Recycling at Ground-level
Recycling at Ground-Level
Bürogreen carpet tile takes use of recycled materials to a new level
Recycling bins have become a part of our daily life. Many of us regard them as a nuisance and resent the extra time we now have to put into sorting our rubbish. That’s hardly surprising when we read of council’s taking the separated recyclable waste and dumping it in landfill sites. So it’s reassuring to see that at least some of what we throw away is being put to good use. If you’re in an office, look down – what’s under your feet may have started life as a plastic bottle.
Nylon is usually regarded as the material of choice for commercial carpet tiles. But nylon comes from fossil fuels, of which we have a finite resource.
It’s for this reason that commercial carpet tile specialist Bürofloor has introduced a new “green” product to its range of carpet tiles for office environments. It’s based on Econyl70, a carpet fibre developed by yarn manufacturer Aquafil.
“For a product to be truly ‘green’, its manufacturing process needs to be ecologically sound, and all of the materials need to be based on a recycling philosophy,” said Simon Lawrence, Bürofloor’s Managing Director. “Econyl70 contains a minimum of 70% recycled content, which is a good start considering that the pile is such a major component of the carpet tile. But using an eco-friendly pile material isn’t enough to make an ecologically sustainable product.”
Carpet Tiles are made from looped or tufted pile, bonded to a composite backing which usually consists of a primary and secondary component. Lawrence maintains that the backing should be viewed with the same significance as the pile. “If we want to do more than pay lip-service to recycling then we have to consider all of the materials used in its manufacture. “
The primary backing – the thickest, heaviest part of the carpet tile – is made from 100% post-consumer recycled material, most of which comes from polyester bottle scrap. But this has to be transported to the factory, so to cut fuel wastage the recycled material is gathered from sources local to manufacture.
Secondary backing has proved a problem for recyclers in the past – the required characteristics for this essential layer haven’t been available without using new raw materials. “In fairness, this is still a problem, “admits Lawrence, “But it is possible to reduce the environmental load by in-process recycling.”
The process that manufactures Bürogreen tiles uses the cutting waste to make the secondary backing, giving this component a 10% post-industrial recycled content. So overall the carpet tile is made from 10% recycled secondary backing, 100% recycled primary backing, and 70% recycled pile material. At the time of this article (December 2008), this is the highest level of recycled material available in the carpet tile marketplace.
“It doesn’t stop there,” Lawrence predicts, “The pile has a guaranteed minimum recycled content of 70%; that percentage is being increased constantly as research progresses and processes improve. The carpet tile has to be colour-fast, durable and stable, otherwise it doesn’t do its job, and no one will accept inferior performance, however green a product may be. Research and testing is continuing in order to increase the level of reclaimed material that can be used, particularly in the area of the secondary backing.”
“Businesses nowadays have to be able to demonstrate ecologically sound purchase decisions, as well as cleaning up their act in manufacturing processes. With Bürofloor Bürogreen carpet tiles we’re endeavouring to provide an eco-friendly, sustainable option for commercial flooring.”
About the Author
Simon Lawrence is Managing Director of Bürofloor, a UK company specialising in carpet tiles for commercial premises such as offices and shops. Having worked in the carpet industry for more than 35 years, from production and design through to senior management, he set up Bürofloor in 2001 to provide commercial users with access to test-compliant contract standard carpet tiles.
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