Clean air and water
Air Quality
Indoor air quality . . . perhaps the most important consideration when deciding on an indoor floor covering where people will spend the majority of their daily lives. If the responsible choice is not made, the health and well being of its occupants, whether children learning at school or patients receiving care in a hospital, can be compromised. Buildings constructed with flooring materials that emit pollutants pose an unnecessary health risk on us all as contaminates build up over time. The problem gets worse as many of these same floor coverings require complex chemicals as part of their daily cleaning routine which further compromise air and water quality.
FlexiFlor is certified in compliance with California’s Section 01350, arguably the most stringent test to measure and ensure good indoor air quality to protect human health. Section 01350 is recognized by all major green building programs as the standard for evaluating emissions that impact indoor air quality conditions. It is the only health-based building material specification and covers environmental and public health considerations for building projects ranging from VOCs to nontoxic performance standards for cleaning and maintenance products.
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are carbon containing chemicals that vaporize and can enter the body through normal breathing causing a range of short- and long-term health effects. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) reported that long-term health effects of VOCs “…can be severely debilitating or fatal” and “…may show up years after exposure has occurred…” (USEPA, 1993a). Common VOCs are formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, limonene, and hexane and are often present at unhealthy levels in carpet and vinyl flooring.
Dust and allergens are also a major health concern often causing irritated skin, headaches, cough or sore throat, fatigue, eye/nose/throat irritation, and difficulty breathing. The concern for carpet’s harboring such allergens is well documented. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health recently published “…more recent data supports that carpets may act as a repository for pollutants which may become re-suspended upon activity in the carpeted area” and “were important reservoirs and sources of allergens” in schools (Do Carpets Impair Air Quality and Cause Adverse Health Outcomes, 2018). FlexiFlor’s non-porous surface leaves no place for dust, germs, or allergens to hide.
By choosing FlexiFlor you are placing value on good air quality for the life of your building and making the responsible choice for the health of its occupants.
Water Quality
The cleaning and maintenance routine is an extremely important consideration when choosing a floor covering, not only for the associated costs but for the environmental impact. FlexiFlor requires no waxes, sealers, specialty cleaners, or stripping chemicals. Furthermore, FlexiFlor contains no phthalates, lead, cadmium, PVC, or other toxic chemicals commonly found in vinyl flooring which can leach out during the cleaning process. The beauty of the product is maintained simply through a light buffing. This means installing FlexiFlor for your next project not only leaves the indoor air unaffected but also prevents harmful chemicals from entering the waterways.
Naturally Renewable & Sustainable
When the choice comes down to FlexiFlor or vinyl/VCT floor coverings for your next project, FlexiFlor is the clear winner for the environment. The U.S. Department of Energy in its “National Best Practices Manual for Building High Performance Schools” recently wrote “VCT is made on non-renewable resources, and there is concern about environmental degradation associated with its production”. FlexiFlor is made up of renewable and sustainable ingredients including natural rubber from trees and other abundant minerals from the earth. FlexiFlor is produced under strict regulations to protect our environment, regulations that do not exist in most of the top countries manufacturing and importing their goods into the United States often leading to massive pollution and environmental abuse.
