equal or better performance than virgin. 6) The recycled content product is provided at identical pricing to similar products made from virgin materials. 7) Full product lines are offered in recycled content construction providing a broad choice of styling options. 8) Embodied energy of recycled content backing is lower than similarly constructed virgin backings. 9) All recycled products are also 100% recyclable and can be recycled back into similar products at the end of their useful life as verified by an independent third party organization, Scientific Certification Systems. 10) Recycling program is fully operational and available for visits. Following is a visual “tour” of our recycling process.

4

U.S. Patent Number 5,728,741; 5,855,981; 5,914,343 and other patents pending

C&A FLOORCOVERINGS’ INFINITY INITIATIVE CLOSED –LOOP RECYCLING PROCESS It is estimated that five billion pounds of carpet is sent to U.S. landfills each year. According to industry statistics, the amount of “end-of-life” carpet entering the waste stream is increasing. Since its C&A brand began the Infinity Initiative, its closedloop recycling program, Tandus has diverted more than 100 million pounds of reclaimed vinyl and vinyl backed carpet from landfills and incinerators to be used for 100 percent recycled-content backing for its floor coverings. Rather than use virgin raw materials, the company buys back old vinyl-backed floor coverings, regardless of original manufacturer. C&A’s sustainable warranty guarantees that it will be recycled in its entirety.

1. Reclamation: Flooring installers remove end-of-lifecycle vinyl-backed carpet tile from a building. Old carpet will be sent to C&A Floorcoverings’ recycling facility in Dalton, Ga., for processing into new carpet.

2. Reclamation: End-of-lifecycle vinyl-backed carpet tile is loaded onto a truck for transport to C&A Floorcoverings’ recycling facility in Dalton, Ga., for processing into new carpet.

3. Grinder: Reclaimed vinyl-backed carpet is transported to C&A’s recycling facility, where it is chopped into slices as the first step in C&A Floorcoverings'closed-loop program for recycling old carpet back into carpet.

4. Pelletizer: These small pieces are then processed into fine pellets. A state of the art computer-controlled system uniformly blends the pelletized material by weight.

311 SMITH INDUSTRIAL BLVD

DALTON, GA 30721

800.241.4902

cafloorcoverings.com

5. Extruder and Extruder to Calender: 6. Calendar Line: This blend is then extruded into a continuous pliable three-inch Hardened steel cylinders continuously form the pliable material rope. A conveyor belt transports the material to the calender. into a recycled composite sheet of ER3, our 100% recycled content carpet backing.

7. ER3 Backing Inventory: ER3, C&A’s 100% recycled content carpet backing, is standard on C&A’s six-foot broadloom and modular tile floorcoverings.

**NOTE: Captions 5-7 also apply to C&A’s ethos backing, which is received in flake form ready for extrusion.

311 SMITH INDUSTRIAL BLVD

DALTON, GA 30721

800.241.4902

cafloorcoverings.com

Summary of Findings – Environmentally Preferable Product Assessment Tandus™ – ER3 MODULAR TILE WITH RS ADHESIVE Resource Conservation Ø Ø Ø

Carpet Face Fiber – Manufactured with EPP certified Antron Lumena and Legacy BCF, recycled content and other nylon fibers. Carpet Backing – Averages 40% recycled content with 11% post-consumer and 29% pre-consumer recycled content (Note: Overall product recycled content ranges from 31 to 50%, and contains a minimum of 9% post-consumer carpet). Alternative Energy – 5.36% of current energy requirements derived from active and passive solar, wind and hydro sources.

Product Manufacturing Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø

Ø

Production Plant Emissions – Conform to air, water and waste permit requirements Key Supplier Emissions - Conform to air, water and waste permit requirements. Avoidance of PBT Compounds – Manufacturing operations do not release listed PBTs at or above required reporting levels. Waste Minimization Plan – C&A has a documented waste minimization plan. Minimization of Waste Generation – Generates less than 1% waste on weight basis, total production volume. Reusable and Recyclable Packaging – Over 70% of outbound packaging consists of cardboard, a commonly recyclable material. Recycled Content Packaging – C&A’s primary packaging (cardboard) for ER3 tile contains at least 25% post-consumer content. Public Disclosure – C&A participates in the US EPA Performance Track program and has participated in the BEES programs. The company publicly discloses its environmental goals online at: http://www.cafloorcoverings.com.

