Ontera EarthPlus Carpet - Once More, With Feeling
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 08.15.06
We go on and on about buying local food. As if the story ended there. Tried to buy a local iPod, or a local Prius? Or a local green carpet? In a globalised market, it all depends on where you live. To Ontera’s knowledge they are the only Australian carpet manufacturer who offer a local product that supports ‘product renewal and reuse.’ Basically their EarthPlus programme collects, reinvigorates used carpets and puts them back in to marketplace with a seven year warranty. (Similar processes do exist in North America.) Rescued carpets are cleaned, their tuft restored and a new pattern dyed in. EarthPlus carpet cost two thirds that of new carpet, and they suggest there is a 76% reduction in resource consumption, compared to a virginal carpet. For every 1,000m2 of carpet refurbished through this process five tonnes of ‘waste’ is saved from landfill. Over 20,000 m2 of used carpet has so far been salvaged. Although strictly speaking EarthPlus is reuse, it seems they are entitled to classify the range as 100% post-consumer recycled content. It’s been specified for high profile commercial fit-outs. Local ones that is.::Ontera.
And which chemicals are used to clean the carpets? I do not believe in wonders!
That's a shame Josh. Wonders are the things that bring a smile to my face every day.
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
Albert Einstein.
I don't what (if any chemicals) are used in the process. But commonly carpets are cleaned with steam. If it worried you I'm sure they be happy to advise. Acting on concerns is often better than ignoring them.
I'm sorry this is complete greenwashing. I'm an architect and spend a significant amount of time researching green materials. Ontera's tiles do not have any recycled content in them. ON top of that the backing is vinyl. There is absolutely no ability for the tile to be recycled in the future. And their so called recycling process of having the tile scrubbed and reprinted is a joke. Those tiles are not going to become new tiles of equal value. They are cheap bottom of the barrel tiles that they will sell in countries that don't care whether a product is crap or not. I've heard Onterra's speil and it not enivornmental at all. You want real innovation in carpet tiles? Shaw has fiber that can be repeatedly recycled back into carpet tile - no down cycling. Interface has highly recycled content and has a carbon offset program. Out of all of the carpet programs I have research Onterra's is by far the worst example of blatant marketing hype that I've seen.