With Recover we collect our old products for recycling. So how does that go exactly?

In our mission to become circular, we don’t just consider the composition of our products. We also actively collect old Unilin products in order to recycle them. We do this through the Recover programme.

What is Recover?

We invest a great deal of time and effort in the recyclability of our products. In order to effectively recycle them it is important that they return to us at the end of their life cycle. For materials such as vinyl, PIR and MDF no structural collection system exists that is aimed at recycling. That is why we are taking the lead with Recover. We map out the waste streams and organise their collection ourselves.

We work with our partners and customers, for instance for the collection of installation waste from our suppliers, or MDF cutting residues from kitchen builders. We also set up collaborations with specialised recycling partners to work on an industrial scale. This way we can avoid waste from being incinerated or landfilled and at the same time reduce the need for fresh raw materials. A win-win for the planet.

Which materials do we take back?

At the moment we have take-back projects for:

•             chipboards

•             MDF panels

•             vinyl floors

•             PIR insulation boards

In 2023 these projects allowed us to recover no less than 20,092 tonnes of material. Right now Recover is primarily active in Belgium and the Netherlands, and for wood products (chipboards and MDF) in France as well.

By the way, for wood waste our efforts go well beyond the Recover programme as we also collect waste through different sources. Just think of a worn-out cabinet you take to the container park or demolition waste from a worksite. In total we process up to 900,000 tonnes of wood waste in our high-quality chipboards.

What do we do with all of that material?

In short: we recycle it into new materials. The goal is to create a fully circular process. That is why we actively invest in the development and rollout of new recycling technologies. In 2021 the invention of the first technology to recycle MDF on an industrial scale  was an absolute world first.  The next step is to simultaneously scale up the capacity of both our recycling technologies and our logistical processes for the collection of waste. 

In 2023 we already recycled 17,000 tonnes of chipboards, 3,000 tonnes of MDF and 50 tonnes of vinyl into new products. Our chemical recycling technology for PIR insulation panels is currently still in the pilot phase. In a few years’ time we expect to be able to scale up this technology to an industrial level as well. Meanwhile we have succeeded in working with circular material in our insulation boards.