IOBAC: adhesive-free flooring tiles which can be readily reused and recycled

IOBAC
Type of organisation or company
Country
United Kingdom
City
Tadley
Language for original content
Ongoing
Yes
ian@iobac.com
Description

No adhesive = easier to reuse or recycle

A vast amount of floor coverings end up being sent to landfills, and one reason for that is the adhesive used which makes used flooring difficult to recycle and reuse. IOBAC avoids adhesive and manufactures adhesive-free flooring installation solutions, rather than the flooring product itself. Specifically, its Dual-Grip technology affixes flooring using both magnetism and tack. This means that tiles can be taken up and reused, keeping the components in the value chain, or recycled. The technology is manufactured using plant-based VOC-free resins, recycled rubber tyres and additives from scrap iron.

When installed using IOBAC technology, the floor covering is not contaminated by adhesive and therefore can be reused or recycled, rather than ending up in landfills or incineration plants. This facilitates the take-back schemes run by flooring manufactures such as Tarkett’s ReStart® programme, making them more feasible to implement. IOBAC has partnered with many major flooring manufacturers to approve its products for use with theirs. 

How IOBAC works

Adhesive-free installation from IOBAC uses a simple, 2-part method:

1. a compatible base:

  • Metal raised access flooring 
  • IOBAC Ezy-Install Underlay – a dry-laid underlay offering acoustic and underfoot comfort – made using recycled rubber tyres
  • IOBAC Resin – fast-curing plant-based VOC-free resins for minimal disruption – contains metal additive from recycled scrap iron 

2. the floor covering:

  • Standard backed carpet tiles, Luxury Vinyl Tile and woven vinyl tiles fixed with IOBAC MagTabs
  • Magnetically backed LVT, wood or ceramic tiles 
Main activity field
Main results
  • IOBAC eliminates landfill waste through 100 % waste diversion 
  • IOBAC enables floor coverings such as carpet and luxury vinyl tiles to be reused
  • IOBAC’s fast installation and replacement process means less loss of revenue due to business closure and/or repairs
  • IOBAC's technology prevents contamination of metal raised access flooring
  • sustainability assessment certifications such as BREEAM, SKA rating and LEED recognise IOBAC's contribution towards circularity, awarding credits for reuse of flooring materials and waste reduction
  • the recent Circular Buildings Toolkit developed by Arup and Ellen MacArthur Foundation advocates “reversible connections” such as adhesive-free installation, as there is no damage to individual elements, giving them a second life.