Tarkett Hosts Braungart at NeoCon Event

Chagrin Falls, OH, Aug. 6, 2014 -- Tarkett hosted Dr. Michael Braungart, scientific director and founder of the Environmental Protection & Encouragement Agency and co-founder of Cradle to Cradle design framework, for a seminar during the NeoCon Design Expo and Conference in Chicago in June.

The conference, which was attended by several leading architecture and design professionals, provided a platform for Braungart to explain the C2C philosophy supporting the circular economy, as well as the importance of transparency in sharing product information, referencing sustainable practices of industry leaders.

Braungart demonstrated how the C2C approach could be an “innovation engine” for manufacturers rethinking the choice of raw material that are safe and good for people and the environment, and for architects, designers or specifiers to select sustainable solutions, thus positively contributing to improved indoor air quality, people’s well being and the environment.

He also addressed the challenge of managing the use of PVC in product manufacturing, as well as the whole PVC industry and its co-products.

Since 2011, Tarkett has widely applied the C2C principles and has set its Environmental 2020 roadmap.

Together with the EPEA support, Tarkett said it is focused on designing, developing and manufacturing products that contribute to people’s well being and quality of life, and that can be recycled into a technical cycle (to manufacture new products) or biological cycle (biodegradable / compostable ingredients back to nature).

In late 2013, starting in North America, the company introduced its Environmental Health Statements (EHS) transparency tool in alignment with the C2C transparency value.

“Sharing the knowledge and unparalleled experience of Dr. Braungart with architects and designers is an important part of our efforts to encourage the use of sustainable materials in the design process and improve performance standards throughout the industry,” said Diane Martel, Vice President of Environmental Planning and Strategy for Tarkett North America.