Dubai-based Desso has announced its commercial and consumer carpet products have became the first in the world to be certified under Version 3.0 of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard.

Desso was also the first carpet manufacturer in Europe, Middle East and Africa to adopt the Cradle to Cradle design, the objective being to create continuous cycles of both biological and technical ‘nutrients’, a statement from the company said.

This means that products are made from positively defined materials that are easy to disassemble, in order to create new products in both the biological and technical cycles, whilst using manufacturing processes which rely on renewable energy, seek to conserve water, and to embrace social responsibility.

“We are pleased to be first company in the world to be awarded certification under Cradle to Cradle Certified Version 3.0, which will continue to help us create products that contribute to the health and wellbeing of local and regional residents as well as making a positive contribution towards the environment,” said Andre Dulka, Desso’s director for the MEA and India region.

Prior to formal Cradle to Cradle certification being granted, products, materials and components must all undergo a rigorous assessment procedure, the statement said. The initial stages of the certification process comprise assessing raw materials in terms of human and environmental health criteria, and evaluating the manufacturing process according to recycling potential, energy and water use, and social responsibility.

The US-based Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII) is a non-profit organisation established to serve as an independent assessment, auditing and certification authority for Cradle to Cradle product certification.

A substantial part of Desso’s commercial carpet tile range as well as commercial and consumer broadloom carpets have achieved Cradle to Cradle Certified Bronze.

“At the Products Innovation Institute, we are delighted to see Desso, one of the first movers with Certified Cradle to Cradle products, make the transition to the latest version of the standard. We value Desso’s commitment to make products that are positive to human health and the environment,” said Bridgett Luther, president of the institute.

With the aim of continuing to improve human health, resource scarcity and the climate, the institute developed a new version of its Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard that takes the discipline to the next level. Companies currently certified under Version 2.1.1 must start to make the transition to the more advanced 3.0 version, launched in January, it said.

In Version 3.0 of the standard, a new bronze level has been added to create a more logical progression for product optimisation. This means that there are now five certification levels awarded to products - basic, bronze, silver, gold and platinum.

At the basic level of the new standard, a product is just starting out on the path to optimisation and a basic inventory of materials, energy use, water use, and social fairness issues is established. At the new bronze level, product assessment goes deeper.

At least 75 per cent of the materials in a product are assessed for chemical safety and potential biodegradability and recyclability. In addition, Desso has met requirements for developing a strategy with respect to renewable energy use and carbon management, and has completed a facility-wide water audit and a full social responsibility self-audit. – TradeArabia News Service