Product Performance Ø Ø

Manufacturer:

Tandus™ http://www.powerbond.com Locations: Dalton, Georgia, US Product Line: ER3 Modular Carpet Tile Product Category: 09682 – Carpet Tile Certification Period: Jan 1, 2005 – Dec 31, 2005 Registration: SCS-EPP-01301 Project Lead: Lynn Preston C&A Floorcoverings 800-241-4902 phone 706-259-2126 fax [email protected]

Ø

Performance Characteristics – Conforms with texture retention, delamination, stain resistance, fire spread and smoke density criteria. VOC Emissions – The product, inclusive of the pre-applied adhesive complies with the CRI Green Label Plus Program for Indoor Air Quality. The product also complies with chronic VOC emissions requirements per Section 1350. Mold and Water Resistance – Backing conforms to the requirements AATCC 174 for Anti-Microbial Assessment of Carpets, Carpet Moisture Penetration by Dynamic Impact and By Spillage and ASTM Z8114 Accelerated Soil Test.

Extended Product Responsibility Ø Ø Ø

Ongoing Post-Consumer Collection – C&A has demonstrated ongoing post-consumer collection activity within 500 miles of each of the major metropolitan areas (New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago). Recycling Feasibility – C&A has demonstrated recycling feasibility through the manufacture of its ER3 floorcovering products. Reuse and Recycling Stewardship – On average, every square yard of ER3 floorcovering products in 2003 contained one pound of post-consumer carpet. C&A’s recycling rate for post-consumer carpet was more than twice the recycling rate targeted by the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE).

C&A Floorcoverings

Environmentally Preferable Product Assessment Reference Standard: Standard Specification for the Evaluation and Certification of Environmentally Preferable Carpet, Pilot, May 20, 2003, SCS-EPP11-03a C&A Floorcoverings manufactures a variety of flooring products, including modular and roll carpet, as well as cushioned goods This EPP certification only applies to C&A’s ER3 modular carpet tile with RS pre-applied adhesive What is Environmentally Preferable? On September 14, 1998, then President Clinton signed Executive Order (EO) 13101, entitled “Greening the Government through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition”, which, among other things, directs Executive agencies to identify and purchase Environmentally Preferable Products. “Environmentally Preferable” is defined in Section 201 of EO13101 to mean products or services that “have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.” This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance or disposal of the product or service. SCS has used a combination of resources including ISO 14024 Principles and Procedures for Type I Environmental Labeling, EPA’s Federal Guidance on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and ASTM E2129 Data Collection for Sustainability of Building products to guide the development of the environmentally preferable specification for carpet. The specification is designed to address all key stages of the product life-cycle and incorporate environmental and human health issues relevant to category, while at the same time provide a flexible framework that recognizes and accommodates the wide range of materials, locations, energy sources, production

systems, performance requirements and corporate initiatives involved in the production of carpet today.

recycled within the existing carpet recycling infrastructure.

5. Innovation Certification Criteria The EPP certification examined C&A’s carpet production methods as a whole, focusing on the products to be certified – ER3 Modular Tile with RS adhesive. To achieve EPP certification, five sets of criteria were examined for the company’s products and operations: resource conservation, product manufacturing, product performance, product responsibility, and innovation (in design, production, and/or management).

1. Resource Conservation This category encourages the selection and use of component materials manufactured wholly or in part from recycled content (post-consumer and post-industrial), bio-based, and environmentally preferable ingredients—as well as encouraging the active sourcing of alternative energy.

2. Product Manufacturing This category examines the emissions and waste generation effects of production.

3. Product Performance This category focuses on whether the product performs at or above recognized industry performance standards.

4. Extended Product Responsibility Long-term responsibility of the manufacturer includes ensuring that existing and new carpet products can be collected, processed, and

Up to 10 points can be earned by submitting one or more environmental initiatives for consideration. The degree to which innovation credit will be determined will be based on case-by-case evaluations. To determine environmental preferabililty, SCS evaluated detailed information about the environmental performance of the products in question. Points were assigned for specific criteria in each of the five categories. To achieve certification, products undergoing assessment must score at least 75 points overall, and a minimum of 50% of each of the possible points in each category excepting innovation.

