B. J. is a two-year-old boy who was in excellent health until the age of 10 months, when he suddenly developed seizures. These episodes of rigidity and tremors occurred up to 40 to 50 times a day. The baby was subjected to a series of invasive diagnostic evaluations by many different specialists. The blood tests, brain scans, and electroencephalograms revealed no apparent cause of the seizures. The baby was placed on medication to suppress the central nervous system. The seizures persisted, although their intensity declined.
The baby’s grandfather, a building contractor, suggested that the culprit might be the expensive new carpet installed shortly before the onset of the seizures. The parents contacted a representative from the carpet industry, who denied any similar complaints of neurological problems from customers. The parents suspected that this information was incorrect. They sent samples of the carpet to the independent Anderson Laboratories in Vermont for testing. Air was blown across the carpet samples into the cages of mice, whose symptoms were then observed and documented. After a short period of time elapsed, the mice developed tremors, rigidity, and seizures. The parents were horrified by the report. It was clear that their beautiful new carpet had essentially poisoned their son. The carpet and pad were immediately removed from the home, the adhesive scraped off, and the house aired out. The seizures stopped. The child is now off all medication and doing much better, although blood testing shows immune system damage consistent with chemical injury.
Most standard adhesives for carpet installation are solvent-based and contain harmful chemicals. Where a glue-down installation is required, avoid solvent-based adhesives. We have specified several healthier options below. In either installation procedure, seaming tapes will be needed to fasten sections of carpeting together. Safer seaming tapes are also specified below.
There are several untreated natural fibers available for wall-to-wall installations, including wool, coir, and sisal. When these are installed with low-toxic or nontoxic backing and either tacked-down or using low-toxic glue, they will provide a safer solution than most standard installations. Warning: Wool carpets are often treated with highly toxic mothproofing pesticides. Therefore, an expensive 100 percent wool carpet is not necessarily a safer carpet.
Wall-to-wall carpeting, whether standard or natural, serves as a reservoir for dirt, dust, mold, bacterial growth, and toxins tracked in from outside, even when it is regularly vacuumed and shampooed. It is also highly absorbent and will readily acquire odors. Typical cleaning agents for wall-to-wall carpets contain harmful ingredients, including perfumes, chemical soil removers, brighteners, and antibacterial agents.
Although we strongly recommend the use of throw rugs of natural fibers, which can be removed and cleaned, instead of wall-to-wall carpeting, we offer the following guidelines for selecting the least-toxic carpeting for those who choose to use it:
Verify with the manufacturer that wool carpets have not been mothproofed.
Of the synthetic carpets, 100 percent nylon is considered one of the safest.
Choose carpeting that has little or no odor. Even the slightest odor on a small sample will be magnified many times in a fully carpeted room and can result in a very prominent, unpleasant, and unhealthy smell. Choose your carpeting as early as possible so it will have the most time to air out prior to installation. Buy carpeting from a supplier who will agree to warehouse it for you. This means that the carpet will be unrolled and aired out in the warehouse prior to shipping.
Avoid carpeting that contains antimicrobial agents such as fungicides and mildew — cides.
Avoid carpeting containing permanent stain-resistance treatment.
Avoid carpeting or pads containing styrene-butadiene rubber.
Carpeting with woven backing is preferable to rubberized backing.
Follow underpad and installation recommendations in these specifications.
Use nontoxic and odor-free shampoos, and maintain carpets regularly to prevent mold, bacteria, dust, and pesticide buildup.
To prevent moth infestations in untreated wool carpets, vacuum the carpets on a regular basis, moving furniture if necessary to reach all areas where larvae may hide. A vacuum cleaner that is equipped with a true HEPA filter is a must if you have carpet. It is the only type that collects very tiny particles such as dust mite feces and mold spores. Portable vacuums that are not
equipped with HEPA filtration will spew dust into circulation, often leaving a room with more ambient dust than was there prior to cleaning.
• Establish a no-shoes policy for your home.
• If the carpet or pad gets wet, dry it as quickly as possible to prevent microbial growth. Warning: Never use wall-to-wall carpet in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, or mechanical rooms. Carpeting in these areas inevitably becomes damp, inviting mold and bacterial infestation.
In new construction, homeowners are typically given an allowance and asked to choose the carpeting. This allowance can also be used toward the purchase of healthier floor coverings.
Sources for nontoxic underpadding include:
• Endurance II: Synthetic jute pad in 20- or 32-ounce weights
• Enertia Padding: Wool-based carpet padding without dyes, fire retardant, mothproofing, or adhesives
• Hartex Carpet Cushion: Available in three weights
• Hendricksen Naturlich: Recycled felt underpadding, heat bonded with no chemical additives
• Ultra Touch: 29-ounce carpet cushion of recycled fibers
Acceptable adhesives and seaming tapes for carpet installation include:
• AFM Safecoat 3 in 1 Adhesive
• Auro No. 382 Floor Covering Adhesive
• CHAPCO Safe-Set 3 Premium Fast Grab Carpet Adhesive
• Envirotec Health Guard Adhesives:
