EcoWorx Carpet Tile with EcoSolution Q Face Fiber COMMERCIAL CARPET TILE AVERAGE FACE WEIGHT OZ/SQUARE YARD

Transcription

1 Environmental Product Declaration EcoWorx Carpet Tile with EcoSolution Q Face Fiber COMMERCIAL CARPET TILE AVERAGE FACE WEIGHT OZ/SQUARE YARD Shaw Contract Group defines design not only by great appearance but also performance and sustainability. The result is longlasting carpet with vibrant colors, distinctive patterns, and minimal environmental impact. As a brand of Shaw Industries, Shaw Contract Group combines the expertise of the world s largest carpet manufacturer with the financial stability of a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary. For more information, visit shawcontractgroup.com EcoWorx Tile: The industry s first fully recylcable, non-pvc carpet tile backing. It is 100% PVC-free with Silver Cradle to Cradle Certification from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute ensuring safety for human health and the environment.

2 Page 2 of 14 This declaration is an environmental product declaration (EPD) in accordance with ISO EPDs rely on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to provide information on a number of environmental impacts of products over their life cycle. Exclusions: EPDs do not indicate that any environmental or social performance benchmarks are met, and there may be impacts that they do not encompass. LCAs do not typically address the site-specific environmental impacts of raw material extraction, nor are they meant to assess human health toxicity. EPDs can complement but cannot replace tools and certifications that are designed to address these impacts and/or set performance thresholds e.g. Type 1 certifications, health assessments and declarations, environmental impact assessments, etc. Accuracy of Results: EPDs regularly rely on estimations of impacts, and the level of accuracy in estimation of effect differs for any particular product line and reported impact. Comparability: EPDs are not comparative assertions and are either not comparable or have limited comparability when they cover different life cycle stages, are based on different product category rules or are missing relevant environmental impacts. EPDs from different programs may not be comparable. PROGRAM OPERATOR DECLARATION HOLDER DECLARATION NUMBER DECLARED PRODUCT REFERENCE PCR DATE OF ISSUE PERIOD OF VALIDITY CONTENTS OF THE DECLARATION UL Environment ONLY UL Shaw Industry Groups Inc. 12CA Commerical Carpet Tile NLY NSF PCR for Flooring (Carpet, Resilient, Laminate, Ceramic, and Wood)UL ONLY November 29, 2012UL ONLY 5 years UL ONLY Product definition and information about building physics Information about basic material and the material s origin Description of the product s manufacture Indication of product processing Information about the in-use conditions Life cycle assessment results Testing results and verifications THE PCR REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED BY: THIS DECLARATION WAS INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ISO BY UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES INTERNAL EXTERNAL NSF International Accepted by PCR Review Panel [email protected] Paul Firth THIS LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT WAS INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ISO AND THE REFERENCE PCR BY: UL O Tom Gloria NLY

3 Page 3 of 14 Product Definition Product Classification & Description EcoWorx is the flooring industry s first fully recyclable, non-pvc carpet tile backing and the world s first Cradle to Cradle Silver Certified commercial carpet tile. EcoWorx contains 44% recycled content by weight, including 33% pre-consumer recycled content and 11% post-consumer recycled content. The EcoWorx product line consists of hundreds of styles made using the EcoWorx PVC-free polyolefin composite backing and a Nylon 6 face fiber. This product group was assessed for an average face weight of 21.3 ounces per square yard (osy) with a maximum of 42 osy and a minimum of 14 osy yarn weights. All EcoWorx products come with a global Environmental Guarantee, which guarantees that when it reaches the end of its useful life, Shaw will collect and recycle the EcoWorx into new EcoWorx. EcoWorx products also come with a lifetime commercial warranty against edge ravel, zippering, delamination, and moisture degradation. The recycled content in EcoWorx tile is calculated using system allocation for the EcoSolution Q face fiber and mass balance calculations for the EcoWorx backing. Note: the recycled content values for EcoWorx tile are validated annually as part of the ANSI/NSF 140 Platinum certification process; the actual recycled content in each product will likely vary. Shaw Contract Group, a brand of Shaw Industries Group, Inc., strives to adhere to all applicable laws regarding labor, discrimination and harassment, wages and benefits, health and safety, diversity, and equal opportunity. For more information, visit ShawContractGroup.com.

