Page 42 - CFA_SG25

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