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RecofloorVinyl Take-Back Scheme

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1 Vinyl types

3 Contaminants2

Current outlets

4 Specification

guidelines

Founder members:

Guidance for recovering vinyl flooring for recycling

A Step-by-Step Guide

1Types of vinyl flooring currently manufactured

This section shows the main vinyl flooring types currently manufactured and collected through Recofloor.

The purpose is to help you recognise the different types of vinyl flooring that pass through your site and to help you meet Recofloor’s specifications.

RecofloorVinyl Take-Back Scheme

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Smooth Vinyl ✓

Homogeneous calendered: Homogenous calendered flooring is used in commercial applications, such has healthcare and education facilities, for its superior maintenance and hygiene properties.Homogenous vinyl is a monolayer floor covering in construction, and therefore has a uniform colour front and back. It is manufactured by calendering and pressing to ensure a dense, smooth surface.The product is available with non-directional or directional design and comes in a sheet or tile form.

Heterogeneous coated: Heterogeneous coated flooring is used in domestic and commercial applications. It is produced as a plain sheet vinyl and usually has a sandwich construction, including a spread coated backing layer, a fibreglass reinforced integral print layer or a polyester mat in the middle to provide strength and clear PVC wear layer.Heterogeneous coated flooring has a smooth feel and appearance, and is available with an abstract or natural design. It comes in sheet form only.

Safety Vinyl ✓ Safety flooring or slip-resistant flooring, is used in commercial and residential applications, particularly where slips, trips and falls may be a greater concern.

Safety flooring contains aggregates such as coloured quartz, natural recycled aggregates, silicon carbide and aluminium oxide, which provide enhanced, sustainable slip resistance.Safety flooring has a rougher/textured feel, due to aggregates and in some cases emboss. Traditional styles are non-directional or directional, with modern safety flooring featuring abstract or natural designs. It is available in sheet form only.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles ✓ Luxury Vinyl Tiles are used for domestic and commercial installations and are available in a plank or tile format.

The flexible tiles and planks consist of a clear PVC wear layer, print film layer and backing ply. The print film provides an authentic look of wood, stone, mineral or material effect flooring. For an extra natural feature many of the tiles and planks include a realistic emboss.

RecofloorVinyl Take-Back Scheme

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RecofloorVinyl Take-Back Scheme

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RecofloorVinyl Take-Back Scheme

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2Current outlets for products made from recycled vinyl flooring

This section shows products that are made from vinyl flooring collected through the Recofloor scheme.

RecofloorVinyl Take-Back Scheme

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Traffic management products Uplifted smooth vinyl flooring is also collected by Polyflor and Altro, however this cannot be used in the manufacture of new flooring due to the adhesive. Therefore it is delivered to a reprocessor in the UK who recycles it into traffic calming products, including cones, sleeping policemen and road barrier bases.

New flooring Smooth and safety vinyl flooring off-cuts are collected by Polyflor and Altro, who then hand sort the material by colour and type at their manufacturing plants in the UK.

The sorted vinyl flooring off-cuts are then used in the production of new Polyflor and Altro smooth and safety flooring.

New vinyl flooring contains up to 40% recycled content and is 100% recyclable.

Exploring new outlets Recofloor is always looking to increase market options for the waste vinyl flooring collected. In 2014, we ran a design competition to invite universities to design a commercially viable product that could be manufactured using post-consumer vinyl flooring. Hertfordshire University came up with the winning design; a modular compost bin.

A prototype has been made and Recofloor is working with the University on further research and product development.

3Contaminants and the problems they cause

This section shows the types of contamination you may see coming into your site, where it comes from and problems they can cause.

Prevention makes it easier to produce a quality product from the vinyl you collect.

RecofloorVinyl Take-Back Scheme

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Blades or knives Blades and knives not only cause a hazard when hand sorting, but can also damage machinery which is costly to repair.

Flooring with asbestos Some flooring may contain or be contaminated with asbestos. This is not acceptable via Recofloor and would need to be disposed of accordingly.

Wood Wood can impair the recycling process and decrease the quality of the finished product.

General waste General construction waste hinders the recycling process, making the vinyl unsuitable for recycling.

Plastic and polythene Plastic or polythene wrapping can get caught in the recycling machinery and hinder the recycling process.

Demolition waste or rubble Demolition waste or rubble such as concrete can blunt and damage recycling machinery.

Screed and adhesive Cement, adhesive or glue waste can cause definitive damage to collection containers and machinery.

✓✗

• Uplifted safety flooring

• Cushion flooring

• All other flooring

• Any other items e.g. plastic, blades, cans etc

4Accepted for Recycling:

Founder Members:Contact: Tel: 0161 355 7618 Email: info@recofloor.org Web: www.recofloor.org Twitter: @Recofloor

RecofloorVinyl Take-Back Scheme

TM Recycling Guidelines

• Smooth and safety vinyl flooring off-cuts and roll-ends

• Uplifted smooth vinyl flooring

Not Accepted for Recycling: