Benign Emissions

Breathe a Little Easier. Ultimately, we want the only things leaving our plants to be clean air, water – and superior modular carpet

We realise that what comes in must go out, we can protect our environmental systems by preventing harmful substances from entering or leaving our products, vehicles and facilities. In Australia, we have reduced our manufacturing emissions in water to zero and despite an increase in production of 35%, since 1999 we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 12%. We will do much more:

Our current targets:

• Identify & replace undesirable substances with benign ones.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Promote "climate neutral" products and services.

We're going beyond government regulatory standards, and aiming for benign emissions from every InterfaceFLOR facility. Here's how we're doing so far.

Introduction of Cool Carpet™

• InterfaceFLOR introduced the industry's first "climate-neutral" carpet option - Cool Carpet - which is standard on all InterfaceFLOR products.
• "Climate neutral" means that the greenhouse gases emitted during a product's lifecycle are balanced by InterfaceFLOR investments in emissions offsets, resulting in a net-zero impact on the Earth's climate.
• The Cool Carpet program is certified by the Climate Neutral Network.

Greenhouse Gas Reduction

• Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide trap heat in the atmosphere.
• InterfaceFLOR is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions through various initiatives. Such as; improved energy efficiency, increased use of renewable energy, efficient business travel, telecommuting and company car policies, and a landfill gas project at the LaGrange, Ga., facility.

Harnessing Greenhouse Gases

• In the US, InterfaceFLOR partnered with the City of LaGrange, Ga., to convert methane gas from the local landfill into a green energy source.
• Replacing natural gas in the manufacturing process reduces the total energy cost for the plant as well as increases renewable energy to greater than 25% of total energy consumption.
• Construction of the project - a "first" in the industry and winner of the Lone Star Award for Green Energy from the Southeast Green Power Network - was completed in late 2005.

Improved Indoor Air Quality

• InterfaceFLOR has reduced Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions for all finished products through raw material substitution and process controls.
• All our products meet or exceed the VOC emission guidelines set by the most recognised third-party testing protocols in indoor environmental air quality. Qualifies for the Carpet & Rug Institute's Indoor Air Quality Green Label Plus Certification.
• InterfaceFLOR’s Intersept® broad spectrum antimicrobial preservative inhibits the growth of organisms that can contaminate carpet and compromise indoor environmental quality.

InterfaceFLOR was the first carpet manufacturer to receive the Good Environmental Choice Australia certification in 2006.