R E P O R T

JULY 1997

OFFICE FURNITURE

ffice furniture is a $10-billion industry,

O and its impact on the environment—from
Customers

have the

the cradle to the grave—is significant. It contributes power to

greatly reduce
to the depletion of forest and mineral reserves
the impact of
through the extraction of natural resources.
office furniture
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can pollute on the

the air and water during the manufacturing environment.

process. In addition, when furnishings are installed

in the workplace, they may continue to release
VOCs and contribute to indoor air pollution. Finally, desks, chairs,
cubicle dividers and filing cabinets may wind up in the landfill at the
end of their useful lives.

Customers have the power to information on emissions in the

greatly reduce the impact of office
furniture on the environment by
choosing environmentally
responsible products. Several
companies already offer customers
choices in the marketplace, and as
S E A L ’ S
manufacturing process and in the
office environment as well.
From the information they
provided, we were able to identify
and recommend eight office

demand for such products furniture products and five office

increases, a greater selection at
more competitive prices will
become available. This report will
help customers make better
choices for the environment when
they’re shopping for new or
refurbished office furnishings.
furniture refurbishers. These
manufacturers are listed in the
enclosed tables. In this issue, we
also explain the manufacturing
process for different materials to
help consumers make informed
purchasing decisions.

In our research, we
contacted more than 30
G R E E N

companies that
manufacture and
refurbish office furniture
and asked them to
identify the materials they
use—from wood and
metal to foams and
paints—and to provide
 Environmental
Impacts of Office
Furniture
■ Wood Products
Harvesting wood in a non-
sustainable manner contributes to
soil erosion, deterioration of
watersheds and the loss of
biodiversity. It also represents a
threat to the economic future of
many communities. In addition,
loss of tropical rainforests may
contribute to global warming.
One way to reduce these
negative impacts and to enhance
the long-term economic future of
communities is to purchase wood
from certified, well-managed
forests. SmartWood, for example,
is a non-profit organization with
an innovative certification process
and a mission to promote
sustainable forestry worldwide
(see “SmartWood,” page 5).
Scientific Certification Systems
also evaluates forests for
sustainability and produces
environmental report cards. If a
forest scores well, the wood or
The Choose Green Report is published
monthly for Green Seal Environmental
Partners. To become an Environmental
Partner, or to receive a sample copy of
this newsletter, contact Green Seal at (202)
588-8400 x 21.
Editor, Mark Petruzzi
Writer, Elise LeQuire, University of Tennessee
Energy, Environment and Resources Center
Researchers, Kerry Kelly, Mary Swanson,
University of Tennessee Center for Clean
Products and Clean Technologies
Environmental Partners Program Manager,
Lisa Carr
Design, Cutting Edge Graphics
Printed on Green Seal-certified
Mohawk Satin Cool White Recycled paper,
25% postconsumer content
Copyright © 1997, Green Seal, Inc.
www.greenseal.org
GREEN SEAL
Environmental Partner
2 Choose Green Report
products from it will be certified as
“well managed.”
The market share of certified
wood products in the U.S. is very
small, but it is increasing. In
Europe, however, certified wood
products are relatively easy to find.
As part of their advertising
strategy, manufacturers often boast
that they use certified woods. It’s a
good idea to ask for these products
because it lets manufacturers and
suppliers know that you care
about where and how the wood is
produced. In addition, some
companies may offer both certified
and non-certified products. Let
them know you prefer the certified
wood products.
Conventional
fiberboard products
such as plywood and
particle board typically
use a urea-
formaldehyde binding
agent in the
manufacturing
process. These
products can
emit
formaldehyde
throughout their
life cycles. The
Environmental
Protection
Agency (EPA)
classifies
formaldehyde as a probable
human carcinogen.
There are better alternatives to
conventional binding agents on the
market. For example, phenol-
formaldehyde and resorcinol-
formaldehyde, though not
completely harmless, emit much
lower amounts of formaldehyde.
An even better choice is to select a
fiberboard with formaldehyde-free
binding agents.
The Department of Housing and
Urban Development regulations for
plywood and particle board in
manufactured homes sets limits on
formaldehyde emissions. All plywood
and particle board materials
bonded with a resin system, or
treated with a paint, varnish or
surface finish containing
formaldehyde shall not exceed the
following emission levels when
installed in homes: 0.2 ppm for
plywood and 0.3 ppm for particle
board.
All manufacturers we surveyed
said the plywood and particle
board in their products meet all
federal emission requirements.
Some office furniture on
the market is constructed
from alternatives to wood
products, including