SCS Contacts Kirsten Ritchie, PE Director, Environmental Claims Certification 510-452-8009 [email protected] Jeff Stephens Director, Marketing Communications 510-452-8003 [email protected] Scientific Certification Systems 2000 Powell Street, Suite 1350 Emeryville, CA 94608 510-452-8000 http://www.scscertified.com

06.07.2005

Summary of Findings – Environmentally Preferable Product Assessment Tandus™ – ER3 CUSHION ROLL PRODUCTS WITH RS ADHESIVE Resource Conservation Ø Ø Ø

Carpet Face Fiber – Manufactured with EPP certified Antron Lumena and Legacy BCF, recycled content and other nylon fibers. Carpet Backing – Averages 47% recycled content with 7% post-consumer and 40% pre-consumer recycled content (Note: Overall product recycled content ranges from 34 to 51%, and contains a minimum of 5% post-consumer carpet). Alternative Energy – 5.36% of current energy requirements derived from active and passive solar, wind and hydro sources.

Product Manufacturing Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø

Ø

Production Plant Emissions – Conform to air, water and waste permit requirements. Key Supplier Emissions - Conform to air, water and waste permit requirements. Avoidance of PBT Compounds – Manufacturing operations do not release listed PBTs at or above required reporting levels. Waste Minimization Plan – C&A has a documented waste minimization plan. Minimization of Waste Generation – Generates less than 1% waste on weight basis, total production volume. Recycled Content Packaging – C&A’s primary packaging (cardboard tubes) for ER3 cushion rolls contains at least 94% post-consumer content. Public Disclosure – C&A participates in the US EPA Performance Track program and has participated in the BEES programs. The company publicly discloses its environmental goals online at: http://www.cafloorcoverings.com.

Product Performance Ø Ø

Manufacturer:

C&A Floorcoverings http://www.powerbond.com Locations: Dalton, Georgia, US Product Line: ER3 Cushion Roll Products Product Category: 09680 - Carpet Certification Period: Jan 1, 2005 – Dec 31, 2005 Registration: SCS-EPP-01301 Project Lead: Lynn Preston C&A Floorcoverings 800-241-4902 phone 706-259-2126 fax [email protected]

Ø

Performance Characteristics – Conforms with texture retention, delamination, fire spread and smoke density criteria VOC Emissions – The product, inclusive of the pre-applied adhesive complies with the CRI Green Label Plus Program for Indoor Air Quality. Mold and Water Resistance – Backing conforms to the requirements AATCC 174 for Anti-Microbial Assessment of Carpets, Carpet Moisture Penetration by Dynamic Impact and By Spillage and ASTM Z8114 Accelerated Soil Test

Extended Product Responsibility Ø Ø Ø

Ongoing Post-Consumer Collection – C&A has demonstrated ongoing postconsumer collection activity within 500 miles of each of the major metropolitan areas (New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago). Recycling Feasibility – C&A has demonstrated recycling feasibility through the manufacture of its ER3 floorcovering products. Reuse and Recycling Stewardship – On average, every square yard of ER3 floorcovering products in 2003 contained one pound of post-consumer carpet. C&A’s recycling rate for post-consumer carpet was more than twice the recycling rate targeted by the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE).

C&A Floorcoverings

Environmentally Preferable Product Assessment Reference Standard: Standard Specification for the Evaluation and Certification of Environmentally Preferable Carpet, Pilot, May 20, 2003, SCS-EPP11-03a C&A Floorcoverings manufactures a variety of flooring products, including modular and roll carpet, as well as cushioned goods This EPP certification only applies to C&A’s ER3 Cushion Roll Products with RS pre-applied adhesive What is Environmentally Preferable? On September 14, 1998, then President Clinton signed Executive Order (EO) 13101, entitled “Greening the Government through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition”, which, among other things, directs Executive agencies to identify and purchase Environmentally Preferable Products. “Environmentally Preferable” is defined in Section 201 of EO13101 to mean products or services that “have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.” This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance or disposal of the product or service. SCS has used a combination of resources including ISO 14024 Principles and Procedures for Type I Environmental Labeling, EPA’s Federal Guidance on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and ASTM E2129 Data Collection for Sustainability of Building products to guide the development of the environmentally preferable specification for carpet. The specification is designed to address all key stages of the product life-cycle and incorporate environmental and human health issues relevant to category, while at the same time provide a flexible framework that recognizes and accommodates the wide range of materials, locations, energy sources, production

systems, performance requirements and corporate initiatives involved in the production of carpet today.

recycled within the existing carpet recycling infrastructure.

