Page 58 - CFA_SG25

ADHESIVES AND ACCESSORIES MANUFACTURERS’ VIEW

Strategic partnerships, collaboration and increasing focus on EPDs – these are
some of the key focuses in the adhesives sector. This is a sector which throws
up very significant challenges when it comes to recycling. While most flooring
products require some type of adhesive to fix them to the substrate, removing it
at end of life presents particular challenges. But it is a problem that adhesives
manufacturers are working together to overcome with increasing success.

‘How could (or should) industry downstream customers, to purchase excess the education of employees and provides
be collaborating with regard to trim produced. opportunities to collaborate with key
Collaborating through this ‘take back
sustainability in flooring?’ scheme’ also generates economic and stakeholders to enact change. Therefore,
engaging with associations, including of
environmental benefits. By selling trim back course the Contract Flooring Association, is
The UK has set ambitious greenhouse to Ball & Young, the customer is spared the crucial to highlight the value of sustainability
gas emissions targets, to achieve net zero organisation and fee of disposal, creating within the sector and encourage action
emissions by 2050, in comparison to 1990 economic opportunity for both Ball & Young through knowledge sharing.
levels. In July 2024, the Climate Change and the trim supplier. It also provides a Critical to enabling the circular economy
Committee assessed the progress towards responsible outlet for a material that would is finding solutions for products at end of
these targets, concluding that the UK is off otherwise be considered waste. Recycling life (EoL). The landscape of sustainability
track for achieving its net zero ambitions. trim at Ball & Young prevents ~20Kt of trim legislation has changed, implementing
Whilst the flooring industry has made foam going to landfill each year, reducing mechanisms that enable product EoL
progress towards enabling a circular economy, the production of potent greenhouse gas management. EPR schemes extend the
collaboration is key to accelerating this. This emissions and negative land use. Foam’s producers’ financial and operational
is because the challenges to achieving these durability and possibilities to recycle and responsibility for products to EoL and are
targets are complex and require collective refurbish mean that when handled responsibly currently being implemented across the
commitment to be addressed effectively. in line with the waste hierarchy, there are continent for products including household
Through creating partnerships, embracing opportunities to extend its life and drive the textiles. With their success and legislative
the expertise and resources of others, and circular economy. Aligning company goals drive, their implementation is set to expand.
aligning best practice, the transition to and collaborating with stakeholders helps Similarly, DPP is another imminent requirement
58 sustainable practices can be accelerated and create the economic viability required to for products being supplied across Europe.
sustainable solutions can be scaled more enable this circular economy model. Engaging This mandatory mechanism will require
effectively. To understand how collaboration with stakeholders in the value chain to the disclosure of information relating to a
can be implemented, we review how Ball & innovate and explore environmental, social product’s performance, material, material
Young, part of the Vita Group, works together and economic opportunities, should be origins, EoL capabilities and lifecycle impact.
in waste management, how companies encouraged to accelerate this progress. Both mechanisms will assist responsible
should engage with industry associations Collaboration beyond the value chain EoL management, by creating financial
and collaborate through extended producer can also support industry progress. Industry incentive to ensure that products can be
responsibility (EPR) and Digital Product associations enable progress towards dismantled and recycled or repurposed
Passports (DPP). common goals through knowledge sharing, at EoL (EPR) and giving the consumer the
Ball & Young, and more widely the Vita highlighting best practice and networking.
Group, have set ambitious targets to achieve Associations such as the United Kingdom comparative insight into products’ EoL
management options (DPP). However, as
zero waste to landfill by 2040. Contributing Sustainable Flooring Alliance, formerly
to progress towards achieving this, Ball Carpet Recycling UK, allow companies within implementing them effectively requires
& Young’s manufacturing processes take the flooring and waste sectors to develop data collection, robust waste management
unwanted flexible polyurethane foam trim viable solutions to the problem of waste processes and alignment of multiple
and use it for carpet underlay, diverting it generation, through fostering collaboration. stakeholders, internal and external
from landfill. To ensure access to reliable Collaboration is facilitated through networking collaboration is necessary. To design products
quantities of excess foam cuts, Ball & Young with industry experts, partaking in working that can be dismantled and recycled or
collaborates with other operational businesses groups, regulatory lobbying and research repurposed at EoL, internal collaboration
internal to the Vita Group, as well as external and development opportunities. This aids across functions, such as sustainability,
innovation and procurement, is required.
However, to explore the opportunities for
responsible EoL product management,
external collaboration with customers,
government agencies and recycling facilities
is also required. Without collaborating, the
understanding that segregation enables
materials like foam to be recycled and
reprocessed, is not captured and opportunities
to expand the industry’s circular economy
capabilities, are missed.
The role of collaboration in integrating
sustainable and circular practices into the
flooring industry is not limited to the examples
discussed. However, these discussions
offer an overview of why collaboration
both internally to companies and externally
throughout the value chain, is essential to
making progress.

CFA Guide to Sustainability 2025/26