fiberboard made from
agricultural waste or
recycled paper. If these
products incorporate
formaldehyde-free binding
agents, they represent a
good alternative to
conventional fiberboard.
Solid wood products,
especially if they have
been produced from
certified, sustainably
managed forests, are a
good choice, since they
don’t require any binding
agent and consequently don’t
require formaldehyde.
■ Cushioning Foams
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs) are commonly used as
blowing agents for polyurethane
foam. HCFCs have replaced
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which
were banned in the developed
world in 1996. Although HCFCs
are preferable to CFCs, they still
are a factor in ozone depletion and
are believed to contribute to global
warming. However, there are
 SES SING which are electrostatically uses a polyester or polyurethane
H E N AS charged and sprayed onto a base, supercritical carbon dioxide/
W
ASK RE part to be coated. This is an solvent-based finish and a coating
O N S TO FURNITU
ST I CE excellent alternative since it that uses ultra-violet light as a
QUE OFFI
does not involve the use of curing agent.
r e c y cled heavy metals, and there
ct: or
th e Produ e c yclable are no VOC emissions. It is
Doe s le, r n
r e n ewab r p ollutio also possible to design ■ Reusability, Recyclability and
s e a te
❑ U ? a ir and w
ia ls inat e f fice uncoated metal Useful Life
mater o r elim ing proces
s?
in the o
edu c e ctur ion s furniture or to use
❑ R m anuf a O C emiss water-based, low-VOC In general, products with a long
g th e te V
durin o r e limina e c yc lable metal paints. useful life—the length of time they
educe gr
❑ R t? s t e b y usin ocess? are in service—are better choices
nmen wa gp r
enviro inate ippin
o r elim t he sh s? ■ Adhesives environmentally than products
R edu c e
c k a ging
in
o ti c wood with a short life. They do not need
❑ p a re x
sable red o tings?
or reu e n d ange r to x ic coa Adhesives can to be refurbished as often or
C ont ain m e t als o cause VOC thrown away as soon, thus
❑ vy
o n t a in hea emissions during reducing demand for raw
❑ C
manufacturing and later materials from the start and waste
contribute to indoor air pollution. at the end of the product’s life.
Many of the manufacturers
surveyed have switched to Refurbishing furniture is an
alternative blowing agents, such as adhesives that have no, or very excellent way to extend the useful
water, isoprene, acetone, pentane low, quantities of VOCs. These life of a product. In fact, most
and carbon dioxide with limonene include hot-melt glue and double- products can be refurbished and
and terpene. These products are sided tape. For some processes, reused, thus reducing the amount
less harmful to the environment. such as gluing a plastic laminate to of material sent to the landfill.
a fiberboard surface, a solvent- Refurbishing is a growing industry
■ Metal Coating based adhesive is still required. with approximately $1 billion in
The proposed Green Seal standard sales per year.
Metal plating produces a bright, for adhesives requires that VOC
durable and corrosion-resistant content not exceed 20 grams per Refurbished furniture costs 25
finish for metal furniture. A liter. to 70 percent less than comparable
common plating process uses new furniture. It is virtually
hexavalent chromium (CrVI) with a ■ Paints and Finishes indistinguishable from new
copper/nickel-plated undercoat. furniture and has a similar useful
Releases of heavy metals-such as Paints and finishes can cause life. And when it does become
chromium and nickel-and cyanide air-polluting VOC emissions as worn it can be refurbished again.
compounds from electroplating they are applied. In addition, over Typically, refurbishing firms
processes are of environmental the lifetime of the furniture these replace worn fabric, refinish metal
concern because of their toxicity. coatings may continue to emit and wood surfaces and relaminate
Hexavalent chromium and nickel VOCs, contributing to indoor air work surfaces. You may be able to
dust are both classified by the EPA pollution. Most of the find a local refurbisher in the
as human carcinogens. If metal manufacturers surveyed have Yellow Pages. Or you can contact
plating is required for a piece of converted to finishes with no or the Office Furniture Recycler’s
office furniture, tin-cobalt alloy, low levels of VOCs. Forum (see “Additional Sources of
nickel alloy or trivalent chromium Information,” page 6).
(CrIII) are recommended over However, our survey indicated
hexavalent chromium plating. that many manufacturers are not One final consideration is
satisfied with the performance of recyclability. Products should be
It is relatively simple to design VOC-free top coating for wood easy to disassemble and should not
office furniture that does not surfaces, so most manufacturers contain co-injected plastics-that is,
require metal plating. For still use solvent-based top coats. materials that contain two types of
example, powder coating is a dry Other finishes that produce low plastic or a plastic and a fiber-
finishing process using finely emissions of VOCs include a two- because this makes recycling
ground pigment particles and resin component, catalyzed coating that difficult.