4 Page 4 of 14 Range of Applications EcoWorx carpet tiles are intended for high performance environments requiring modular flooring, such as commercial building installations with heavy foot traffic. Product Standards & Approvals Pill Test (CPSC FF1-70) PASS Flooring Radiant Panel (ASTM E-648) Class I NBS Smoke Density (ASTM E-662) 450 Electrostatic Propensity (AATCC-134) < 3.5 kv CRI Green Label Plus ID 9968 California Section Meets Criteria Colorfastness to Light (AATCC-16E) 60 AFUs Delamination Strength (ASTM D-3936) No Delamination Tuft Bind (ASTM D-1335) 8 pounds Dimensional Stability (ASTM 7570) < 0.150% change Surface Appearance Change (ASTM D5252/7330) 2.0, depending on style Product Characteristics Face Fiber Composition Primary Backing Secondary Backing Recycled Content Installation Options Product Size Availability (inches) Face Weight Nylon 6 Polyester / Nylon 6 composite Polyolefin Composite 44% total recycled content by weight: 33% pre-consumer; 11% post-consumer according to system allocation. Full spread Shaw Sureset N5000 releasable table adhesive contents EcoWorx ES, Shaw s environmental selfadhesive system, or LokDots installation system for EcoWorx 24 x24 or 18 x36 Average Minimum Maximum 21.3 oz/sy (0.722 kg/m2) 14 oz/sy (0.475 kg/m2) 42 oz/sy (1.42 kg/m2) Total Product Weight 93.6 oz/sy (3.17 kg/m2) 86.3 oz/sy (2.93 kg/m2) oz/sy (3.88 kg/m2) Visit ShawContractGroup.com to download details on specifications and warranties online. The recycled content in EcoWorx tile is calculated using system allocation for the EcoSolution Q face fiber and mass balance calculations for the EcoWorx backing. Note: the recycled content values for EcoWorx tile are validated

5 Page 5 of 14 annually as part of the ANSI/NSF 140 Platinum certification process; the actual recycled content in each product will likely vary. Material Content Component Material Mass % Availability Origin Nylon 6 Non-renewable Fossil Limited United States Face Yarn Post-industrial Nylon 6 23 Recycled Limited United States Post-consumer Nylon 6 Recycled Limited United States Primary Backing Nylon 6 Non-renewable Fossil Limited United States 4 Polyester Non-renewable Fossil Limited United States Precoat Latex Non-renewable Fossil Limited United States Calcium Carbonate 18 Non-renewable Mineral Abundant United States Aluminum Trihydrate Non-renewable Mineral Abundant United States Secondary Backing Polyolefin Composite Non-renewable Fossil Limited United States Elutriated Heavies 53 Recycled Limited United States Coal Fly Ash or Glass Cullet Recycled Fossil Limited United States Stabilization Layer Fiberglass 2 Non-renewable Mineral Abundant United States

6 Page 6 of 14 Product Manufacture Production of Main Materials Nylon 6 is a polymer of caprolactam formed by ring opening polymerization. The post-consumer nylon 6 fiber used by Shaw is created using caprolactam recovered from the depolymerization process of used nylon 6 at the Shaw Evergreen facility in Augusta, GA, and then re-polymerizing it back into virgin fiber. Polyester is a category of polymers produced from an ester functional group. In the flooring industry, polyester most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a thermoplastic polymer resin. Latex is a synthetic copolymer used as a precoat to bind the face fiber to the primary backing. Calcium Carbonate (limestone) is a common substance mined and used as filler for many products. Aluminum trihydrate (aluminum hydroxide) is a mineral found in the aluminum ore bauxite, and is commonly used as a fire retardant. Polyolefins are extremely inert polymers produced from a simple olefin as a monomer. Elutriated Heavies are shreddings from the backing of returned EcoWorx tiles which are then added to the virgin compounds during the backing extrusion. Coal Fly Ash is a by-product generated during the combustion of coal used in electricity generation. Glass Cullet is crushed glass, which is added to the backing for dimensional stability. Fiberglass is created by extruding melted glass into fibers and adding these fibers to a thermoplastic resin matrix. The final fiberglass sheet adds dimensional stability to the final tile product. Production of the EcoWorx Tile EcoWorx carpet tile is made with Shaw s Eco Solution Q Nylon 6 face fiber. Nylon 6 face fiber is produced internally at Shaw through polymerization from caprolactam. The EcoSolution Q Nylon 6 fiber is turned into yarn through a variety of processes depending up on the desired look of the finished product.

