Roppe Corporation is proud to introduce IMPACT, their rubber products recycling program. As a leader of product innovation, quality and color options in the commercial flooring products industry, Roppe has done extensive research to put together a recycling program that meets the strictest requirements for sustainability.
Roppe’s rubber flooring products can be found in many of our oldest schools, churches, hotels, healthcare facilities, office buildings and more across the nation. At the point that the facility decides to renovate the space and replace rubber products, it can easily be recycled within the Roppe’s IMPACT Recycling program that encourages building professionals – designers, contractors and owners – to Rethink + Reuse + Recycle = Responsibility. “We hope that this program will encourage the use of rubber flooring products among designers who have not considered rubber in the past due to the environmental concerns at the end of the products life cycle,” said Dee Dee Brickner, Marketing Coordinator for Roppe Corporation.
Products are gathered at the jobsite and palletized or gathered in containers for return to our recycling partner, who is a leader in recycling non-tire rubber products in the Midwest, and are made into many different products. In the past, rubber products with adhesive were not able to be recycled. There was no real solution for those interested in recycling other than scrapping to remove the old adhesive prior to return for recycling. However, after extensive research and development, a new proprietary process was engineered that alleviates this problem. Brickner also added, “Many of our contractor partners have expressed that the process will ultimately end up being cost neutral when considering the cost to landfill the products versus shipping them to our recycling partner. They also stated that much like the recycling pioneers in the carpet industry, Roppe’s rubber recycling process on the jobsite will eventually become a standard practice among contractors. We are the first to implement a program of this sort for installed rubber products and samples in the field and we are excited to see how it will be received.”
The most popular products right now are municipal landscaping mulches, playground surfacing and rubber crumb for athletic fields and other applications. Specialty products such as pavers and edgings can also be made as needed. The rubber is treated with a new-age EPA approved adherent paint that is available is an array of eight dazzling colors, which means it doesn’t matter what color the product is that you are recycling, because it can be colored for consistency upon request. The result of this partnership is that potentially thousands of pounds of jobsite waste can be diverted each year from our already gorged landfills and repurposed into cost-effective products that simultaneously promote the environment while providing beautiful, durable landscaping alternatives or eye-catching playground surfaces that are the cleanest and safest on the American market.
The following products have been approved to be recycled with this vendor: Pinnacle Rubber Base, AlphaBase®, BaseMates®, Pinnacle Plus Wall Base, Rubber Corner Blocks, Dimensions Rubber Tile, Smooth and Marbleized Rubber Tile, Raised Design Rubber Tile and Tread, SafeTcork® Rubber Tile and Tread, Fiesta® Rubber Tile and Tread, SafeTcork® Fiesta® Rubber Tile and Tread, Designer’s Choice® Rubber Tile, Spike/Skate Resistant Tile, Recoil Fitness Flooring, Tuflex® Recycled Rubber Tile and Rubber Accessories.
Roppe joined the USGBC in 2003 and has since become a leader in the commercial flooring industry, pioneering many green product initiatives that come standard in 23 of our product brands every day without sacrificing color choices, stock availability or incurring added costs. We continue to look at our manufacturing processes and work toward creating healthier work environments that produce sustainable products for use in healthcare, education, hospitality, and commercial interiors. This program is another example of Roppe’s dedication to environmental responsibility that is designed to simplify and encourage others within the industry to respect our environment and protect our natural resources.-Dee Dee Brickner
