What's one of the biggest culprits in poor indoor air quality? CARPET.
Much research has been conducted to understand the effects of interior carpeting on indoor air quality, mostly due to it's high content of chemicals and restrictive air-flowing properties. One of the most common emitted chemicals from manufactured carpeting is styrene and 4-PC. Styrene is a well-known toxin and carcinogen, while 4-PC is a latex backing used in 95% of carpets which emits a strong odor, one that is most notable during the first few weeks of the carpet's installation.
In addition to off-gasing its own pollutants, carpet als acts as a filter, trapping all pollutants from the bottom of our shoes or feet, from animals, etc, and holding them in our living space. Consistent vacuuming and steam cleaning can help eliminate these pollutants but will not eliminate them all. Area rugs are a good compromise, as they can be cleaned and aired out more thoroughly. Fortunately, more and more carpet manufacturing companies are using sealants and adhesives that are low-VOC and less harmful for the environment.
In The Go Green Home, to help maintain good indoor air quality, we decided to use cork flooring, a very sustainable alternative to treated lumber or carpeting, due to its rapid regeneration process. The cork floor is sealed with a non-toxic finish, and will not trap pollutants in the way that carpet does. We're also making it convenient to take off your shoes when you first enter the house so that you don't have to track the day's worth of pollutants inside with you.
For more than 20 years, the Styrene Information and Research Center (SIRC) has sponsored a comprehensive research program to better understand the potential, if any, for styrene to affect human health. While the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified styrene as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” no regulatory health agency has actually stated that styrene causes cancer in humans.
ReplyDeleteFor more information regarding the safety of styrene products, please refer to the Styrene Information and Research Center Website at http://www.styrene.org/.
-Vanessa Granville, representing the Styrene Information and Research Center
IS cork being used in the kitchen as well for flooring? I wonder about potential water/humidity effects on cork over time.
ReplyDeleteSince the kitchen is on the ground floor, the polished concrete slab will be the finished floor surface.
ReplyDeleteI have been told by manufacturers that if the floor is properly sealed and properly installed then there should be no damage by humidity or occassional water spillage. There is a threat of penetration, however, with puddles of water that sit for long periods of time.