Carpet Recycling UK celebrated the achievements of its members at its eleventh Annual Conference and Awards Event, while pledging to ‘do more and be more proactive’ in supporting innovation and helping the flooring sector to reuse and recycle more of its carpet waste.
Taking the theme of ‘Design for Recycling and the Circular Economy’, the one-day conference, sponsored by Invista, manufacturers of ANTRON Carpet Fibres, was held at Edgbaston Cricket Stadium, Birmingham on 18th July.
The not-for-profit industry association’s 2019 event celebrated the achievements and significant contributions by members – both individuals and organisations – who continue to drive forward sustainability and circular economy principles in the flooring sector.
Delegates heard inspiring presentations on how carpet tile reuse and take back schemes are making a real difference in diverting increasing volumes of carpet waste from landfill. Last year, 175,252 tonnes of carpet waste including carpet tiles were diverted, representing a diversion rate of 44%. CRUK’s target is to increase this tonnage by a minimum of 10,000 tonnes year-on-year.
CRUK currently has more than 110 members and its core funders are Cormar Carpets, Lifestyle Floors/Headlam, Brintons Carpets, DESSO, ege Carpets, Milliken, and Balsan.
CRUK Scheme Manager Adnan Zeb-Khan emphasised how their second decade will see a renewed focus on tangible member support; helping organisations throughout the carpet supply chain to divert as much carpet waste from landfill, thereby creating savings on their waste disposal and increasing opportunities for reuse and recycling.
“The industry has made great progress voluntarily in the past 10 years to become greener by working to minimise production waste, develop sustainable products and recycling outlets,” he said. “In turn, this has created resource and cost savings for companies across the supply chain.”
Amplifying the event’s theme, Marcel Knobbe, Business Unit Manager Automotive at carpet manufacturer Betap Tufting B.V. highlighted the development of their ‘next generation’ 100% recyclable single polymer carpets that aim to close the recycling loop for carpet.
Marcel said: “Our key focus is transparency in our footprint calculation and sustainable product development to create value for a circular economy. Our new Gold products are made from a mono material, making them easier to recycle as they don’t contain different materials. They can be recycled into a purer granulate that almost equals virgin material and has a high value as a raw material resource for recyclers.”
Speakers included Tony Spreckley, Director of Envirocycle London Ltd who explained the importance of targeting waste at source and discussed the impact of rethinking waste strategies, waste segregation and engaging demolition and flooring contractors to save waste from landfill and increase reuse across the nation. In 2.5 years, his company has diverted over 422,300 carpet tiles from landfill to reuse; almost enough to cover every football pitch in the premier league.
