Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families said Lumber Liquidators has committed to new standards requiring its vinyl flooring suppliers to end all use of reprocessed vinyl in flooring and limit lead in flooring to less than 100 parts per million. In September the retailer also began requiring its suppliers to eliminate the use of orthophthalates in all vinyl flooring.
“Lumber Liquidators is committed to setting the highest standards for the sourcing of flooring products,” said Jill Witter, chief compliance and legal officer of Lumber Liquidators, in a news release. “We are pleased to work with Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families on this initiative, as part of our ongoing efforts to lead the industry forward with responsible sourcing practices.”
Lumber Liquidators developed the framework for the company’s new standards with the help of the chemical reform group, and plans to phase them in next year.
The advocacy group, which launched the “Mind the Store” campaign to encourage major U.S. retailers to adopt policies that restrict and substitute hazardous chemicals in common consumer products, said testing has shown that recycled vinyl often is contaminated with lead, cadmium, brominated flame retardants and phthalates.
Last month Lumber Liquidators was hit with more than $13 million in criminal fines after pleading guilty to illegally importing wood harvested from a Russian forest that is the world’s last habitat for Siberian tigers and Amur leopards.
The company also made headlines earlier in March when “60 Minutes” said samples of laminate flooring made in China had levels of formaldehyde 20 times above California’s safety standard. Lumber Liquidators founder Tom Sullivan said the television show’s testing methodology was invalid and that his company only works with lumber mills certified as producing laminate flooring compliant with California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards. Following the controversy, Lumber Liquidators CEO Robert Lynch resigned and was replaced by John Presley, following a nearly 80 percent dive for the company’s stock.