Recycling: A second life for our floor coverings!

A project typically generates between 5 and 10% waste, depending on the type of product. In France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Scandinavia, we have set up the "Second Life" program to recover project waste from the installation companies:

• free collection
• competitors' products accepted
• only REACH-compliant, non-adhesive flooring

What is the dual benefit of this recycling sector created in 2011? It allows us to offer an innovative service to installation companies while expanding the use of recycled products in our ranges.

Non-standard end-of-life products are products that are glued, mixed with other materials or include components that contain sensitive substances under REACH standards. They have a specific collection and recycling route since they require different technologies and cannot always be reintegrated into Gerflor plants.

The PVC Next program, together with the European recycling center AgPR, knows how to deal with this waste.

The collected products are ground into granules and reintegrated into the manufacturing of products in other sectors (traffic cones, pipes for structural works on buildings, etc.).

AgPR upcycles up to 2,500 tons per year.

ResiLoop is a pioneering initiative that aims to reduce the environmental impact of resilient flooring in Australia, which accounts for about 60,000 tonnes of landfill waste every year, including 9,000 tonnes of unused material. ResiLoop is part of the industry's transition to a circular economy, by addressing the waste problem at the source: the installation process. ResiLoop has been collaborating with stakeholders across the resilient flooring value chain, conducting research, business modelling and field trials to explore different recycling and reverse logistics solutions for both residential and commercial sectors. The outcome of this work is a national scheme that showcases a strong product stewardship approach in Australia.

DRIVING A CIRCULARITY MINDSET.