7 Page 7 of 14 The yarn is tufted into the primary backing layer, after which a performance precoat is applied to ensure maximum tuft bind. A first layer of the EcoWorx thermoplastic polyolefin compound is then applied, followed by the application of a fiberglass reinforcement layer for unmatched stability. A final layer of EcoWorx backing is then for added stability. The tiles are then die-cut and packaged for distribution. Environmental Health & Safety of Production EcoWorx is manufactured in the US in an ISO 9001 & ISO certified facility or equivalent. Shaw strives to adhere to all applicable laws regarding labor, discrimination and harassment, wages and benefits, health and safety, diversity, and equal opportunity. Through associate engagement, structured safety processes, and a commitment to responsible materials sourcing, Shaw works to improve standards for personal and organizational safety every day. Our programs include: Shaw Behavior Based Safety Program to ensure continuous training, awareness, education and safety of all Shaw associates and visitors to Shaw facilities. Supply chain, raw materials and waste management programs ANSI/NSF 140 compliance Shaw Management System (SMS) - Based on ISO 9001 and 14001, and OSHAS standards, SMS brings together Shaw s Quality, Total Productive Manufacturing (TPM), Environmental, Health and Safety systems under one umbrella, providing associates with a one stop shop for helping ensure all job steps are followed the same way every time. Shaw s full Safety, Health and Environmental Policy is available at ShawGreenEdge.com/SHEP. Production Waste & Waste Management More than 75 percent of Shaw s manufacturing waste is recycled or reused through Shaw s Material Resources Management (MRM) system. Designed to revolutionize the way Shaw defines and manages manufacturing waste, MRM measures and categorizes material previously considered waste across all Shaw manufacturing facilities. The system then uses a centralized reporting system to channel that material into new cycles of recycling and reuse through Shaw s own reclamation and manufacturing systems, or for use in the manufacture of other products. Delivery and Installation Delivery For life cycle assessment purposes, the distance traveled for delivery of the product was calculated using a weighted average of total sales.

8 Page 8 of 14 Packaging Materials Domestically, EcoWorx is packaged using a combination of cardboard corners and stretch wrap, and then stacked on pallets. When shipping EcoWorx internationally, the tiles are loaded into cardboard boxes and stacked on pallets. Installation EcoWorx can be installed using full spread Shaw Sureset N5000 releasable adhesive, EcoWorx ES (Shaw s environmental self-adhesive system), or LokDots installation system for EcoWorx. LokDots uses a system of adhesive dots and a lightweight handheld applicator to install EcoWorx carpet tile even in some of the most challenging conditions. The pressure-sensitive system uses as much as 97% less material (compared to wet adhesive) and allows for virtually immediate occupancy. LokDots odorless, non-toxic adhesive makes it easy to use in occupied spaces, and LokDots are also ideal for high moisture environments with up to 12pH, 10 pounds per 100 square feet moisture transmission, and 95% relative humidity in the concrete slab. For more information about LokDots, visit LokDots.com. A full installation guide for EcoWorx tile is available at: All Shaw packaging materials are fully recyclable. While Shaw has significantly dematerialized the packaging used for EcoWorx, some packaging material is necessary for the delivery of the product. Shaw recommends the recycling of these packaging materials whenever possible.

