CEN/TC 134/WG 10 - Harmonization

The aim of this document is to provide general recommendations and guidelines on how to design a product to optimize its reuse and recyclability at the end of its lifetime as well as to take into account sustainable sourcing of materials for all floor covering product groups covered by CEN/TC 134. The overall target is to avoid waste and pollution and to achieve a product fit for the circular economy.
In a linear economy, the focus of product design is on developing new products without considering the recycling or reuse of the raw materials used.
This document provides guidance for processes allowing for (raw) materials used to be returned to the economic cycle based on circular design principles. The focus is on open systems that allow for economically interesting alternatives and are not limited to the principle of closed cycles (product to product).
Specific attention is given to renewable materials, where applicable.
The document is structured along the life cycle of the products, starting with the production phase.
Excluded is packaging, which is not considered part of the product end-of-life stage.

This document defines terms regarding circular economy that are used by the flooring sector.

This document concerns floor covering products falling under the scope of EN 14041 as well as mandate M/119 and M/119 rev.1. Such products are considered construction products for indoor use.
Excluded are products which are loose laid (barrier)mats, runners and rugs, as well as products which might be covered by other harmonized standards, such as indoor sports flooring, or other legislation such as flooring in public transport.
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on how to deal with the situation that:
a) the version EN 14041:2004/AC:2006 has to be used for placing CEN TC134 products onto the European market, even though it:
1) was developed under the no longer applicable “Council Directive 89/106/EEC on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to construction products (CPD)”;
and
2) has been withdrawn and replaced by EN 14041:2018 in the current CEN catalogue;
and
b) the more recent version EN 14041:2018 cannot be used for placing CEN TC134 products onto the European market, even though it:
1) was developed under the currently applicable legislation, “Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products (CPR)”;
2) is the active version of the standard in the current CEN catalogue.
The focus will be on an overview of the resources available from the European commission for CE marking and placing products onto the European market as well as how to implement EN 14041:2004/AC:2006 under the current European legislation pointing out sections which are no longer valid.

ISO 4918:2016 specifies methods for determining the change of appearance and stability of a textile floor covering or any damage caused by detachment of layers, opening of joints, or crazing of a resilient or laminate floor covering under the movement of a castor chair.

This document specifies test methods for determining:
a)   the vertical resistance,
b)   the resistance to earth,
c)   the surface resistance
of a resilient, laminate and modular multilayer floor covering after installation in test piece or after installation.

This document establishes a system of graphic symbols for use in the marking of the following floor coverings and specifies the use of these symbols:
-   resilient floor coverings manufactured from plastics, linoleum, cork or rubber, excluding loose-laid mats;
-   textile floor coverings, including loose-laid mats and rugs;
-   laminate floor coverings;
-   modular mechanical locked floor coverings (MMF).

This document establishes a test and calculation method for resilient, textile, laminate and modular mechanical locked floor coverings.
This document is also intended to provide guidance for manufacturers, specifiers and consumers, to enable them to choose the appropriate performance of floor covering regarding the light reflectancy of the use surface.

This European Standard specifies the essential characteristics for the following types of floor coverings:
-   resilient floor coverings, excluding loose-laid mats;
-   textile floor coverings, excluding loose-laid (barrier) mats, runners and rugs;
-   laminate floor coverings;
-   modular multilayer floor coverings.
These types of floor coverings may or may not be formulated to enhance the performance of one or more essential characteristics.
These types of floor coverings are intended for internal use as floor coverings within a building according to the manufacturer's specifications.
For these types of floor coverings this European standard specifies the assessment methods for determination of performances of the essential characteristics, the ways of expressing their performance, the systems for assessment and verification of constancy of performance (AVCP) their marking.
This standard does not specify requirements of floor coverings, which are not related to the essential characteristics as defined in Regulation (EU) No 305/2011.
This standard does not cover installation or maintenance of the floor coverings.

