ReSource Commercial Network
With nearly 100 locations across the U.S., Kris Keller, vice president marketing and member services, said members of the group “are encouraged to consider sustainability within every aspect of their business.” To help them, ReSource created Ecollect.
“The mission of Ecollect is to divert waste material being sent to landfills,” she said. “Members are encouraged to find ways to divert these materials through reducing, reusing and recycling.”
During its recent annual member conference (FCNews, April 5/12), ReSource recognized two members who exemplify the goals of the Ecollect initiative—Flooring Resources Corp. (FRC) and Resource 4 Floors.
FRC of Elk Grove Village, Ill., offers reclamation and recycling services—even from competitors’ jobs and often for free. FRC picks up the carpet waste from jobsites in the greater Chicago area and returns it to its warehouse where the material is sorted for reclamation and possible reuse for a “second life.” “We want to be known as the greenest flooring company in the country and have dedicated time, money and a great deal of effort to make the Chicagoland area aware of our passion,” said George Spanske, president.
Today’s consumer has no problem purchasing a “certified, pre-owned” Lexus, why not carpet? Taking reuse to the next level, Resource 4 Floors in Ft. Lauderdale evaluates discarded carpet tiles and cleans, sanitizes and sells or donates to charity for reuse. Recently the company completed a replacement project for Song + Associates using reclaimed carpet material in their offices. Meagan Cleary, LEED AP with Song, shared, “The story behind the replacement of our carpet is something of which we can really be proud.”
In 2009, Keller noted ReSource members reported 6.8 million pounds of carpet waste diverted from landfills. Waste diversion reporting is tracked on the group’s Web site at rcfn.com.