Polyflor SA recycling programme wins award

Polyflor was the first company in South Africa to launch an official recycling programme specifically aimed at the local vinyl flooring industry at the end of last year. To date, the company has managed to divert more than six tonnes of vinyl floor off-cuts, generated during the installation process, from landfill. This material is sent to recyclers who use it for manufacturing traffic cones, rubber boots and sheeting.

“Innovation involves the deliberate application of information, imagination and initiative in deriving greater or different values from resources, and includes all processes by which new ideas are generated and converted into useful products,” said Delanie Bezuidenhout, CEO of the Southern African Vinyls Association, during the awards ceremony.

A first in SA

“The main criteria for this award was that the recipient had to present a recycling initiative that has not been introduced to the South African market before, but will in the long run also contribute greatly to an increase in the recycling of post-consumer PVC waste. For this reason, we felt it fitting to honour Polyflor for their vinyl floor recycling initiative, as well as Adcock Ingram Critical Care for their efforts to encourage PVC recycling in the healthcare environment,” Bezuidenhout explained.

Commenting on the award, Polyflor SA CEO Tandy Coleman said they were honoured by the industry recognition. “Polyflor is committed to reducing our impact on the environment as much as possible, and being an accountable producer, supplier and installer of vinyl flooring that adheres to SAVA’s Product Stewardship Commitment (PSC). We see recycling as being a vital part of the role we play in establishing a vibrant yet responsible industry, which makes economic and cultural sense to anyone involved in this industry,” Coleman says.