Altro joins industry suppliers in founding Australia’s first national waste recovery scheme - ResiLoop
ResiLoop is a new product stewardship scheme focused on recycling research and development to address the challenges presented by past, current and future consumption of resilient floorcoverings in Australia.
With funding from the Australian Government, ResiLoop was initiated by the Australian Resilient Flooring Association (ARFA) in 2022, and a proposed approach was released in May 2023 to start addressing the 60,000 tonnes of flooring waste generated annually from installation and end of use.
Resilient floorcoverings such as sheet vinyl, linoleum or rubber, Luxury Vinyl Tiles and hybrid tiles are durable products with use lifespans of 30 years or so. The market for these products has grown significantly over the past decade, largely through imports.
With a target start date of late 2024, key to implementing the scheme is confirming local end markets for the recyclate. ARFA sought industry investment to continue ResiLoop’s research and manufacturing trials and to begin the preparation for scheme start-up.
ARFA President Dan Lovell said, “We are pleased to announce that all of ARFA’s members, representing 60 per cent of market sales nationally, have agreed to provide financial contributions proportionate to their sales to support this ongoing work.”
“We really appreciate the commitment from these companies, the willingness to step up and make this investment to help drive a circular future for floorcoverings in Australia. These companies become the Founding Members of ResiLoop Limited, the product stewardship organisation which will manage the scheme.”
ResiLoop Limited has now been incorporated as a not-for-profit product stewardship organisation.
As the inaugural chair of the organisation, Chris Barker, explained the next steps of the scheme citing the support of industry the key to success.
“ResiLoop is now in the transition phase, where it moves from being an industry proposed concept to a live scheme.”
Over the next six months, current re-manufacturing trials will be continued, and new, potential end applications for the recyclates will be explored with interested parties. The governance arrangements for ResiLoop Limited will also be planned in consultation with Founding Members.
“None of this would be possible without the ongoing support of the Australian Government and the commitment of product suppliers to work collaboratively towards a solution,” Chris said.
“Together, it gives us an opportunity to explore all potential avenues for recycling these materials in Australia.”
Altro has always placed great value on innovation and sustainability, and it is delighted to be a founding member of ResiLoop, as Altro APAC Commercial Manager Tim Attard explains.
“Altro has been championing sustainability by recycling its waste through Recofloor, a UK scheme Altro co-founded in 2009. However, we must make progress locally and begin recycling within Australia. Altro is thrilled to have been a proud supporter of ResiLoop from day one, and we can't wait to witness its phenomenal growth, which we believe will become a cornerstone of Altro's commitment to sustainability and a game-changer in the vinyl flooring industry's green initiatives.”
About Altro
Altro, a 100-year-old family business, makes durable floor, wall and door products for the commercial construction market. We work with architects, designers and end users to find the right solution for their project with fit-for-purpose products in the front and back of house areas. Our products not only look good but also meet the highest safety, hygiene and sustainability standards.
About ResiLoop
ResiLoop is an initiative of ARFA to research and design an Australian resilient flooring product stewardship scheme. The project received funding from the Australian Government through the National Product Stewardship Investment Fund.
ResiLoop has developed a business case, supported by proof of concept trials, for a national scheme supported by the industry in Australia. Based on material flow analysis of locally made and imported products consumed in the domestic market, it will address the logistics of recovering and sorting flooring waste streams, development of suitable recycling technologies and processes to produce recyclate of optimal quality, and identification and development of viable end markets for the material in Australia.