Sustainable Hard Surface Flooring

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Environmental Impact of Flooring

Measurement of flooring’s environmental impact is best defined by Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA identifies product environmental impacts/benefits from raw materials extraction to final disposition.

Material Life Cycle Analysis

Raw Materials Acquisition

Manufacturing Process

Packaging &Shipping

InstallationIndoor Air Quality

Durability &Performance

Resource Recovery

LCA is product specific (MARMOLEUM® ), not category specific (linoleum). Every product stage is evaluated against each environmental impact category below.

Product Example

“We believe an independent, ISO 14040 compliant, peer-reviewed LCA is the best benchmark to measure product goals and set priorities.”

Example of Corporate Policy

Forbo Linoleum’s ISO 14040 Compliant LCA meets MTS’ LCA Standard.

Forbo provides a legally binding & publicly disclosed certification.

Life-Cycle Assessment: Meeting the Standard

How do we use what we learn from LCA’s?

Responsibilities of Manufacturers

…as defined by Agenda 21

• Clean production processes • Responsible entrepreneurship • Healthy environment• Corporate economic sustainability tied to

environmental sustainability• Commitment starts in boardroom, not

marketing department

Corporate Responsibilities

•Waste reduction/elimination •Re-use and recycling of production waste •Accountability of a company for it’s environmental performance •Manufactured from readily renewable raw materials •100% of production waste recycled into product •Issues an annual environmental report

Clean Production Processes

• Linseed oil • Tall oil• Gum resin• Flax• Jute• Limestone• Wood flour• Cork• Pigments

flax

jute

linseed

Linoleum is made from Natural Materials

•FSC sets standards for responsible forest management •Verifies, as third-party certifier, that forest management practices meet those standards •Labels products originating in certified well-managed forests

What is FSC Certified Wood?

Product Example:Parquet FSC Hardwood Flooring

•Address triple bottom line:

environmental, social, economic

•Achieve credibility through rigorous standards, independence, transparency

•Product label backed by third-party certification of Chain-of-Custody

•Improving forest practices worldwide by operating to similar global standards

Forest Certification Success

Demonstrating Sustainable Performance

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