Anderson Cooper's exposé via CBS television's "60 Minutes" about the formaldehyde-high laminated flooring that Lumber Liquidators (LL) allegedly sells in the market has alarmed a lot of the company's customers. These laminated flooring products are reportedly manufactured in three factories in China, the trusted mills of the Lumber Liquidators Chairman, Thomad D. Sullivan to do the job.
Factory GM : 'Not CARB 2'
Anderson Cooper's team investigated three factories in LL mills in China by posing as buyers of laminated flooring. Although Sullivan says that Lumber Liquidators will not sell anything unsafe, a factory General Manager (GM) in China says otherwise, CBS News reported. The GM's admission resounded on national TV, "I have to be honest with you. It's not CARB 2." He further admitted that they falsified CARB 2 markings on the finished products , as seen on the CBS show.
Being CARB 2 compliant means these products are safe based on California Air Resources Board's standards. Sadly, if what the GM said is true, Lumber Liquidators cannot claim the products they sell are safe. The news broke out and agitated a lot of homeowners. Numerous complaints were heard from buyers. They tore their flooring rather than suffer from respiratory-related health concerns resulting from exposure to high formaldehyde, CBS News added.
Due to the controversy, the sales dropped by as much as 7.5%, claimed LL CEO, Rob Lynch in a conference call with investors Thursday, CBS News noted.
LL CEO: 'They are safe.'
Robert Lynch said that the company is committed in giving safe products to its consumers and assures its products safety, as reported by CBS News. "Maintaining customer trust within a long term relationship is our most important goal," said Lynch as quoted by CNBC.
To further prove LL's confidence, Lynch says that LL will be giving air quality test kits to 1000 consumers who purchase laminated flooring from China, reports CBS News. The company will reportedly consider re-installing the flooring if the customers are still not satisfied.
LL CEO: Some Deconstructed samples 'have had elevated levels'
Although he said these flooring are safe, the CEO still revealed one thing to the investors present in the conference call, notes CBS News. The CEO said, "We know that tests on some deconstructed samples have had elevated levels, but we believe that the results of deconstructed tests have little or no bearing on the safety of the finished product."
He also related to his investors that the company and others do not believe that this kind of test using deconstructed samples should be done by CARB because in their opinion it is not valid. He added, "We have been engaged with CARB over many months, provided them with additional information and, like others in the industry, have expressed our concerns on the validity and applicability of the deconstructive testing method," Lynch said.
