Wales Firm Begins Carpet Tile Recycling Program

Brecon, Wales, April 1, 2009--A mid Wales facilities support company has launched a carpet tile recycling arm.

Brecon-based Bbi’s new venture, Carpet Carpet, is the first commercial operation of its kind in Wales

Bbi will remove unwanted carpet tiles in offices and buildings then clean and refurbish them so they can be used on new projects as a recycled product.

The venture will not only mean that good quality tiles are available at a much lower price, but also that fewer tiles are sent to landfill and less energy and resources are wasted in the manufacture of new tiles.

With the recycled carpet tiles coming in at around $14 a square meter, a saving of $14 on a typical quality tile, businesses could save around $14,000 on an average 1,000 square meter building.

Simon Oldroyd, group sales and marketing director at Bbi, said: “We have seen a genuine, active interest from our bluechip clients to do their bit for the environment, but in a tough economic climate it can be more difficult to justify spending extra on sustainability schemes.

“This is why this scheme ticks all the boxes. Clients save money, the energy and resources that would have gone into making new products is reduced, and waste going to landfill is stopped. This really is a win-win situation for all, which is rare in the construction industry.”

Each year the UK sends about 335 million tons of waste to landfill, 2% of which is made up of carpet waste.

The move was inspired by one of Bbi’s clients, the Welsh Assembly Government, which is required to use at least 10% recycled materials in new fit-outs.

The recycling system Bbi has developed uses biodegradable products to clean and rebuff tiles, making them suitable for reuse. The cleaning process cuts down on the extra energy required for traditional recycling schemes where tiles have to be broken down and then re-made into a new product.