SWIFT Project (Switchable Adhesives for Flooring Tiles)

Carpet tile recycling is limited due to the industry’s inability to separate components cleanly at the end of the product life. In Europe, around 70 million kilogrammes of carpet tile waste is incinerated or sent to landfill sites every year.

The SWIFT (SWItchable adhesive for Flooring Tiles) project has developed a switchable adhesive - derived from low cost renewable materials - which can have its adhesive quality switched on or off using a chemical treatment that is inexpensive and does not damage the tile materials.

Not only does this innovation allow the fabric and bitumen layers of a used carpet tile to be disassembled and recycled, minimizing the need for virgin materials and diverting waste materials from landfills, but it provides a green alternative to synthetic adhesives currently on the market.

With the approximate sales for carpet tiles in the EEA at 45 million m2 or over 100 million kg per annum the environmental impact of a more sustainable product design and process in the textile flooring industry cannot be underestimated.

The starch based adhesive has excellent mechanical properties making it fit for purpose for a number of years. It has also been found to have remarkable fire resistant properties, negating the need for flame retardant chemical auxiliaries contributing further to its green credentials.

The innovative technology has had a patent registered and aims to be a commercialized product in the near future. It is believed that the technology can also be transferred to other textile based industries.

SWIFT is a collaborative project between the University of York, InterfaceFLOR, Contract Chemicals, ITAC, and NFFCC supported by the TSB (Technology Strategy Board). It demonstrates the value of committed industrial/ academic partnerships to advancing sustainable technologies.