NSF Develops Sustainability Standard for Resilient Flooring

Independent standards developer NSF International, in conjunction with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), recently finalized American National Standard 332: Sustainability Assessment Standard for Resilient Floor Coverings.

Operating on a point-based system, the standard uses four levels of certification—conformant, silver, gold, and platinum—and covers a range of products, including vinyl composition tile, vinyl and rubber sheet flooring, and linoleum sheet flooring and tile. Product evaluation, according to NSF, is based on informed design, intelligent manufacturing, long-term value, progressive corporate governance, and innovation.

Standard 332 is founded on principles such as the ISO 14000 series standards on life-cycle assessment and was subject to public comment and voting for two years before its approval in the spring of 2010.