This European standard provides product category rules (PCR) for Type III environmental product declarations (EPD) for resilient, textile and laminate floor coverings.
This standard applies to the following types of floor coverings:
-   resilient floor coverings manufactured from plastics, linoleum, cork or rubber, including loose-laid mats;
-   textile floor coverings, including loose-laid mats, rugs and runners;
-   laminate floor coverings;
-   modular floating floor coverings panels;
An EPD may be developed for single or individual products, product groups and average products.

ISO 10874:2009 establishes a classification system for resilient, textile and laminate floor coverings. The classification is based on practical requirements for areas of use and intensity of use and is linked to the requirements specified in the relevant International Standard for each type of floor covering.
ISO 10874:2009 is also intended to provide guidance for manufacturers, specifiers and consumers, to enable them to choose the appropriate class of  floor covering for any given area of use or specific room.

ISO 10580:2010 specifies a general laboratory test method for determination of the area-specific emission rate of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and/or the vapour-phase VOC concentration under defined climate conditions.
ISO 10580:2010 describes emission test chambers used for the determination of the emission of volatile organic compounds from resilient, textile and laminate floor coverings.

This European standard specifies the parameters for the measurement of dynamic coefficient of friction (u) on surfaces of resilient, laminate and textile floor coverings, usually walked on with shoes. Reliefed floor coverings with a displacement volume <= 4 cm3/dm2 are included. The measurements are made on dry flooring surfaces only.

This document specifies the minimum and optional content of the product passport and the unified code (definition of symbols, abbreviated terms, ...) relating to the identification of floor coverings and underlays excluding their packaging necessary for the implementation of a circular economy. The intended use of this document is to provide information that allows different stakeholders to assess floor coverings and underlays on product content, environmental information, reuse, and/or recycling potential.

This document specifies a method for determining the body voltage (BV) generated when a person wearing standardized footwear walks on a resilient, modular mechanical locked floor coverings (MMF) or laminate floor covering. The test method can be used under laboratory conditions as well as in situ.

This document provides product category rules (PCR) for Type III environmental product declarations (EPD) for resilient, textile, laminate and modular mechanical locked floor coverings, as well for underlays specific to these floor coverings.
This document applies to the following products:
-   resilient floor coverings manufactured from plastics, linoleum, cork or rubber, including loose-laid mats;
-   textile floor coverings, including loose-laid mats, rugs and runners;
-   laminate floor coverings;
-   modular mechanical locked floor coverings;
-   underlays.
An EPD can be developed for single or individual products, product groups and average products.

This European Standard specifies the health, safety and energy saving requirements for:  resilient floor coverings manufactured from plastics, linoleum, cork or rubber, excluding loose-laid mats;  textile floor coverings, excluding loose-laid mats and rugs;  laminate floor coverings;  floor panels for loose-laying. It also specifies procedures for testing for the evaluation of conformity of the products and the requirements for marking and labelling. The products are intended for use as floor coverings within a building or externally, according to the manufacturers' specifications. The European Standard does not apply to floor coverings containing asbestos. This European Standard does not specify requirements unrelated to health, safety and energy saving, which are covered in the separate European Standards for these products, listed in annex A. To perform correctly, products covered by this standard require correct installation and maintenance. This standard does not, however, cover installation or maintenance, but does give advice on minimising slip hazards.

This Technical Specification gives recommendations for the installation of resilient, textile and laminate floor coverings in new or existing buildings.  It describes procedures in design, installation and maintenance which are in use throughout Europe for all floor covering materials and highlights the major differences that may exist in different national procedures.
The guidelines in this Technical Specification are intended for use in cases where manufacturer's instructions, taking account of the national code of practice in the country where the installation is to be made, are not available. References to the national codes that are currently available are listed in the bibliography of the various parts of this Technical Specification.
All parts of the Technical Specification are intended to supplement, and not conflict with, National Standards.

This Technical Specification establishes a system of graphic symbols for use in the marking of the following floor coverings and specifies the use of these symbols:
-   resilient floor coverings manufactured from plastics, linoleum, cork or rubber, excluding loose-laid mats;
-   textile floor coverings, excluding loose-laid mats;
-   laminate floor coverings;
-   floor panels for floating installation.