Today, more than ever before, Americans have become indoor creatures. They spend 90 percent of their time indoors, so indoor air quality has come under great scrutiny over the last several years. While many people struggle with general scientific principles, understanding the science surrounding carpet, indoor air quality, and health seems to perplex people as well. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), the industry trade association, is committed to educating people on the science surrounding carpet to dispel untruths and misconceptions regarding the product.

Indoor air quality has long been a significant issue for the carpet industry. The Green Label Testing Program was put together to set a standard that would differentiate soft floorcovering from other common inside furnishings. This program has evolved over the last 12 years and guarantees the consumer of the lowest-emitting product on the market.

Aside from misconceptions on emissions from the actual product, carpet's role in a healthy indoor environment is most often challenged when it comes to harboring allergens. And to that end, CRI continues to offer information that is valuable to medical professionals and anyone else living with carpet.

Although it has long been a misconception that the increase of the asthma and allergy epidemic is related to the use of carpet, there has never been any scientific research linking the two. Doctors have even recommended the removal of carpets to patients with asthma and allergies. School districts across the country have ignored the studies which show carpeted classrooms and higher academic achievement go hand-in-hand, choosing to replace carpets with other floor coverings due to misinformation about health concerns.

There are no less than five scientific studies which lend credence to the long-held belief by the carpet industry that carpet actually serves as a filter and removes allergens from the breathing zone until they can be removed by a CRI-approved Green Label vacuum cleaner.

In response to some individuals who worried that their carpet might be the cause of allergic reactions, comparison data from a 10-year study in Sweden by the scientists at the Swedish Institute of Fibre and Polymer Research found that there is no link between carpet usage and the incidence of asthma or allergies. What they did find was that even though carpet usage had steadily decreased since 1975, the occurrences of allergic reactions in the general population had increased.

Another key finding stems from the European Community Health Survey that involved 19,218 subjects from 38 health centers across 18 different countries, including the United States. The study was consistent in that it showed fitted carpets in bedrooms were related to fewer asthma symptoms and less bronchial responsiveness. The results were even more pronounced among dust-mite sensitized individuals.

Another survey monitoring home and school environments of 98 subjects (5- to 11-year-olds) showed that children with no carpet in their bedroom or school room used more asthma and allergy medication. The study conclusively reported that carpeted classroom floors do not contribute to asthma severity.

A recent Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology study was used to determine the most appropriate floor surface for a school environment. Biocontaminant levels were studied for two similar schools, one with hard surface flooring, and another with carpeted flooring. The results clearly showed airborne levels were significantly higher over the hard surface floor.

A Russian study assessed almost 6,000 school children from eight different cities to determine the risk of bronchial conditions as related to renovations and products used. Wheezing as it related to flooring choice was one of the categories studied and the results concluded there was a positive association between installation of synthetic carpet and reduced wheezing.

The open literature clearly demonstrates that carpet has a positive effect on indoor air quality and is a healthy choice. To read more about it, visit carpet-rug.org.