CCD-152: Flooring Products

*Please note: there is an interpretation associated with this standard. It is available for viewing at the end of the PDF document

Flooring products are used to provide permanent cover and walking surfaces in floors; these include products such as wood, textile, and rubber flooring. They may contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, toxic chemicals, and consume significant amounts of wood and other materials. These, in turn, may lead to impacts on human health, reduced interior air quality, ground level ozone, photochemical smog, deforestation, and increased mortality of fish and other aquatic organisms.

The EcoLogo^M Program addresses these challenges by establishing strict limits on toxicity, VOCs, and resources used. The net environmental benefit will be a reduction in human health impact, improved use of resources, less potential for smog formation and diminished aquatic toxicity.

To be authorized to carry the EcoLogo^M, flooring products must:

• Bamboo floors (CCD-152A) must:
  • comply with all applicable industry performance standards, including hardness and abrasion tests, and be guaranteed for at least 10 years;
  • not be manufactured with endangered bamboo species;
  • be manufactured with bamboo obtained under sustainable harvesting principles.
  • not emit VOCs at a rate greater than 0.5 mg/m³;
  • Be finished with coatings that:
    • are either water-based or 100% solid UV curable;
    • are not formulated with suspected carcinogens or mutagens, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury or nickel; and
    • if finished with a water-based coating, use only those coatings that meet the requirements of Architectural Surface Coatings (CCD-047).

• Commercial modular carpeting (CCD-152B) must:
  • comply with all applicable industry performance standards;
  • be sold as removable tile, and offer replacement service for worn section;
  • include at least 5% post-industrial recycled content;
  • not be formulated with biological inhibitors;
  • not emit VOCs at a rate greater than 0.25 mg/m³, and formaldehyde at a rate greater than 0.02 mg/m³ 48 hours after installation; and
  • be installed with an adhesive that emits VOCs at a rate no greater than 0.05 mg/m³, and formaldehyde at a rate no greater than 0.02 mg/m³ 48 hours after installation.

• Commercial non- modular textile flooring (CCD-152C) must:
  • comply with all applicable industry performance standards;
  • be recyclable, and include at least 75% post-industrial recycled content in the lower web/backing, or at least 90% if PVC is used;
  • not be formulated with biological inhibitors or toxic metals, including but not limited to arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, silver and mercury;
  • not contain or emit benzene, butadiene, 4-phenylcyclohexene, vinyl chloride or vinyl acetate;
  • not emit VOCs at a rate greater than 0.25 mg/m³ 24 hours after installation, and formaldehyde at a rate greater than 0.02 mg/m³ 48 hours after installation;
  • use a non-chemical attachment mechanism, water-based adhesive, or other low-impact adhesives;
  • be manufactured by a reduced water consumption method; and
  • be sold under a program that ensures recovery and recycling of the flooring material at the end of its useful life.

• Resilient Flooring (CCD-152D) must:
  • comply with all applicable industry performance standards, including slip resistance;
  • be manufactured with at least 50% renewable materials;
  • not emit VOCs at a rate greater than 0.5 mg/m²/h;
  • not be formulated with polymers containing crosslinking agents based on zinc or other toxic metals; and
  • not be formulated with carcinogenic compounds.

• Flooring from Other Virgin Wood Substitutes (CCD-152E) must:
  • comply with all applicable industry performance standards, including hardness and abrasion tests, and be guaranteed for at least 10 years;
  • not be manufactured with endangered bamboo species;
  • be manufactured with a wood substitute obtained under sustainable harvesting principles.
  • not emit VOCs at a rate greater than 0.5 mg/m²/h;
  • not be formulated with toxic metals, including but not limited to arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, silver and mercury ; and
  • not be formulated with carcinogenic or mutagenic compounds. 

• Rubber-backed textile flooring (CCD-152F) must:
  • comply with all applicable industry performance standards;
  • be sold as modular / removable product;
  • use a secondary (gel) backing material containing no carbon black and being made from 100% natural rubber that comes from sustainably managed resources;
  • offer a non-chemical attachment mechanism or a water-based adhesive that has either been certified under or meets the requirements of CCD-046 (Adhesives) including requirements for VOCs, prohibitions on compounds (aromatic solvents, borax, formaldehyde, any halogenated solvent or heavy metals), and VOC and formaldehyde emission rates;
  • be sold with a service that includes rotation and replacement of worn sections;
  • include at least 85% post-industrial recycled content;
  • not exceed the following density limits: 1000 g/m² for the pile material, 900 g/m² dry weight for the pre-coat, and 1200 g/m² dry weight; for the secondary (gel) backing;
  • not be formulated with biological inhibitors or toxic heavy metals including but not limited to arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, silver and mercury;
  • not contain or emit benzene, 4-phenylcyclohexene (no greater than 100 ppm), vinyl chloride or vinyl acetate;
  • not emit VOCs at a rate greater than 0.25 mg/m³, and formaldehyde at a rate greater than 0.02 mg/m³ 48 hours after installation;
  • be sold under a program that ensures recovery and recycling of the flooring material at the end of its useful life; and
  • be colored using solution dyeing only and dyes or colorants that were not manufactured or formulated with heavy metals.
• Area Rugs (CCD-152G) must:
  • comply with all applicable industry performance standards, including abrasion tests and durability;
  • be manufactured with at least 40% renewable material resources;
  • not be manufactured with polyvinyl chloride (PVC);
  • if machine made woven, have a minimum of 15% and maximum of 75% continuous thread construction;
  • not be formulated with biological inhibitors or toxic metals, including but not limited to arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, silver and mercury;
  • not contain or emit benzene, butadiene, 4-phenylcyclohexene, vinyl chloride or vinyl acetate;
  • not emit VOCs at a rate greater than 0.25 mg/m3 24 hours after installation, and formaldehyde at a rate greater than 0.02 mg/m3 48 hours after installation;
  • be manufactured by a reduced water consumption method; and
  • be sold under a program that ensures recovery and recycling of the flooring material at the end of its useful life.