Armstrong Flooring

Social & Environmental

Armstrong Flooring is committed to achieving the highest standards of responsible business practice and sustainability and to produce a positive overall impact on society.

Sustainability recognises the interdependence of economic, social, and environmental objectives in ensuring the long-term viability of the organisation. Sustainability is good business and Armstrong Flooring is continuously looking for opportunities to be more environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable.

Corporate social and environmental responsibility goes beyond the point of sale and warranty periods. Armstrong Flooring is committed to responsible life cycle management and the core principles of product stewardship and extended producer responsibility.

Of key focus is minimising manufacturing waste and waste sent to landfills and seeking meaningful energy and carbon emission reductions through real business change and innovation. We utilise our unique local manufacturing position to make, reuse, and recycle Australian materials and waste streams.

As Australia’s only manufacturer of sheet vinyl, Armstrong Flooring has the unique capability to locally recycle pre-consumer waste and offers a takeback program for waste generated as part of the sheet vinyl installation process. Armstrong Flooring is also currently exploring alternatives for recycling and diversion from landfill of post-consumer waste.

Environmental Certifications

Many of our floorcoverings have been independently audited and certified by third parties including Global GreenTag, Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), and New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC). Assessments of our products are based on a life cycle approach and measure the impact of our products, empowering professionals and consumers alike to confidently choose products that are environmentally preferred.

PVC Recycling in Hospitals Program

Plastics can account for around a third of hospital general waste, with PVC medical products, such as face masks, oxygen tubes, and intravenous bags, attributing to approximately a quarter of this. ¹

Initiated in Australia by the Vinyl Council, the PVC Recycling in Hospitals program collects used PVC medical products for recycling safely into new products. The program is operating in over 280 hospitals and healthcare facilities in Australia and New Zealand. ²

As Australia’s only sheet vinyl manufacturer, Armstrong Flooring is able to use the recycled plastic face masks in its Australian-made products, reducing this waste going to landfill. The plastic face masks are pulverised into a fine powder and put into the production of our Accolade, Natralis, and Australis homogeneous flooring collections.

Each tonne of recycled PVC replaces around one tonne of virgin PVC compound in new products, consuming 80% less energy and reducing carbon emissions. ² Twenty-five tonnes of the fine powder is collected each year, reducing the equivalent amount of virgin PVC material that goes into approximately one million square metres of our flooring products.

1 Department of Health. PVC Recycling in Hospitals.

https://www.health.vic.gov.au/planning-infrastructure/pvc-recycling-in-hospitals

2 Vinyl Council Australia. PVC Recycling in Hospitals.

https://www.vinyl.org.au/pvc-recycling-in-hospitals