Vinyl Flooring’s 'Green' Credentials Found Superior

LONDON, July 13, 2007 (VNS) – Vinyl flooring has superior “green” credentials to most alternatives, including so-called natural flooring, according to an article in the July 10 issue of the UK publication, “What’s new in building.”

The article notes that vinyl (PVC) flooring uses less energy in manufacturing, transportation and installation than natural flooring products – which often have to be transported from developing countries. It also “scores extremely well” in life-cycle analysis of the “in use” phase, since it has a decades-long life span and manufacturers have eliminated the need for costly chemical cleaning agents, seals and polishes.

“Vinyl also scores well in terms of hygiene,” the article reports, “because it is naturally waterproof and can be hot welded to form a continuous, non-porous surface which inhibits the growth of micro-organisms, bacteria, fungus, mold and mildew.”

The publication says that the conclusion many environmentally-conscious specifiers have reached by weighing the evidence is that choosing a product purely on its “natural” ingredients has very little bearing on the environmental impact.

Other important reasons for selecting vinyl flooring are aesthetics and cost, according to a recent issue of Business Week. It notes that both reasons were cited by Wal-Mart for replacing “miles of carpet” in its stores with vinyl flooring, Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott explained: “The truth is that vinyl costs less. And the maintenance on the vinyl costs less than the maintenance on the carpet.” Customers also preferred vinyl flooring, he said.

A report in the July 2 issue of Consumer Reports on "green" flooring also recommends vinyl flooring and plastic laminate for high-traffic areas. "Both proved toughest overall in CR tests, generally for less money."