9 Page 9 of 14 Health, Safety & Environmental Impacts During Installation Shaw commercial floor coverings are tested and certified to the Carpet and Rug Institute Green Label Plus (GLP) standard for VOC emissions. Shaw adhesives are also certified to the Green Label adhesive emissions criteria; they also comply with the VOC content requirements of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule Full EcoWorx specifications are available at Use Stage The use stage of the life cycle assessment takes into account the regular and irregular maintenance of the carpet. For the life cycle assessment, it is assumed that EcoWorx carpet tile lasts 15 years, assuming proper installation, care, and maintenance. Cleaning and Maintenance Cleaning and maintenance can vary greatly with use conditions. Therefore, the life cycle assessment includes the average of all Shaw recommended cleaning and care schedules according to the following table: Cleaning Process Frequency Energy and Resources Used Vacuuming 4 times a week Electricity Hot Water Extraction 2 times a year Electricity, Water, Cleaner End-of-Life Recycling Recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency for innovation in carpet recycling, Shaw leads the industry in carpet reclamation, collecting more than 100 million pounds of post-consumer carpet annually and recycling it through our various recycling programs, including Shaw s Evergreen Nylon 6 recycling facility. Shaw also provides a Global Environmental Guarantee for all EcoWorx products, which guarantees Shaw will collect EcoWorx at the end of its useful life and recycle it into new EcoWorx again and again. For more information on recycling EcoWorx, visit

10 Page 10 of 14 The Elutriation Process: making carpet from carpet Disposal The EcoWorx Global Environmental Guarantee makes it easy to recycle EcoWorx at the end of its useful life. However, in circumstances where recycling is not feasible, the material may be disposed of via landfill or commercial incineration. For life cycle assessment purposes, all disposal options are assumed (recycling, landfill, incineration).

11 Page 11 of 14 Life Cycle Assessment Results A cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was completed on EcoWorx tile according to ISO 14040/44. Description of the Declared or Functional Unit The functional unit of the study is one square meter of floor covering in a commercial building over a time period of 60 years. The 60-year study shows the impact of 4 iterations of carpet tile, each lasting 15 years. Cut-off Criteria Mass and energy flows less than 1% of the total mass or energy, respectively, may be excluded from the study, provided they do not total more than 5% of the total mass or energy, respectively, and provided they do not contribute more than 1% to the environmental impacts of the study. Impact Allocation As multiple products are created at each of Shaw's manufacturing facilities, allocation is used to determine how much of the total facility energy and water use is caused by the product in question. For all manufacturing facilities, mass allocation of the final products is used. The only exception is the Evergreen nylon 6 recycling facility, where economic allocation is used due to the valuable nature of the desired product, and the lower economic value of the coproduct. Background Data All upstream data have been taken from the GaBi 6 LCI database, excluding the caprolactam from the Shaw Evergreen facility, which is taken from a prior LCA study performed for Shaw. All manufacturing data has been collected from Shaw facilities. Data Quality All background data used is considered to be of high quality. Primary data is collected from Shaw facilities in the United States and is an average over 2012, using up-to-date technologies. Secondary data is taken from the GaBi 6 LCI database. System Boundaries The LCA study performed is considered a full cradle-to-grave study. It includes raw material sourcing/extraction, manufacturing, installation and delivery, use, and end-of-life. Results of the Assessment The LCIA categories are based on the CML 2001 methodology, updated in 2010, and the TRACI 2.1 results are also shown. The LCA results are split into the following life cycle stages: sourcing/extraction, manufacturing, delivery and installation, use, and end of life.

