Lancaster, Pa. — Armstrong World Industries named The Kroger Co. as its 2013 Flooring Recycler of the Year. The Armstrong award recognizes organizations that made significant environmental contributions by recycling VCT materials during demolition projects, resulting in waste reduction in landfill materials, transportation, and energy. According to Armstrong, Kroger received this award because of its commitment to waste reduction as demonstrated by its efforts to reclaim vinyl composition tile (VCT) from multiple stores throughout the United States in 2013.
Kroger began recycling VCT flooring, removed during renovation of their grocery stores, nationwide in 2013 through the Armstrong Reclamation Program for VCT. To date, Kroger has reclaimed over 1 million pounds of VCT material. Since 2007, Armstrong has successfully reclaimed and recycled over 10 million pounds of post-consumer VCT worldwide, representing 5,000 tons of diverted landfill material.
The Armstrong Reclamation Program for VCT reclaims Armstrong VCT and qualifying competitive VCT flooring products from demolition and renovation projects. Under the program, VCT flooring is recycled in a closed-loop, post-consumer stream with reclaimed material incorporated into new flooring products. Armstrong has regional recycling facilities in California, Illinois, and Mississippi.