Leicester-based Kilworth Flooring & Furnishing Company Ltd says it is ‘flying the flag’ for waste recycling after winning a Recofloor award for their commitment to diverting waste vinyl flooring from landfill.
Will Stanway, Installation and Operations Manager, was named Recofloor Champion for his efforts in ensuring clean waste offcuts and roll-ends from flooring projects were collected, segregated, and sent for recycling into new products, including flooring.
The specialist flooring contractor was also Highly Commended in the Contractor of the Year category of the 2021 Recofloor Awards, which recognise the environmental efforts of flooring sector participants across the UK. Since joining Recofloor in 2019, the firm has collected more than 30 bulk bags of waste vinyl flooring for recycling.
Will says: “As a smaller player, it’s great to be recognised for our efforts in preventing recyclable waste material from being landfilled. If we can do a positive thing, and if enough smaller companies take part too, then we can really make an impact. We are flying the flag for recycling!”
Kilworth Flooring & Furnishing Company Ltd specialises in interior design work on new build nursing and care homes, supplying furnishings and supporting customers with their flooring business. It uses the Recofloor scheme on its numerous vinyl safety flooring projects in these properties across the UK. Clean materials that can be recycled through the scheme are sorted and stored in a dedicated ‘recycling zone’ prior to collection.
Joining Recofloor was ‘another tick in another box’ for an area in which we ‘clearly create a lot of waste’, says Neil Stanway, Managing Director. “The best thing about Recofloor is the story you can tell your customers, helping to promote a positive vibe within the business and the industry.”
The take-back scheme has helped the company to ‘better redirect the vinyl flooring waste’, he says. “We have a weight limit in our commercial waste bins, so to be able to offload that weight into the Recofloor collection system, which is such good value, has benefited us in terms of disposal cost savings.”
As well as existing recycling of cardboard and plastics, Kilworth is now expanding its recycling efforts into other areas, such as glue tubs and latex containers that are collected through a separate scheme. “Recycling our waste material not only saves us on disposal costs but is hugely beneficial for the environment,” says Will.
Neil adds: “It’s not just about the big names and huge projects, even the smaller companies can make a difference when it comes to recycling and driving sustainability in the flooring sector. We promote the concept behind Recofloor, which is the important thing, and it gets people talking. The scheme is appealing for contractors because it’s just really easy to do, so why wouldn’t you do it?”
Set up in 2009 by flooring manufacturers Altro and Polyflor, Recofloor is the flooring sector’s sustainable take-back scheme for commercial waste vinyl generated from all types of projects. The material is recycled and used in new products, including flooring.
Congratulating the team on their award, Recofloor Scheme Manager, Carla Eslava says: “Kilworth Flooring & Furnishing Company Ltd consistently return good clean material capable of being recycled and is a shining example of what can be achieved with a committed approach.”
Contact Kilworth Flooring & Furnishing Company Ltd on info@kilworth.co.uk