Choose Green Report 3

 What’s Out There
Larger manufacturers offer
hundreds of choices, from wool or
SMARTWOOD
ramie fabric for office chairs, to This independent, non-profit (1) all forestry operations must
water-based paints. Customers can forest-management institution be protective of the environment,
select from products containing monitors and assesses for example by promoting water-
recycled content and low- or no- commercial forestry shed stability and conserva-
VOC finishes. Some smaller companies, promotes tion of biological
manufacturers offer products local community resources;
made from recovered wood or economic
from agricultural fiberboard. (2) planning and
development and
implementation
educates the public
In our research, we contacted of programs
about sustainable
20 leading U.S. manufacturers of must
forestry practices
office furniture, 10 U.S. incorporate
around the world.
refurbishers of office furniture and sustained-yield
Certified harvesters
four smaller office furniture production for all
earn the right to use the
manufacturers. Specifically, we forest products
distinctive SmartWood
asked them to identify the based on an understanding
seal, with the image of a
materials they use in their office of local forest ecology
tree frog and a cross-
furniture, to assess the grounded in documented
section of a felled tree,
recyclability and useful life of the research; and
on their products and in
furniture and to provide emissions their promotional (3) all activities should
information. The results of our material. have a positive impact
survey are summarized in the on the well-being of
tables below and to the right. To meet SmartWood’s
local communities.
certification criteria:

Recommended Office Furniture Refurbishers

MANUFACTURER PRODUCT(S) WASTE RECYCLED/RECYCLABLE AIR POLLUTION WHERE
REDUCTION MADE
MEASURES1

prohibited. Information in these tables was confirmed by the manufacturer.

©1997, Green Seal, Inc. Use of these tables for commerical purposes is
Davies Office Panel systems2, Fabric is recycled. Guilford—Recycle Line fabric Water-based and Albany, NY
Refurbishing seating, work Furniture exchange containing 90% recycled powder coat
(518) 449-2040 surfaces program. material is available. finishes available.

Recondition Panel Fabric and aluminum Ecodeme fabric Water-based Tempe, AZ

Systems systems2 are recycled. containing 45% recycled finishes are
(800) 280-5000 material is available. available.

B & H Furniture Panel Aluminum, steel and Fabrics containing up to Double Oak,
Systems systems2, acrylic are recycled. 80% recycled fiber are TX
(817) 430-8345 seating, tables available.

Contract Network Panel Fabric used as Water-based Dallas, TX

(214) 340-6400 systems2, packaging material. finishes are
seating Steel, cardboard, available.
paper are recycled.

Open Plan Panel Metal parts are Ecodeme fabric Powder coating Richmond,
Systems systems2 recycled. containing 45% recycled is available. VA
(804) 228-5604 material is available.

1 2
This typically refers to components of the furniture removed so that the Panel systems are the dividers that separate cubicles in the office
product can be refurbished. environment.

4 Choose Green Report

 Recommended Office Furniture Products
MANUFACTURER PRODUCT(S) WASTE MINIMIZATION NONTOXIC/ AIR RENEWABLE/
ALLERGENIC1 POLLUTION SUSTAINABLY
HARVESTED2

Studio eg. Systems Panels—Homasote (100 % Fiberboards SCS3 certified

(510) 763-8812 furniture recycled newsprint); Tabletops contain no maple or
and shelves—Medite II formaldehyde. cherry veneers
(recycled wood fiber and Catalyzed top are also
some PC material); Table legs— coat has low available.
recycled cardboard; Edging, VOC emissions.
Leg bottoms—recycled PVC
rubber.

©1997, Green Seal, Inc. Use of these tables for commerical purposes is prohibited. Information in these tables was confirmed by the manufacturer.
Steelcase Protege chair Designed to minimize material Water-based Foam cushions
(800) 227-2960 use, easy to disassemble and adhesives. are formed
recycle, does not contain co- Powder coat using water-
injected4 products, designed finish. blown foams
to be shipped uncartoned. and water-
based release
agents.

