Abstract
The European Resilient Floorcovering Manufacturers Institute includes manufacturers of floorings from vinyl, linoleum, rubber and synthetic thermoplastic and takes a leading role in the development of new European and international standards. The increased pressure to supply environmental as well as performance data has led European Resilient Floorcovering Manufacturers Institute to produce a set of environmental product declarations for a range of product types. The implications of drawing together data for 12 different types of flooring, with four different material types, using data from 13 separate companies in nine different countries, are discussed. The study has provided what is believed to be the most comprehensive survey available of the environmental impact of flooring, being derived from actual industry data. The end result of the project is, first, a document that can be used by designers to assess the impact of their choice of flooring and, second, a tool to assist member companies to improve the environmental performance of their products.
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