Recofloor Wins The Process Premier Award

The company won the Process Premier Award and was presented with the trophy by Sir John Armitt, chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, at the 2012 BCE Environmental Leadership Awards ceremony in London recently.

Fourteen companies, ranging in size from SMEs to much larger businesses, also won major awards or commendations across a number of sectors including construction and utilities.

Founded by Sir Peter Parker in 1975, the BCE Awards scheme is one of the world’s longest running environmental competitions.

Jane Gardner receiving the award from Sir John Armitt
Founded in 2009 by UK flooring manufacturers Altro and Polyflor, Recofloor is the UK’s first, joint, industry-led, vinyl-flooring recycling scheme. Managed by resource recovery specialist Axion Consulting, Recofloor diverts waste vinyl flooring from landfill by collecting the material from across the supply chain and recycles it.

Recofloor is a unique example of two major competitors working collaboratively to promote sustainability of their products – a major achievement and an important step for the flooring sector as a whole.

Over three years, 700 tonnes of waste vinyl flooring – enough to cover a football pitch 32 times – has been diverted from landfill, with a net reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 556 tonnes achieved since the scheme began – equivalent to the emissions from a family car driving around the equator 67 times.

Recofloor project manager Jane Gardner said: “The producer responsibility taken by Recofloor’s founders, Altro and Polyflor saw 447 tonnes of vinyl diverted from landfill in 2011 alone. Winning this BCE Award validates Recofloor’s pioneering engagement of the supply chain and the commitment of our collectors.”

Outstanding environmental leadership displayed by AkzoNobel Decorative Paints UK in the reformulation of its leading paint brand Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt White scooped the most coveted Business Commitment to the Environment (BCE) award last night, the Sir Peter Parker Award.

“The BCE Awards are a showcase for environmental excellence and innovation,” said BCE Awards president Sir Anthony Cleaver. “Our judges were very impressed with how environmental sustainability is a cornerstone of AkzoNobel’s business philosophy and this entry really ticked all the boxes for us.

“Converting a leading brand and its customers to a more sustainable product takes great belief and commitment. We think it demonstrates outstanding leadership as a sustainable business model.”

Using innovative technology, the company developed a new formulation that has 15% less embodied carbon and uses 20% less water during manufacturing when compared with its predecessor, while still delivering the expected opacity, coverage, application and finish.

The company invested in extensive training and awareness programmes for customers to familiarise them with the product. In just the first quarter following its reformulation, the new Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt White reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 600 tonnes, saved 15,000 litres of water and prevented 77 tonnes of waste from being generated.

The Sir Peter Parker Award was the highlight of the 15 awards and commendations presented at the ceremony, which was attended by representatives from many of the UK’s leading businesses.

Premier Awards went to Bluestone National Park Resort, vinyl-flooring recycling scheme Recofloor, water and wastewater management services company Veolia Water UK and water treatment systems provider Watermaiden Ltd. Construction company Skanska UK, won a special commendation for Continuous Commitment and Improvement.

A number of other businesses received Major Commendations. These were Anglian Water @one Alliance, De Beers UK Ltd, Euro Payment Systems Ltd, Greenworks, Mantle Panel Ltd, MGWSP Northamptonshire Highways, The Less Packaging Company, The Wool Packaging Company Ltd and Vegware Ltd.

Work by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to minimise the environmental impact of new venues and infrastructure for the London 2012 Games won the prestigious Sir Peter Parker Award at last year’s BCE Awards ceremony.

ODA Chairman Sir John Armitt said: “We were delighted to win the Sir Peter Parker award in 2011. It’s a tremendous accolade to win the top BCE Award and we realise how difficult it is to win as the standards set by the other finalists are so high.

“Sustainability has been integral to the London 2012 project so we have first-hand experience of how British businesses can rise to the challenge of delivering innovative environmental solutions. This requires leadership as well as practical implementation skills. I can see the same impressive qualities displayed by BCE Award finalists and congratulate this year’s winners on their achievements.”

Over more than 35 years, the Awards have attracted some of the most influential names in industry, including the Olympic Delivery Authority, Kingfisher, ASDA, Unilever, Marks & Spencer and Rolls-Royce.

WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) is the lead sponsor of the 2012 BCE Awards. Main sponsors are AEA, Brunswick Group and E.ON.


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