Steelcase William The wool/ramie fabric is Dyes contain no

(800) 227-2960 McDonough biodegradable. Manufacturer carcinogenic or
Collection recycles all scrap, used as toxic chemicals
fabrics ground cover by local or chemicals that
available farmers. bioaccumulate.

Knoll Parachute The arm supports are

(215) 679-7991 Chair produced from 100% post-
consumer PET plastic (soda
bottles) and are recyclable.
The base contains 100% post-
industrial nylon waste from
carpet industry.

Knoll Gehry line SCS3-certified

(215) 679-7991 of maple wood from
furniture Menomie Tribal
Enterprise in
Neopit WI.

Good Wood Computer SmartWood-

Computer stands and certified wood
Products other office products.
(603) 756-4245 furniture5

Haworth Inc. Encore 100 % recycled polyester,

(616) 393-3000 Fabric dyed in energy efficient
available manner.

Miller SQA Avian Chair Completely recyclable, material

(800) 253-2733 designed to be easily dis-
assembled. Minimal amount of
material used in design of chair.

3
1
Manufacturers had representative products tested for emissions if they Scientific Certification Systems.
had the potential to emit formaldehyde or VOCs and they all met the 4
federal standards. Co-injected materials are, for example, a plastic and a fiber molded
together. These co-injected materials are typically difficult to recycle.
2
The life span of products varies by product and use. Warranties typically 5
vary from 1-10 years depending on the product and the manufacturer. They will manufacture office furniture from certified wood if the volume
ordered is sufficient.

Choose Green Report 5

 Making the Right of the companies surveyed said ■ Upholstered Products: Chairs
that their steel contains recycled and Cubicles
Choice content, but products produced
If possible, purchase refur- overseas may contain less recycled The modern office, with its
bished office furniture instead of material. modular design and open spaces,
new furniture. Ideally, you should often uses upholstered panels to
select refurbished office furniture ■ Wood Office Furniture: Desks, separate work spaces. Consider
that uses recycled materials and Chairs, Shelving and Cabinets the environmental impact of fab-
low- or no-VOC coatings. Choose a rics for these dividers as well as
product that uses VOC-free Select wood or fiberboard for the chairs you choose. For
adhesives. There are still a few products that are made from seating or cubicle panels, request
applications, however, for which renewable or sustainably fabric made from recycled, recy-
VOC-free adhesives do not perform harvested material. Avoid choosing clable, reusable or biodegradable
well. Also, when you place an tropical hardwoods or endangered material. Fabrics should be dyed
order, request the use of woods, and select domestic wood using efficient processes, such as
returnable, reusable or minimal over exotic woods. solution dying. The dyes should
packaging. have low toxicity.
Choose furniture with low or no
The following recommendations formaldehyde emissions. When Ask what type of foam-blowing
are for choosing specific materials: possible, select either formaldehyde- agent is used to
free fiberboard or solid wood create any foam,
■ Metal Office Furniture: Desks products. If you select a wood such as that
and Filing Systems fiberboard, avoid products that use contained in seat
a urea-formaldehyde glue. A cushions. If
Choose products with less toxic phenol-formaldehyde glue is possible, avoid
coatings. A good choice for a metal preferable. foams
finish is powder coating, which that use
produces no When considering furniture HCFCs
VOC emissions. with wood veneer, choose one as
Avoid products Surveys thick enough to be refinished. The blowing
that use metal indicate that Canadian Environmental Choice agents.
plating as a Program recommends a minimum
if demand
coating, veneer thickness of 1/28" (0.9 mm).
especially increased for
chromium VI. environmentally Select a VOC-free stain and a
low-VOC topcoat.
responsible
Select
products that products,
contain manufacturers
recycled
would
material. Most ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION
produce more.
Office Furniture Recycler’s Forum Canadian Environmental Choice Program
301 N. Fairfax Street Environmental Specifications for Office
Alexandria, VA 22314-2696 Furniture
(800) 542-6672 http://www.ec.gc.ca/gog/procure/
http://www.recyclefurn.org/ envspecof/

SmartWood Program NRDC’s Washington, D.C. Eco-Office

Rainforest Alliance http://www.igc.org/nrdc/nrdcpro/dcofc/
65 Blecker Street, 6th Floor dcofcch1.html
New York, NY 10012
(212) 677-1900 Good Wood Alliance
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/ http://www.web.net/~philipw/menu.html
swr5.html

