Can commercial floors containing vinyl be recycled? Are they currently being recycled?

As a thermoplastic, vinyl is an inherently recyclable material; when floors containing vinyl are produced, manufacturing scraps are routinely recycled directly back into the process.

The carpet industry as a whole is participating in a program called the Memorandum of Understanding for Carpet Stewardship that is committed to increasing the amount of recycling and re-use of all components of post-consumer carpet with the specific objective of reducing waste to landfills. Some manufacturers are already recycling carpet in a closed-loop system that reuses all components of the carpet, including the vinyl backing.

As with any building product, the key to effective post-consumer vinyl recycling is to find a way to collect, separate and transport materials for recycling cost effectively at the end of their useful life.