12 Page 12 of 14 Life Cycle Inventory The table below shows the primary energy, material resources, and waste flows for the 60 year study. Life Cycle Inventory Primary Energy Column Heading table Non-Renewable contents Resources 1,333 MJ 23% Crude Column Oil 27% Heading Hard Coal 2% Lignite 37% Natural Gas 11% Nuclear table Renewable contents Resources 70 MJ 5% Geothermal Column 33% Heading Hydro 16% Wind 46% Solar table Secondary contents Fuels 0 MJ Non-Renewable Material Resources (>1% of total) Inert Rock 80.4 kg Limestone 1.9 kg table contents Bauxite 1.8 kg table contents table Waste contents Flows Non-Hazardous 14.6 kg Hazardous 0.01 kg Life Cycle Impact Assessment The results shown in the following LCIA tables contain a 60 year study, including 4 iterations of EcoWorx tile each lasting 15 years, and a one year study, including one iteration of the EcoWorx tile. An average face weight was used to create the following results. Table A: LCIA Results for 1 Year Study The Flooring: Carpet, Resilient, Laminate, Ceramic, Wood PCR is currently under expert review. It is expected that this review will conclude that Table A: Life Cycle Impacts for a One Year Use Stage will no longer be necessary in future EPDs. The absence of Table A in this EPD is recognized by NSF and UL Environment as an appropriate deviation from the PCR. Table B: LCIA Results for 60 Year Study CML 2001, Updated Nov, 2010 Impact Category Delivery & Total Sourcing & Extraction Manufacturing Installation Use End-of-Life Global Warming 76.8 kg CO 2 eq 56.0% 6.9% 2.3% 33.8% 1.0% Acidification 0.27 kg SO 2 eq 46.5% 6.8% 0.8% 45.4% 0.4% Ozone Depletion 2.8E-08 kg R11 eq 50.5% 7.2% 0.3% 41.5% 0.5% Smog kg C 2H 4 eq 58.7% 6.2% 2.4% 31.4% 1.4% Eutrophication kg phosphate eq 62.0% 5.4% 1.4% 30.3% 0.9% Abiotic Depletion 6.5E-05 kg Sb eq 93.7% 1.4% 0.4% 4.3% 0.1% TRACI 2.0 Impact Category Total Sourcing/Extraction Manufacturing Delivery & Use End-of-Life Global Warming 76.6 kg CO 2 eq 56.0% 6.9% Installation 2.1% 33.9% 1.0% Acidification 0.26 kg SO 2 eq 48.1% 6.7% 0.8% 43.9% 0.5% Ozone Depletion 3.0E-08 kg CFC-11 eq 51.0% 7.1% 0.3% 41.1% 0.5% Smog 2.9 kg O 3 eq 59.6% 5.3% 1.2% 33.0% 0.9% Eutrophication 5.3E-02 kg N eq 91.7% 1.4% 0.3% 6.4% 0.2%

13 Page 13 of 14 TRACI 2.1 LCIA Results CML LCIA Results Interpretation The results show the top two contributors to the environmental impact of EcoWorx tile are the materials themselves, as well as the use of the carpet (cleaning). References Product Category Rule for Environmental Product Declarations, Flooring: Carpet, Resilient, Laminate, Ceramic, Wood, NSF International, National Center for Sustainability Standards, valid through May 22, 2017, ISO 14025:2006, the International Organization for Standardization, Environmental Labels and Declarations - Type III Environmental Declarations - Principals and Procedures, Edition 1 ISO 14040:2006, the International Standard of the International Standardization Organization, Environmental Management Life Cycle Assessment - Principles and Framework, Edition 2 ISO 14044:2006, the International Standard of the International Standardization Organization, Environmental Management Life Cycle Assessment Requirements and guidelines, Edition 1, Section ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA, USA 16 CFR Ch. 11 ( Edition) Part 1630, Document FF 1-70 Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), Research Triangle Park, NC., USA, Test Methods and Evaluation Procedures Carpet and Rug Institute, Green Label Plus Program, Carpet and Adhesives,

14 Page 14 of 14 Standard Method for the Testing and Evaluation of Volatile Organic Chemical Emissions From Indoor Sources Using Environmental Chambers 1.1, Indoor Air Quality Section, Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, California Department of Public Health February 2010 (also known as California Specification 01350) South Coast Air Quality Management District, Rule 1168, Adhesives and Sealant Applications; International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ISO 14001:2004(E), Second Edition, Environmental Management Systems Requirements with Guidance for Use Cradle to Cradle, BRE Global Certification, NSF/ANSI 140 Sustainability Assessment for Carpet, NSF International, Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS), member of the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) GaBi 6 software, PE INTERNATIONAL, U.S. EPA, Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI), version University of Leiden Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), Life Cycle Impact Assessment Methodology, 2001 version.