Page 8 - Green Builder MagazineJan-Feb 2019 HOTY Issue

Green Building NEWS

The Latest on Sustainability and Renewable Energy

Study: U.S.-Made Carpets Are Contaminant Heavy

Researchers say recycling is a key to cutting down on industry-produced toxins.

OXIC SUBSTANCES ARE FOUND in nearly every major brand of carpet
in the U.S., according to a report by researchers at the Ecology Center
(EC), Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), and Changing
T Markets Foundation (CM). The study is the first of its kind to test the
nation’s six leading carpet brands for specific toxic chemicals.
According to the study, 60 percent of flooring sold in the U.S. is carpet, with
11 billion square feet sold per year. Of that, less than 5 percent is recycled,
and less than 1 percent is recycled and turned back into carpet. More than
4 billion pounds of carpet is annually dumped in American landfills or burned in
incinerators, releasing deadly pollutants into the air, soil and water.
Major contaminants include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
These are associated with cancer, hormone disruption, obesity and
developmental disorders, and were detected in six of the 12 carpet samples
tested. Five carpets were found to contain phthalates, a plasticizer often CREDIT: CGI¥FLICKR
used in PVC carpet backing that has been linked to hormone disruption and
reproductive and neurobehavioral impacts in children. And many samples Unclean element. Nearly every major brand of carpet in the U.S. contains
included 4-nonylphenol (branched), a chemical used in affordable housing some type of toxic substance, a far cry from European counterparts.
projects, and attributed to developmental and reproductive disorders. “Considering America’s growing carpet waste crisis, municipal governments
In contrast, results from earlier testing of carpets sold on the European are rightly under increasing pressure to increase recycling rates,” says GAIA
market detected no toxic substances in three carpet samples, including two Associate Director Monica Wilson. “We must fundamentally transform the
carpets with recycled content. And only one European carpet tested for PFAS, carpet industry to minimize waste, including banning toxic substances from
compared to six U.S. brands. carpet, and incentivizing the design of safe and fully recyclable carpets.” GB

Report: Wild res Will Drive Fiber Cement Siding Boom

Heading into the next decade, the construction
market will see increasing demand for heat and

fire-resistant exterior materials.

HE GLOBAL SIDING MARKET is expected to reach an estimated
$102 billion by 2023—up from $970 million in 2018—primarily
because of increasing construction activities, growing repair and
T maintenance of building exteriors, and a rise in the hospitality
industry, but also because of growing risks from climate-driven fires and heat,
according to a new market report by Lucintel. CREDIT: STATE FARM
Lucintel forecasts that although vinyl will remain the largest material type
due to low material and maintenance costs, fiber cement will witness the
highest growth during the forecast period due to its eco-friendly nature and Fire Ready. Increasing wildfire risks and extreme heat will drive the
fire-resistant property. growth of fiber cement and fire retardant sidings in coming years.
The firm cites other trends that will have a direct impact on the may quickly lose its market dominance to more stable products, if summer
dynamics of the siding market, such as the growing use of sidings with temperatures continue to rise. GB
good insulation, to reduce energy consumed by HVAC equipment in all
climates. Vinyl, which begins to melt at about 160 degrees Fahrenheit, Lucintel’s report is available at https://bit.ly/2VV0Jox.

6 GREEN BUILDER January/February 2019 www.greenbuildermedia.com

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