Published: November 19, 2009 09:32 am      

Shaw products receive certification

All Shaw hardwood flooring products are now “Greenguard Children & Schools SM Certified,” the Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI) announced today.

As an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to improving public health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air quality, GEI created the Greenguard Children & Schools Certification Program to recognize companies whose products meet or exceed stringent requirements for low chemical emissions. The company announced in September that all Shaw laminate flooring is also certified.

To achieve Greenguard Children & Schools Certification, Shaw hardwoods were screened for more than 10,000 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and were verified to meet the required California chronic exposure levels including 13.5 parts per billion formaldehyde. To maintain certification, Shaw’s hardwoods will be re-tested according to these strict standards on an ongoing basis. Of the products that seek Greenguard Children & Schools Certification, about 60 percent cannot initially meet the rigorous requirements of the program.

“Shaw’s achievement of Greenguard Children & Schools Certification, first for their laminates and now for their hardwood flooring, demonstrates a solid commitment to occupant health and sustainability,” said Henning Bloech, executive director of GEI. “Though indoor air quality affects everyone, children are especially at risk for negative effects of chemical exposure. Selecting Greenguard Children & Schools Certified products is an easy way to ensure that children and other sensitive individuals are surrounded by products that have been scientifically proven to be safe and healthy for indoor air.”

“We are very pleased to be the first hardwood flooring manufacturer to earn GEI’s prestigious Greenguard Children & Schools certification on our entire line up of products,” said David Wilkerson, Shaw’s corporate director of sustainability and product stewardship. “This achievement not only reinforces Shaw’s commitment to optimum indoor air quality but also ensures these hardwood styles are eligible for low emission credit under the respective commercial and residential LEED certification programs.”