Australian floorcovering suppliers back waste recovery scheme ResiLoop

Fifteen leading Australian suppliers of resilient floorcoverings have committed to provide funding support to ResiLoop, Australia’s first national product stewardship scheme for resilient flooring.

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.  This was to start addressing the 60,000 tonnes of flooring waste generated annually from installation and end of use.

With a target scheme start date of late 2024, key to implementing the scheme is confirming local end markets for the use of recyclate. Recyclate refers to raw materials transported to a waste recycling facility to be processed into a newly formed material or product.

ARFA sought industry investment to continue ResiLoop’s research and manufacturing trials and to begin scheme start up preparation.

The fifteen suppliers are now the founding members of ResiLoop Limited, which is incorporated as a not-for-profit product stewardship organisation.

ResiLoop is now in a transition phase as 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.

Keep on the lookout for upcoming updates.

The founding members of ResiLoop Limited are:

Altro APAC
Amtico International
Armstrong Flooring
Forbo Floorcoverings
Gerflor Australasia
Interface Australia
Karndean International
Kenbrock
Milliken (Australia)
Pegulan Floor Coverings
Polyflor Australia
Shaw Contract Group
Signature Floorcoverings
The Andrews Group
Tarkett Australia.