Considered to be worldwide leader in innovative flooring and sports surface solutions, Tarkett has announced its decision to use phthalate-free plasticisers in its vinyl flooring production in Europe in 2014.
As part of Tarkett’s commitment to greater sustainabilty and eco-innovation, these new phthalate-free products have been designed to improve indoor environment and air quality. Additionally, the phthalate-free plasticisers selected by Tarkett are approved for food contact containers, and can be used for toys intended to be placed in the mouth by children.
“Our aim is to offer more comfortable, healthy and people-friendly indoor spaces, without compromising performance and design experience,” explains Anne-Christine Ayed, executive vice-president of Research, Innovation & Environment for Tarkett Group.
“The launch of this new generation of resilient flooring products sets another milestone on Tarkett’s journey towards environmental sustainability and will encourage the industry to follow in the coming years.”
In 2009, the group launched its first phthalate-free vinyl flooring range – iQ Natural – made with renewable plasticisers, and in the past few years, Tarkett pro-actively started deploying the new phthalate-free technology in its North American and Swedish production sites.
The group will now progressively roll it out within all remaining product sites in Europe during 2014, and around the rest of the world in subsequent years.
Tarkett has also set the highest industry standards by eco-designing all its products to have low or extremely low VOC emissions, thus contributing to better indoor air quality.
“This eco-innovation shows that Tarkett continues to be leading the resilient flooring industry, setting high market standards to answer consumers’ increasing demand for products that combine health, environment, performance and aesthetics,” explains Remco Teulings, president EMEA Division of Tarkett Group.
Tarkett innovative flooring solutions not only conform to all regulations worldwide but also go far beyond them. Tarkett is committed to re-thinking its products, manufacturing processes and business models according to the Cradle-to-Cradle and circular economy principles, which stress the need for a positive contribution to people, and the environment, as well as economic development.