5. Innovation Certification Criteria The EPP certification examined C&A’s carpet production methods as a whole, focusing on the products to be certified – ER3 Cushion Roll Products with RS adhesive. To achieve EPP certification, five sets of criteria were examined for the company’s products and operations: resource conservation, product manufacturing, product performance, product responsibility, and innovation (in design, production, and/or management).

1. Resource Conservation This category encourages the selection and use of component materials manufactured wholly or in part from recycled content (post-consumer and post-industrial), bio-based, and environmentally preferable ingredients—as well as encouraging the active sourcing of alternative energy.

2. Product Manufacturing This category examines the emissions and waste generation effects of production.

3. Product Performance This category focuses on whether the product performs at or above recognized industry performance standards.

4. Extended Product Responsibility Long-term responsibility of the manufacturer includes ensuring that existing and new carpet products can be collected, processed, and

Up to 10 points can be earned by submitting one or more environmental initiatives for consideration. The degree to which innovation credit will be determined will be based on case-by-case evaluations. To determine environmental preferabililty, SCS evaluated detailed information about the environmental performance of the products in question. Points were assigned for specific criteria in each of the five categories. To achieve certification, products undergoing assessment must score at least 75 points overall, and a minimum of 50% of each of the possible points in each category excepting innovation.

SCS Contacts Kirsten Ritchie, PE Director, Environmental Claims Certification 510-452-8009 [email protected] Jeff Stephens Director, Marketing Communications 510-452-8003 [email protected] Scientific Certification Systems 2000 Powell Street, Suite 1350 Emeryville, CA 94608 510-452-8000 http://www.scscertified.com

06.07.2005

Summary of Findings – Environmentally Preferable Product Assessment Tandus™ – ETHOS™ CUSHION 100 ROLL GOODS Resource Conservation ¾ ¾ ¾

Carpet Face Fiber – Manufactured with EPP certified Antron Lumena and Legacy BCF, recycled content and other nylon fibers. Carpet Backing – Averages 46% post-consumer recycled content (Note: Overall product recycled content ranges from 30 to 52% and contains a minimum of 30% post-consumer content). Alternative Energy – 5.36% of current energy requirements derived from active and passive solar, wind and hydro sources.

Product Manufacturing ¾ ¾ ¾

Production Plant Emissions – Conform to air, water and waste permit requirements. Key Supplier Emissions - Conform to air, water and waste permit requirements. Avoidance of PBT Compounds – Manufacturing operations do not release listed PBTs at or above required reporting levels. ¾ Waste Minimization Plan – C&A has a documented waste minimization plan. ¾ Minimization of Waste Generation – Generates less than 1% waste on weight basis, total production volume. ¾ Reusable and Recyclable Packaging – Over 50% of outbound packaging is recyclable. ¾ Recycled Content Packaging – C&A’s primary packaging (cardboard tubes) for ethos contains at least 94% post-consumer content. ¾ Public Disclosure – C&A participates in the US EPA Performance Track program and has participated in the BEES programs. The company publicly discloses its environmental goals online at: http://www.cafloorcoverings.com.

Product Performance ¾ ¾

Manufacturer:

Tandus™ http://www.powerbond.com Locations: Dalton, Georgia, US Product Line: ethos™ cushion 100 roll goods Product Category: 09682 – Carpet Tile Certification Period: Jan 1, 2005 – Dec 31, 2005 Registration: SCS-EPP-01303 Project Lead: Lynn Preston C&A Floorcoverings 800-241-4902 phone 706-259-2126 fax [email protected]

¾

Performance Characteristics – Conforms with texture retention, delamination, stain resistance, fire spread and smoke density criteria. VOC Emissions – The product, inclusive of the pre-applied adhesive complies with the CRI Green Label Plus Program for Indoor Air Quality. The product also complies with chronic VOC emissions requirements per Section 1350. Mold and Water Resistance – Backing conforms to the requirements AATCC 174 for Anti-Microbial Assessment of Carpets, Carpet Moisture Penetration by Dynamic Impact and By Spillage and ASTM Z8114 Accelerated Soil Test.

