Recofloor offers comprehensive training to its members so they can collect and recycle their waste vinyl flooring most effectively. Recofloor Manager Jane Gardner explains how.
Recycling our waste materials and, where possible, turning them back into new products is generally accepted as the right thing to do. It makes environmental and economic sense to recover these resources, rather than relying on virgin materials.
These principles, quite rightly, were the driving force behind the creation of Recofloor seven years ago by leading manufacturers Polyflor and Altro. Since they joined forces in 2009 to tackle growing volumes of waste vinyl flooring being sent to landfill, the UK-wide waste vinyl flooring recycling scheme has collected and recycled more than 3,000 tonnes. An impressive achievement – and these recycled volumes continue to grow.
Commitment to training has been a crucial factor in the scheme’s success. This has helped to engage – and enthuse – our 700-plus membership to help ensure that the waste materials being collected meet the required quality so they can be successfully recycled.
Indeed, one of the top questions we are asked at our training sessions up and down the country is ‘what happens after the vinyl is collected?’ As much of it as possible is recycled; but maximising quality and minimising any contamination is crucial.
Smooth and safety vinyl flooring offcuts are collected by Polyflor and Altro, who then hand sort the material by colour and type at their manufacturing plants in the UK. The sorted vinyl flooring offcuts are used in new Polyflor and Altro smooth and safety flooring. New vinyl flooring contains recycled content and is 100% recyclable.
Uplifted smooth vinyl flooring is also collected by Polyflor and Altro; however this cannot be used in the manufacture of new flooring. Instead it is sent to a UK reprocessor who recycles it into traffic calming products, including cones, sleeping policemen and road barrier bases. Something to tell your passengers on your next car journey!
So how can you get involved? Recofloor offers a sustainable, cost-effective and efficient collection system open to all levels of the supply chain; from manufacturers and distributors to contractors and fitters.
Tailored training sessions are available free-of-charge, to take part just contact the Recofloor team and we will arrange a visit. Presentations are also offered to flooring training schools so that apprentices can learn about the recycling process. We already work with the Flooring Industry Training Association (FITA), where waste management and recycling is a key element of their courses, and collect offcuts from their training sessions.
Training is held at a member’s premises for office staff, fitters and warehouse managers or for companies that are interested in implementing the Recofloor system at either their site or on a project. Whether as a ‘Toolbox Talk’ or a presentation, each session is designed to suit the needs of those participating.
All aspects of how the scheme works are covered, with a particular emphasis on identifying the different types of vinyl, what can and can’t be recycled and collection/storage methods. Keeping materials clean and dry prior to collection is important, as is minimising contamination such as blades or knives, wood and plastic for safety reasons and to reduce hazards. The higher the quality of material collected for recycled, the more of it can be returned to new products.
Our members find the training sessions very beneficial, especially for raising awareness of Recofloor throughout the whole business and bringing everyone ‘on board’ with a common aim. Very often this leads to companies extending their recycling efforts to other materials, such as paper, cardboard and glass. There’s also the opportunity to learn about new outlets to reduce commercial waste and how recycling waste vinyl flooring can reduce collectors’ waste disposal costs by up to 75% – useful savings that can be ploughed back into your business.
At specialist flooring contractor Mayfield Floors, 2015 Contractor of the Year Award winner at the Recofloor Awards, the whole company is involved with Recofloor. An integral part of their waste management activities, the scheme is actively promoted throughout their business – from inclusion in van liveries to appearing on client estimates.
Managing Director Anthony Francis recognises the importance of training, stating: “We found that by involving our staff more on the recycling issue, rather than just telling them what we wanted, they were more engaged. We started to hold toolbox talks for all, including showing them exactly what was and wasn’t acceptable and why. This made staff more engaged about what we were trying to do.”
Facilities Manager Adam Kelly gives Toolbox Talks to fitters on the importance of the scheme, saying: “I introduced the talks to new fitters after finding it was helpful in clarifying the scheme’s specifications. When material is returned to us by the fitters, if I discover any contamination I remove it and make an effort to track down who’s responsible and explain what they need to do.”
Anthony concludes: “On the back of the success of our toolbox talks, we include Recofloor in our new starter induction. When touring our premises, we point out the Recofloor bins and encourage them to buy into it from Day One, creating good working practice.”
Recofloor training sessions also help to fire enthusiasm and encourage members to strive to do more. A great example of this is Rudge Brothers and James Ltd, one of the UK’s premier floor coverings and hygienic wall cladding contractors. Having won a Recofloor Bronze Award in 2015, the Bristol-based company clinched a Silver Award and third place in the Greatest Improver category the following year.
“In 2017, we’re going for Gold as we are keen to keep improving,” states Jim Heal, Sales and Contracts Director. “It gives everyone in the office something to aim for; it’s not just the boys on site, it’s company-wide.
“We regard training as important. That’s why we asked Recofloor to hold a training session for us in October so everyone, including our office staff, fitters and sub-contractors, understands what we want to do as a company and for the industry as well.”
Since joining Recofloor in the early days, Rudge Brothers and James Ltd has incorporated the scheme into its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) approach and regularly offers the service to clients, particularly on larger projects.
“The small collection cost far outweighs that of landfilling waste vinyl flooring. For us it’s more a case of doing the right thing: if doing the right thing saves us money as well, then why wouldn’t anybody and everybody do it,” Jim adds.
“That’s the whole point of Recofloor – it makes sense financially as well as for the CSR element. As an industry, we’ve got to get smarter and work together to encourage greater sustainability. Recofloor helps us to do that.”
