Education Today Education Today Magazine
Governments and institutions around the world are discussing problems with plastic waste on a global scale, it is important to recognise that this is an issue which falls upon every level of society to tackle, local as well as global. There is no better starting point than our own place of work, and with this in mind, we examine the environmental reasons to use solid timber vs vinyl sports flooring in school sports halls.
Vinyl (PVC) sports flooring
Vinyl sports flooring is an oil-based product. Oil is a non-sustainable resource. Estimates report that, at the current rate of consumption, a figure which is increasing annually, our oil reserves will run out by 2053 – just over 30 years away and at a time when our current students will have children of their own. The manufacture of vinyl flooring creates dioxins. These are carcinogenic bio accumulative toxins. These substances pose a health risk to anyone who is exposed to them. Dioxins persist from manufacture to disposal. While attempts are being made to recycle vinyl flooring, currently in the UK, the recycling process can only take “virgin“ vinyl which only comprises off cuts and end of production rolls. Old vinyl floors that have been lifted cannot be reused or recycled and most of the waste is taken to landfill sites. Vinyl flooring is not biodegradable and therefore sits in landfill for generations. There’s no safe way to manufacture, use or dispose of PVC products, no other plastic contains or releases as many dangerous chemicals.
Solid hardwood flooring
An environmentally sound, fully recyclable option, that offers a much longer lifespan than any other sports flooring surface, is a solid hardwood floor. Junckers’ timber comes from legal and sustainably managed sources, and the company has internationally known FSC® and PEFCTM accreditations alongside EPDs, Environmental Product Declarations, which are all independently assessed and verified. The reasons why solid wood floor systems have such good environmental credentials are many: It’s better to use large sections of solid wood By using large sections of solid wood, Junckers does not slice the logs into multiple layers or chip them into smaller pieces which results in less waste, lower energy consumption, minimal use of adhesives, a long lifespan and ease of recycling because the wood is not contaminated by anything else.
Long lifespan – energy and resource efficient
A Junckers solid hardwood floor may be sanded between eight and ten times during its life. Life spans in excess of 60 years are easily achievable and this means lower demands upon natural materials.
Strength through its life
A solid wood floor from Junckers retains its strength exceptionally well through its life. Independent testing shows that a Junckers sports floor, after two sandings has more strength than an “equivalent” engineered floor that has never been sanded.
Recycling – reclaim – repurpose
Solid hardwood boards can be reclaimed if they have useful life remaining. Floating or nailed floors are eminently re-useable and when sanded and sealed can look like a brandnew floor. Solid wood waste is easily recycled and is usually uncontaminated. No reliance on plastics and oil-based materials Whilst plastics, resins and adhesives fall short of the technical properties, longevity and environmental credentials of a solid hardwood floor.
BREEAM
Junckers solid hardwood floorboards comply with the BRE Global Green Guide specification for hard floor finishes, with a summary rating of A+. In short, there are many, many ways in which we can reduce our impact on the environment to safeguard the planet for the future – sports flooring in schools is as good a starting point as any.
Junckers
45-49 Leather Lane, London EC1N 7TJ u 01376 534 700
sales@junckers.co.uk
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