Page 60 - November 2015 Green Builder Magazine
P. 60
The Homeowner’s Handbook SIXTH EDITION
Cabinets &
58 Tops12
Make sure they’re green, inside and out.
www.greenbuildermag.com 11.2015 From the incorporation of Glossary of Terms
recycled materials to the use of Know the Lingo
non-toxic finishes, many makers ■■ Particleboard: Wood chips bonded together with
resins that frequently contain air pollutants such as
of cabinets and countertops formaldehyde.
are finally offering truly ■■ Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF): An engineered
wood often used in cabinet door construction. MDF may
Bgreen options.ACK IN THE MID-1990S, it was almost impossible also contain volatile air pollutants.
to find off-the-shelf cabinetry that didn’t contain
particleboard saturated with formaldehyde, with ■■ Veneer: Thin layer of wood typically glued to a less
the exception of one or two semi-custom high- valuable substrate. Both the adhesive and the
end or European manufacturers. It’s easier now, substrate can contribute to indoor air pollution,
but primarily because of the efforts of small- depending on the glues used.
scale cabinet shops. The U.S. cabinet industry
at large, like the carpet industry, has been a follower—not a ■■ Substrate: A panel that’s used underneath higher
leader—in the arena of environmental responsibility and value finish materials. In cabinetry, substrates typically
pollution control. are made of plywood, particleboard or other engineered
In 2006, the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association wood products.
(KCMA) launched an in-house sustainability benchmark called
the Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP). The program ■■ Surface Seal Paint: Some finishes, such as AFM Safecoat
has some flaws, but at least it’s a move toward the light. Many Hard Seal, have a low enough permeability that they
firms have used ESP guidelines as a baseline for how to improve can be used to prevent or slow the release of air pollutants
sustainability. Keep in mind that not every green cabinet line from particleboard and other resin-bonded materials.
will be KCMA certified, any more than every eco-friendly
builder’s work is LEED certified. But those that do get the ESP ESP offers manufacturers 105 possible points. They have to get
seal have at least taken some steps to clean up their practices 80 to qualify for certification. It should be noted that they self
and products. -certify by sending in documentation (often from other industry-
friendly organizations such as the Composite Panel Association)
to prove that they have met certain criteria.
A cabinet company looking for the ESP label must achieve a
continued on page 61
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