Is PVC flooring safe? Is PVC flooring toxic? These are the most frequently asked questions by consumers. They also reflect that safety issues are the top concern for consumers. To understand this, we need to start with the material composition and production process of PVC flooring.
The main raw material of PVC flooring is polyvinyl chloride, which is a common plastic material. Pure polyvinyl chloride itself is non-toxic, but during the production process, in order to give the floor better performance, such as increasing flexibility and wear resistance, some auxiliary materials are added, like plasticizers and stabilizers. This has raised concerns about its safety, especially the plasticizers. Some inferior products in the early days might use phthalate-based plasticizers, and these plasticizers may release harmful substances under high temperatures, potentially having an impact on human health.
However, with the continuous improvement of industry standards and the advancement of production technology, the PVC flooring produced by regular manufacturers has strict control over material selection and production processes. Nowadays, many high-quality PVC floors use environmentally friendly plasticizers, such as epoxy soybean oil, and these plasticizers are more safe and comply with relevant environmental protection standards. Moreover, regular products undergo strict testing to ensure that the harmful substances released are within safe limits and do not pose a threat to human health.
In addition, the safety of PVC flooring during use is also related to installation and maintenance. Using standard adhesives and correct installation methods can prevent the floor from cracking, warping, etc. during use, reducing the possibility of harmful substance release. At the same time, maintaining the floor clean and dry can keep it in good condition and reduce safety hazards.
In summary, as long as one chooses PVC flooring produced by regular manufacturers that comply with national standards and installs and uses it correctly, PVC flooring is safe and not a toxic product. When purchasing, consumers should choose regular manufacturers and pay attention to checking the product’s test reports and relevant certifications to ensure their rights and health.
So, what are the most authoritative certificates for floor safety testing? And where can one check the authenticity of the certificates?
The CE certification is a mandatory certification mark in the EU market. PVC floors that have passed CE certification indicate that they comply with relevant health, safety and environmental protection requirements in the EU, can freely circulate in EU member states, and their safety is widely recognized. One can first check on the EU official website (https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/nando/index.cfm?) whether the issuing authority is an EU notified body. After confirming, log in to the official website of the notified body and input the manufacturer’s name, certificate number, etc. to check the authenticity of the certificate. Companies like SGS, TUV, BSI, etc. are all EU authorized notified bodies.
There is also the FloorScore certification in the United States, which is an indoor air quality certification for indoor flooring products (including PVC floors). It is formulated by industry authoritative institutions and strictly tests harmful substances such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by the products. The certification standards are strict and have high authority worldwide. You can log in to the official website of the issuing company SCS Global Services (https://www.scsglobalservices.com/) and verify based on the certificate number and other relevant information.
The ISO 14001 environmental management system certification is particularly crucial. This certification is formulated by the International Organization for Standardization and aims to help enterprises build and implement a system framework to fulfill environmental responsibilities. It covers reducing environmental risks, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing brand image, etc. PVC floors that have passed ISO 14001 certification indicate that the enterprise has reached international standards in environmental management, and the products are more trustworthy in terms of environmental performance. In addition, the ISO 9001 quality management system certification is also related to the environmental safety of PVC floors. Although it focuses on quality management, it emphasizes effective control of the entire production process to ensure stable product quality and compliance with standards. Checking the authenticity of ISO certificates can be done through multiple reliable channels. The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) official website (www.iaf.nu) is one of the important query platforms. If you know that the issuing ISO certificate authority is a well-known certification organization, such as the British Royal Accreditation Committee (UKAS) or the American National Accreditation Board (ANAB), you can directly log in to the official website of these organizations for verification. For example, the UKAS official website (https://www.ukas.com/), on its website page, there is usually a dedicated entry for certificate verification. According to the instructions, input the corresponding certificate number, enterprise name, etc., to obtain detailed information such as the certificate status and certification scope, and confirm whether the certificate is genuine and valid. The query of the American National Accreditation Board can be done through its official website (anab.org), following the provided query process.