Tarkett and Aquafil are closing the loop on carpet tiles
Tarkett is a global leader of innovative flooring and sports surface solutions offering a range of products including vinyl, linoleum, carpet, rubber, wood, laminate, synthetic turf and athletic tracks. It has developed a technology at its Dutch Waalwijk carpet production facility enabling the separation of the two principal components of carpet tiles. Its recycling centre creates two streams of materials that can be recycled and transformed into high-quality resources for new products.
The separation process ensures over 95% yarn purity, vital for ensuring that the polyamide 6 (PA6) yarn can be recycled by Tarkett’s partner Aquafil and subsequently transformed into regenerated ECONYL® nylon yarn.
The second separated component, the EcoBase® backing, can be recycled onsite and used to produce carpet tiles.
Available since 2010, EcoBase® is designed for disassembly. Tarkett and Aquafil are stepping up their focus on the circular economy and leading the way in carpet recycling. Tarkett has invested around EUR 15 million in this raft of initiatives intended to close the loop on carpet tiles in Europe.
- Tarkett is the only carpet-maker in Europe to have proven evidence of closing the loop on carpet tile production, as documented by the Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for EcoBase®-backed tiles.
- 100% of an EcoBase®-backed carpet tile made of PA6 yarn is recyclable.