Lowe’s To Stop Selling Carpet Made with PFAS: NRDC Reaction

WASHINGTON – Lowe’s, the nation’s second-largest home improvement retail chain, announced it will stop purchasing all carpet and rugs that contain PFAS in the U.S. and Canada by January 2020. Lowe’s decision to clear its inventory of carpets and rugs made with PFAS will remove a significant source of exposure to the chemical for consumers. The Home Depot announced last month that it would no longer sell PFAS-laden carpets by the end of the year.

PFAS are highly-toxic, yet widely-used chemicals found in everything from stain-resistant carpets, clothing, and furniture to nonstick cookware and grease-proof food packaging. Known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS do not break down easily in the environment and can accumulate in the bodies of people and food that we eat.

The following is a comment from Sujatha Bergen, NRDC’s Director of Health Campaigns:

“Lowe’s is making home improvement safer for families by eliminating carpets and rugs made with chemicals linked to cancer and other serious health threats. Policymakers should follow the lead of retailers like Lowe’s by taking strong action to rid our homes of toxic PFAS chemicals.”

More information:

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at NRDC.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.​

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