We have always taken environmental issues seriously

Tarkett has more than 100 years of flooring experience, and we have always taken the environmental initiative. We are continuously looking for the sustainable flooring of the future. Nearly all major flooring innovations in the environmental field carry our name. For example, we were the first to stop using asbestos fillers in resilient flooring, and the first to develop flooring surface treatments (PUR) that minimise the use of cleaning chemicals. We also have a long tradition of developing new, sustainable flooring materials, our VisionLine concept being the latest example.

And even though legislation in this area is growing tougher every day, Tarkett has always been one step ahead. We see legislative levels as an absolute minimum and set our standards far more stringently than these requirements.

We anticipated the forthcoming new European regulation REACH a long time ago by setting controls on specific chemicals and emissions.

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Tarkett’s sustainable development missions

• Responsibility and long-term strategy
• Elimination of any hazardous substances
• Low-energy process investments
• Low-emission floorings
• Development of specific flooring surfaces, like PUR, to reduce the use of fresh water and detergents
• Innovation of new polymers for ultimate benefits
• Transparency:
  – Clear declaration of content
  – Life cycle analysis with full breakdown of environmental impact
  – ISO 14001
  – OHSAS 18001

Tarkett’s environmental objectives
Our management is committed to providing all necessary resources to achieve objectives such as:

• Reducing water consumption per manufactured sq m
• Controlling all liquid effluents
• Reducing all kinds of atmospheric emissions
• Reducing production waste and re-using or recycling it
• Controlling and reducing energy consumption

Recycling
The Tarkett group recycles more than 130,000 tons of material per year

• Three large recycling units in Sweden, Luxembourg and France
• All scrap material is recycled during production, with nothing going to waste
• Average recycled material content in our vinyl floorings is 25%
• Programme for returning samples to the plant to be recycled
• Recycling of installation waste in Scandinavia and the UK, with programmes starting in France and the Netherlands
• Tarkett Re-Use waste management programme to avoid contributing to landfill
• Re-Use USA reclamation programme for non-installed jobsite waste

Tarkett’s production centre efforts
During the last five years, our main European production centres have achieved results such as:

• 50% cut in total organic emissions to the atmosphere
• 30% cut in water consumption
• 30% cut in non-recycled waste

Environmental standards and certifications
Tarkett follows international standards for environmental management, and has a number of ambitious certifications. These are some of the eco-labels representing standards and certifications held by some of our products.

Prestigious awards to Tarkett
• In 2004, Tarkett won the Blekinge Institute of Technology’s Golden Oak as “Leader in sustainable development of the year”
• King Carl XVI of Sweden presented the “Swedish Better Environment Award For Industry” (SBEAFI) to Tarkett in 1998
• EBEAFI (European Better Environment Award For Industry) 2000: Tarkett was nominated to represent Sweden among 29 European Companies

Download the Environmental Intelligence brochure