Question: Isn't the only requirement to purchase polyester carpet with recycled content?

Response: Yes. Only polyester carpet has been designated to contain 25% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and Federal sites typically purchase high grade commercial nylon carpet. However, because high grade commercial (6,6) nylon carpet is readily available with at least 25% recycled content at prices comparable to carpet without recycled content, we recommend specifying recycled content. It does not matter where the recycled content is (in the facing, in the backing, in the interim layer). Wherever it is, it counts.

Sites also have a requirement to give preference to carpet with a minimum of 7% biobased content regardless of whether polyester or nylon.

Seeking carpet that complies with recognized standards that address multiple healthy and environmental attributes is recommended. Examples of such standards are:

• Cradle to Cradle
• NSF-140 Platinum (formerly CRI Green Label Plus) Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard

It is also important to ensure you know all the ingredients in the carpet. Try to avoid any materials that contain hazardous offgassing ingredients, typically found in the backing, such as antimicrobials, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) stain resistant chemicals, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC/vinyl).

Question: Is there a way to identify carpet that contains no PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)?

Response: Requesting the Safety Data Sheet is always the first step. Also DOE has identified carpet on the market with no antimicrobials, PFAS stain resistant chemicals, polyvinyl chloride, or volatile organic compounds.

Question: Does the fly ash in recycled concrete leach out and have the potential to leach into the surrounding ground and eventually groundwater?

Response: No. At the July 27, 2006 DOE Sustainable Acquisition Working Group teleconference, Bill Aljoe (DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory) provided the following information:

• Fly ash has been used in concrete for over 50 years with no leaching problems and no environmental contamination from any constituent, even at disposal sites;
• The National Energy Technology Laboratory has studied fly ash intensely and determined it is very difficult to leach contaminants from fly ash.

In addition, fly ash enhances the strength of concrete. The typical amount of fly ash should be 10-30% except in freezing temperatures because fly ash slows curing of concrete.

Question: Is concrete with fly ash, blast furnace slag, cenospheres, or silica fume available in bags?

Response: Yes. The problem is lack of labeling denoting the bag contains recycled content. Two brands known to contain recycled content are Basalite and Quikrete. If the cement was produced in an area with fly ash, blast furnace slag, cenospheres, or silica available, the Basalite and Quikrete bags contain the recycled ingredient. If produced in an area where the specified recycled material is not available, the bags do not contain it.

Basalite production codes that denote fly ash and/or blast furnace slag is in the product begin either with the code number 1406 or 1409. The production codes are printed on the bag, in front of the date.

To date, the Quikrete production areas known to be producing bags of cement with fly ash are Fremont, CA; Charlotte, NC; Nashville, TN; Pounding Mill, VA; and Martinsville, VA. In addition, Quikrete has a "Green Concrete Mix" which contains 50% or more recycled aggregate, such as recycled concrete.

DOE has asked both Basalite and Quikrete to label their bags denoting whether they contain the specified recycled content.

Question: Isn't it more important to purchase a healthy paint without volatile organic compounds than a reprocessed paint?

Response: Yes, but those two criteria are not mutually exclusive. Reprocessed paint is available with low-to-no volatile organic compounds. Manufacturers can achieve this by only accepting paint from professional sources, and in their original cans. One brand of reprocessed paint that has been tested at DOE sites is made by Visions Quality Coatings. Important findings about Visions Quality Coatings were:

• Initially compared by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with other environmental brands and found to be the only one evaluated with good coverage in a swatch test;
• Tested by Argonne National Laboratory by painting an entire room, and test results showed ease of application and good coverage with one coat;
• Costs roughly one-third the price of non-reprocessed paint;
• On the General Services Administration (GSA) schedule, contract #GS-06F-0012M;
• Available through local Sherwin Williams store once initial arrangements made;
• Will mix to match, using current color card (ICI, Sherwin Williams, etc.) when customer gives color number off that card;
• Has a quality control process;
• For preferred (major quantity) customers will batch test for contaminants if requested;
• Third party certified testing methods show concentrations of metal contaminant equal to or lower than at least two national high-end commercial brands and none exceed the metals limits listed in Title 22; and
• Contains no more than 17 grams/liter of volatile organize compounds (EPA standard is no more than 250 grams/liter).

Question: Is PPG brand paint available with biobased content?

Response: To date, we have not found any PPG brand paint with biobased content.

Note: While we have a requirement to purchase latex type paint with at least 20% biobased content and oil-based paint with at least 67% biobased content, we also have a requirement to purchase latex paint with 20% reprocessed content (whites/pastels), 50% reprocessed content (earth tones/darks), and 100% reprocessed content (consolidated). Where all aspects (price and performance) are equal, the reprocessed requirement takes precedence per the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act, Section 9002. There is a reprocessed interior paint that both Pacific Northwest National Lab and Argonne National Laboratory have tested. It is on a GSA schedule and can be ordered through Sherwin Williams Paint. It is Visions Quality Coatings paint and it ensures low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in its reprocessed paint.