Tessera carpet tile installation off-cuts can now be collected through Forbo's Back to the Floor recycling scheme following significant investment in new processing equipment.
This further widens the sustainable disposal options for flooring companies, enabling 100% of Tessera carpet trim to be reused in the UK.
Virtually the whole flooring portfolio supplied by Forbo can now be collected through its recycling initiative, thus closing the recycling loop. Tessera Carpet Tile off-cuts can now be reprocessed for use in new carpet tile backing.
Forbo has invested more than £1 million in a new extruder at its Bamber Bridge plant in Lancashire as part of its on-going mission to increase the recycled content of its products. The new process dramatically increases the proportion of recycled filler contained in the bitumen backings that give Tessera carpet tiles their strength, durability and dimensional stability.
Launched in November 2012, Back to the Floor also collects and reprocesses smooth vinyl, cushioned vinyl flooring, plus Marmoleum and Flotex installation off-cuts for recycling back into new Forbo products.
Back to the Floor Scheme Co-ordinator, Matt Charlton said: "The ability to recycle Tessera Carpet Tile off-cuts in the UK is a much-welcomed move following the introduction of new processes to handle this material stream. All Tessera carpet tiles made in the UK have more than 50% recycled content.
"Back to the Floor has now been running successfully for a year and is collecting flooring off-cuts from a wide range of different sites. It continues to gather momentum as more installers, flooring contractors and distributors recognise the economic and environmental benefits of diverting this waste from landfill by recycling through the scheme," he added.
Scheme members are provided with colour-coded polythene bags and bulk bags, which can be collected from site or dropped off at participating distributors when filled with the specified materials.
Marmoleum is recycled into new flooring at Forbo's plant in Kirkcaldy, Tessera off-cuts are processed at the Bamber Bridge plant near Preston, while the Flotex and vinyl flooring goes back into flooring at the Ripley site.