6 Choose Green Report

 NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE
COUNCIL’S ECO-OFFICE
I
n June 1996, the Natural
Resources Defense Council
(NRDC) staff in Washington,
D.C., moved into their new Eco-
Office. In addition to using lighting,
appliances and flooring that reduce
energy costs and soften the
environmental impact, they also
chose office furniture with the
environment in mind.
All shelving and counter-top
foundations were made from alter-
natives to conventional fiberboard
products, plywood and particle
board. Wheatboard and other alter-
native fiberboards such as Gridcore
and Medite II, unlike traditional
materials, do not emit formalde-
hyde, so they improve indoor air
quality. These products are pro-
duced from more sustainable
sources, such as recycled wood fi-
ber and agricultural waste. These
alternative fiberboards have
another advantage: They are stronger
than conventional particle board.
For now, none of the large stock
cabinet manufacturers uses any
alternative fiberboard in their
products on a regular basis; there-
fore, additional labor was required
to build custom cabinets, adding to
installation costs. However, there
Manufacturers
Minimize Waste and
Maximize Profits
In recent years, many of the
larger office-furniture
manufacturers have tried to
produce more environmentally
responsible products. Most of the
surveyed firms use efficient
packaging methods and packing
made from recycled material. They
is no reason that cabinets made
from alternative materials should
ultimately cost more.
Consider Wheatboard, for
example. This fiberboard is made
from an abundant, renewable
agricultural byproduct: straw that
normally is wasted when wheat is
harvested. The material is
compacted into a sturdy
fiberboard that is cheaper than
conventional wood particle board.
For its waiting areas and confer-
ence rooms, NRDC also commis-
sioned solid-wood furniture made
from sustainably harvested wood.
Fabrics for the furniture
cushions were made from
biodegradable wool and ramie.
FIBERBOARD PRODUCTS USED IN NRDC’S ECO-OFFICE
PRODUCT COMPANY
Wheatboard PrimeBoard
(701) 642-1152
Gridcore Gridcore Systems
International
(214) 265-8494
Medite II Medite Corporation
(800) 676-3339
have also been working to reduce
formaldehyde emissions from
wood products and VOC emissions
from finishes and adhesives. Some
of the larger manufacturers have
worked with state pollution-
prevention programs to reduce
waste or to find uses for waste.
Their efforts have reaped financial
rewards: These companies have
saved money by designing more
environmentally responsible
The NRDC selected Environ
(Phenix Bio-Composites) products
for its countertops and shelving.
This synthetic material looks a bit
like marble and has the feel of
plastic but is made from newsprint,
soybean flour, a color additive and
proprietary adhesives.
Overall, this innovative project
added about $4.90 per square foot
to the cost of newly constructed office
space. However, this figure is inflated
due to the pioneering environmen-
tal design services associated with a
large-scale project done for the first
time. Furthermore, some of the ad-
ditional costs associated with this
design will be recouped in energy
savings. As demand for many of the
products NRDC selected increases,
costs will decline.
COMPONENTS GLUE
Agricultural waste. Formaldehyde-free
polymeric resin.
100%post- Water-based adhesive,
consumer paper. formaldehyde free.
Recycled wood fiber Proprietary, but
& some PC content. formaldehyde free.
products. Here are a few of the
innovative solutions some
companies have found to minimize
waste.
Steelcase Inc. instituted a buy-
back program that encourages
reuse of office furniture. The
company also ships 50 percent of
its products uncartoned, thereby
reducing packaging waste.
Continued on page 8
Choose Green Report 7
 NON-PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE
PAID
WASHINGTON, DC
1730 RHODE ISLAND AVE., NW PERMIT NO. 5515
SUITE 1050
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036-3101

Minimize Waste, Maximize Profits

Continued from page 7
MOVING RIGHT ALONG . . .
HON Industries produces pellet-
ized fuel for stoves from scrap wood
material generated during its
manufacturing processes. This di- Effective July 1, 1997,
verts 6,000 tons of wood byproduct
each year from the landfill. Green Seal’s new address becomes:
Haworth Inc. offers water-blown
foams and powder-coated metal finishes. Green Seal
These processes minimize air-pollu- 1400 16th Street, NW, Suite 300
tion emissions and reduce ozone
depletion and greenhouse gasses. Washington, DC 20036-2215
The Knoll Group switched from (202) 588-8400 phone
solvent to powder coating for metal
finishes. It also uses hot-melt glues (202) 588-8465 fax
in several of their processes instead
of VOC-containing adhesives. And it www.greenseal.org
ships its Bulldog line of products in
packaging that can be reused.

Allsteel Inc. uses 40 to 60

percent recycled aluminum in its
seating products.