GH Commercial and Godfrey Hirst are on a journey to achieve a circular economy by repurposing and recycling end-of-life flooring products. We’re always looking for new ways to reduce what we send to landfill.
Geelong-based company GT Recycling, supported by Deakin University, approached Godfrey Hirst with the idea of recycling pre-consumer carpet waste into an innovative recycled reinforced concrete product. Eager to assist, we offered our carpet waste and industry knowledge to assist in the development of the concept product – FibreCrete.
No Time to Waste
Since Godfrey Hirst’s manufacturing factories already recycle much of their pre-consumer waste, there was previously no waste stream for unbacked Triexta carpet or fibre. Unlike polypropylene and solution dyed nylon, which can be repolymerised, there is less demand for the partially biobased fibre of Triexta.
We provided GT Recycling with our Triexta waste carpet to help them develop their concept. Working with specialist researchers at Deakin University and Local Mix Concrete in Moolap, they created GT FibreCrete.
New Products, New Prospects
GT FibreCrete is an innovative Carpet Fibre Reinforced Concrete (CFRC) that uses the fibre of carpet waste instead of reinforced steel mesh, often known as ‘reo’. The carpet offers a strong and sustainable solution to replace the steel mesh in concrete products.
Currently in research and development, GT FibreCrete has been successfully trialled on high traffic industrial driveways and proved highly resilient against cracks when compared to plain concrete. Future applications of CFRC are likely to include residential driveways, footpaths, cycle paths and industrial hardstand areas.
An Australian First
“This collaboration has successfully proven the suitability and benefits of this new product innovation, and we believe that a new and Australian first product has been established.”
"GT Recycling has taken a previously non-recyclable waste problem… to deliver a sustainable recycling solution for Australia’s largest carpet manufacturer, whilst having a positive impact on the environment and reducing the volume of waste destined to landfill,” said Doug McLean, business advisor at GT Recycling.
Godfrey Hirst has sent over 155,000kg of carpet waste for recycling and is proud to have joined GT Recycling and Deakin University to help develop another truly local solution to a global problem.