Extended Product Responsibility ¾ ¾ ¾

Ongoing Post-Consumer Collection – C&A has demonstrated ongoing post-consumer collection activity within 500 miles of each of the major metropolitan areas (New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago). Recycling Feasibility – ethos is currently being recycled into carpet backing using C&A’s existing recycling technology and facilities. Reuse and Recycling Stewardship – Every square yard of ethos cushion 100 produced in 2003 contained two pounds of post-consumer material. C&A’s recycling rate for postconsumer carpet was more than twice the recycling rate targeted by the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE).

C&A Floorcoverings Environmentally Preferable Product Assessment Reference Standard: Standard Specification for the Evaluation and Certification of Environmentally Preferable Carpet, Pilot, May 20, 2003, SCS-EPP11-03a C&A Floorcoverings manufactures a variety of flooring products, including modular and roll carpet, as well as cushioned goods This EPP certification only applies to C&A’s ethos™ cushion 100 product line. What is Environmentally Preferable? On September 14, 1998, then President Clinton signed Executive Order (EO) 13101, entitled “Greening the Government through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition”, which, among other things, directs Executive agencies to identify and purchase Environmentally Preferable Products. “Environmentally Preferable” is defined in Section 201 of EO13101 to mean products or services that “have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.” This comparison may consider raw materials acquisition, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance or disposal of the product or service. SCS has used a combination of resources including ISO 14024 Principles and Procedures for Type I Environmental Labeling, EPA’s Federal Guidance on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and ASTM E2129 Data Collection for Sustainability of Building products to guide the development of the environmentally preferable specification for carpet. The specification is designed to address all key stages of the product life-cycle and incorporate environmental and human health issues relevant to category, while at the same time provide a flexible framework that recognizes and accommodates the wide range of materials, locations, energy sources, production

systems, performance requirements and corporate initiatives involved in the production of carpet today.

recycled within the existing carpet recycling infrastructure.

5. Innovation Certification Criteria The EPP certification examined C&A’s carpet production methods as a whole, focusing on the products to be certified – ER3 Modular Tile with RS adhesive. To achieve EPP certification, five sets of criteria were examined for the company’s products and operations: resource conservation, product manufacturing, product performance, product responsibility, and innovation (in design, production, and/or management).

1. Resource Conservation This category encourages the selection and use of component materials manufactured wholly or in part from recycled content (post-consumer and post-industrial), bio-based, and environmentally preferable ingredients—as well as encouraging the active sourcing of alternative energy.

2. Product Manufacturing This category examines the emissions and waste generation effects of production.

3. Product Performance This category focuses on whether the product performs at or above recognized industry performance standards.

4. Extended Product Responsibility Long-term responsibility of the manufacturer includes ensuring that existing and new carpet products can be collected, processed, and

Up to 10 points can be earned by submitting one or more environmental initiatives for consideration. The degree to which innovation credit will be determined will be based on case-by-case evaluations. To determine environmental preferabililty, SCS evaluated detailed information about the environmental performance of the products in question. Points were assigned for specific criteria in each of the five categories. To achieve certification, products undergoing assessment must score at least 75 points overall, and a minimum of 50% of each of the possible points in each category excepting innovation.

SCS Contacts Kirsten Ritchie, PE Director, Environmental Claims Certification 510-452-8009 [email protected] Jeff Stephens Director, Marketing Communications 510-452-8003 [email protected] Scientific Certification Systems 2000 Powell Street, Suite 1350 Emeryville, CA 94608 510-452-8000 http://www.scscertified.com

06.07.2005

Environmental Initiatives C&A’s sustainable initiatives go well beyond recycling to environmental considerations that affect all areas of the company’s business. The company takes a holistic approach to sustainability that collectively harnesses social equity, environmental accountability and economic performance. The company constantly evaluates all aspects of their manufacturing operations and makes continuous improvements. As shown in the graph below, consistent use of metrics quantifies the company’s environmental performance in the areas of resource utilization, air emissions, water and energy utilization and waste reduction.

C&A has achieved significant improvement in all environmental metrics while also increasing production output by more than 86%. • • • • • • • •

reduced energy usage by 15% per square yard, reduced green house gas emissions by 12% per square yard, reduced water usage by 55% per square yard, reduced air emissions by 89 % per square yard, reduced waste by 95 % per square yard. recycled over 100 million pounds of carpet and manufacturing waste, purchased recycled products containing over 15 million pounds of recycled material, and minimized yarn usage without sacrificing quality by manufacturing products with densely constructed, low pile face weights. C&A’s average product face weight is 25% below industry average.