Carpet Landfill to be Cut by InterfaceFLOR's Green Initiative

The world's largest manufacturer of modular carpet tiles has switched its entire Australian production to a superior manufacturing process in a bid to cut the amount of old carpet going to landfill.

InterfaceFLOR is investing $31m to upgrade its plant at Picton, NSW, to accommodate the change, InterfaceFLOR's Australian General Manager Clinton Squires said today.

InterfaceFLOR has moved to 100 per cent recyclable backing, known as GlasBac™, on all of its carpet tiles as part of the company's Mission Zero - a pledge to eliminate any negative impact the company may have on the environment by 2020, Mr Squires said.

"We have now ceased production of bitumen-based Graphlar backings, which have been used for 30 years, due to the fact that components of the bitumen product are difficult to recycle," Mr Squires said.

"At the end of their life we will now be able to recycle 100 per cent of our carpet tiles into new carpet through our Re-Entry Program. In time, InterfaceFLOR won't have to mine for any more raw materials."

The company also offers GlasBacRE carpet tiles, where the backing is not only 100 per cent recyclable, but the carpet tile itself has been made from recycled carpet.

Mr Squires said all of InterfaceFLOR's products became climate neutral in 2007. All greenhouse gas emissions calculated over the entire life cycle of the company's carpets have been eliminated or offset.

"In 2008 we are now closing the loop; viewing our product in a total life cycle perspective."

Mr Squires said 75 per cent of the impact of manufacturing new modular tiles came from the production and supply of raw materials. Recycling carpet tiles, and feeding the materials back into the production loop, will reduce InterfaceFLOR's greenhouse gas impact on the environment by 30 per cent.

"Recycling makes good business sense for carpet users, given levies to dump old carpet at landfills in metropolitan NSW increased by 34 per cent in the last 12 months and by 2011 the increase will be 153 percent from 2005/06 levels."

Mr Squires said InterfaceFLOR this month sent 25 tonnes of carpet to the US for recycling after Perth-based company Lycopodium Engineering engaged InterfaceFLOR to come up with a sustainable solution to replacing its 20-year-old carpet.

"Through our Re-Entry Program we were able to take a competitor's product out of the Lycopodium Engineering offices and ship it to our US plant to be recycled into new carpet tiles.

"It meant the product didn't have to go to landfill and provided a truly sustainable solution for the company's needs and the environment."

Download the InterfaceFLOR fact sheet.

Media contact: Scott McFarlane, Wilkinson Media, 0407 265 053, smcfarlane@wilkinsonmedia.com.au

About InterfaceFLOR®

InterfaceFLOR is the world's largest manufacturer and marketer of commercial modular carpet. It's also a global leader in corporate sustainability. InterfaceFLOR promises to eliminate any negative impact the company may have on the environment by the year 2020. InterfaceFLOR company overview.

Visit: www.interfaceflor.com.au