GUT Product testing
for textile floor coverings: Pollutants, Emissions, Odours
GUT carries out comprehensive testing in three main areas: Pollutants, Emissions and Odour. We have a simple and effective precautionary approach to all three issues by ensuring that any banned, or limited use, chemicals are avoided in the manufacture of any component within the supply chain from raw material to finished product of our members products.
Pollutants
With the help of classic chemical analysis methods and modern rapid tests, both the raw materials and the textile floor covering itself are checked for a wide range of harmful substances. These include heavy metals, softeners, biocides, pesticides and the classic POPs (persistent organic pollutants) as well as the REACH SVHCs (substances of very high concern).
Emissions
Volatile organic compounds (so-called VOCs) that can be emitted into the indoor air by a new building product can be determined using the test chamber method. Textile floor coverings are tested according to current standards (DIN EN 16516) and the evaluation of the results corresponds to the current German AgBB system, based on EU-wide uniform LCI values for the health assessment of VOC emissions.
Odours
Even if all VOC limits are met and the tested carpet is classified as very low emission, traces of various substances can cause unpleasant odours.
Only the sensory odour test completes the product testing by GUT.
Explanation of abbreviations
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POP = Persistent organic Pollutants
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REACH = Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
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SVHC = Substances of Very High Concern
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VOC = Volatile Organic Substances
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AgBB = Committee for the Health Evaluation of Building Materials
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LCI = Lowest Concentration of Interest
Further information on abbreviations can also be found in our list of abbreviations.
