Consumer Reports Vinyl Flooring Phthalates

Consumer reports ran lab tests on 17 vinyl flooring products testing for 13 types of phthalates.

Consumer reports vinyl flooring phthalates.

There are no federal laws or rules prohibiting the group of chemicals known as phthalates from vinyl flooring. Solid wood engineered wood laminate vinyl linoleum and ceramic tile. Mannington is available only through specialty flooring stores. The type of flooring you choose will depend on your needs budget.

Building materials such as vinyl flooring and other consumer products containing phthalates can result in human exposure through direct contact and use indirectly through leaching into other products or general environmental contamination. It is among the top three leading vinyl flooring brands and has a foothold in wood laminate and porcelain tile. But another concern phthalates in vinyl flooring has also garnered attention since both home depot and lowe s announced that flooring products they sell will be phthalate free by 2016. The consumer product safety commission does limit phthalates to less than 0 1 of the material used in toys and kids products.

Government regulators around the world are increasing scrutiny and restrictions on the use of some phthalates. In a recent test consumer reports conducted on phthalates in vinyl floors from multiple manufacturers we found only very low levels in the air and on wipes we ran across the 17 vinyl samples and. Consumer reports top rated options in solid wood engineered wood laminate porcelain tile and vinyl flooring. Look for vinyl plank flooring certified by floorscore or greenguard two low voc certifications.

And most is phthalate free. On the ecofriendly side most is certified to be low voc material that won t contribute to indoor air pollution. Most flooring falls into one of the following six types. On the heels of concerns about toxic floors consumer reports assessed the risks posed by phthalates in 17 kinds of vinyl tile and found little to worry about when it comes to harmful health.