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FLOORCOVERING MANUFACTURERS’ VIEW


          The challenge for flooring manufacturers is to achieve sustainability by
          maximising the use of recycled and recyclable materials as far as possible,
          while also maintaining durability, longevity and the required performance
          characteristics which the market requires. We talk to some leading manufacturers
          about how they are managing this balancing act, while in many cases working
          with partners in the recycling and reuse of their products.





          The future of the flooring industry will depend on collaboration
          By David Lever,                    a budget reduces are the things that cost   standards required then there is less risk to
          Altro’s Sustainability Manager     more and aren’t immediately visible, such as   specifications being lost to something less
                                             commitments to using recycling schemes. We   sustainable but significantly cheaper. It should
          In the starkest terms, there is no way   see this as well in changes to specifications:   not be about who gets there first, but that we
          we will achieve what the world needs   an architect makes a sustainable choice, a   all get there together.
          without working together to achieve it, and   main contractor may value engineer it, and   With recycling becoming an ever more
          that applies across all construction and   even if the characteristics of that specification   important part of the industry, there are some
          manufacturing sectors.             are protected all the way through, the   really pragmatic issues around identification
            Although there is a lot to be done, we   contractor installing the product could make   of materials that until resolved will hold things
          do have some really good initiatives and   changes and the end user may not necessarily   back, and they will require collaboration and
          collaborations already happening, one   ever know.                     policy change too. After all, if you don’t know
          of the most successful being Recofloor.   So, policy, and enforcement of that   what a material is, how do you know what to
          Established in 2009 following a WRAP (Waste   policy, is essential – if a recycling scheme   do with it at the end of life?
          and Resources Action Programme) funded   is non-negotiable, then it will get used, and   This is an area we can look to examples
          pilot scheme looking at how to increase   that’s something we already see in those   from other sectors – for example, the motor
          the collection and recycling of vinyl flooring   isolated pockets where the client requires   industry has a central database with all
          waste which involved all the UK vinyl flooring   sustainability as a priority. Policy change   components in every vehicle logged, right
          manufacturers.                     requires collaboration and consultation with   through to the raw materials, chemical
   42       When the trial came to an end, Altro and   the industry, looking at cost-effectiveness,   composition of plastics involved, recycling
          Polyflor committed to taking the scheme   as well as what is realistically achievable to   information and more, and everyone in
          forward and to providing funding, agreeing   deliver.                  the industry buys into it. When a vehicle
          that the best way to tackle sustainability was                         is disposed of, this information is easily
          through collaboration. The outcome was the                             accessible so better decisions can be made
          Recofloor initiative: a simple-to-use, national                        with every part of it.
          take-back scheme that makes the most of                                  For flooring, there are practical challenges
          reverse logistics to minimise any additional                           with this. With a 40m roll, where and how do
          CO  emissions.                                                         you add identifiers? All the way across, and
            2
            Fifteen years on and the scheme                                      for the whole length? What about weld rods
          continues to grow in popularity, and that’s                            and other components? We will as an industry
          largely because it’s a very well thought-                              need collaboration to solve these conundrums
          through concept, and it resonates with main                            for how we label and identify materials for
          contractors as sustainability measures are                             disposal and recycling, so we know how
          planned in at the front end and not left to the                        to dispose of materials and what can be
          last minute.                                                           incorporated back into products.
            It is a scheme recognised for its innovation                           If everything can be identified – through
          outside of the flooring industry too, picking up                       QR codes, labels, digital codes, whatever that
          a number of global awards, and it has been                             may look like – then the right choices can be
          replicated around the world with schemes                               made. Or if there are detailed plans or a site
          such as Resiloop in Australia drawing on                               book with the fine details of everything on that
          knowledge and experience from Recofloor in                             job that gets handed over and stays with a
          its development, and setting up with a number   Across our teams at Altro – specification   building for its entire life, then the owner can
          of flooring manufacturers around the table.   consultants, business development   maintain that and know where to go when it
            An openness and willingness to share is   consultants, main contractor consultants   comes to renovation or demolition. Disposal
          of course essential for collaboration to work.   – everyone knows the importance of   information is critical, and currently relies on
          Starting from the viewpoint that sustainability   sustainability and has a responsibility to   someone to ask the right questions, when
          within the industry is a ‘must have’, not a ‘nice   influence around that at every touch point.   realistically, it needs legislation to make it
          to have’, at Altro we’ve shared best practice as   We’ve seen projects take 4 or 5 years to get   happen.
          we look to make a solid recyclate supply chain   from initial enquiry to specification made, with   What we can do right now as an industry
          for the future. However, there will be limits to   many different people involved along the way,   is collaborate to share our knowledge and
          the positive impact individual companies can   so we all need to be on the same page.  understanding. At Altro that’s built into what
          have without policy being in place to back that   More widely across the industry we need   we do, whether it’s influencing the next
          up.                                collaboration too. We should not be letting   generation of contractors through our training
            All things being equal, almost everyone   sustainability be the first thing to go, but   school, developing and promoting adhesive-
          would choose a sustainable option over a less   that means everyone pulling in the same   free flooring options that reduce waste or
          sustainable option, but as we know, all things   direction and talking about these key topics.   promoting circular economy and awareness of
          are not equal, and there is often a literal price   Product longevity has a big part to play in   sustainability.
          to pay for making a more responsible choice.   sustainability – as we know, ‘buy cheap, buy     www.altro.com/uk/sustainability/
            Unfortunately, the first things to go when   twice’. If everyone is working to the higher   sustainability-report


          CFA Guide to Sustainability 2025/26
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