21/12/2009 Mosa world's first Cradle to Cradle tile factory

Holland’s Royal Mosa is the world’s first ceramic tile factory to receive the Cradle to Cradle certificate.

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Cradle to Cradle certificate

The company changed the ingredients and materials used in its tiles to make them recyclable for life and cause no damage to the environment. It also launched pilot projects to collect tile waste as raw material to be used for new tiles.

An intensive research and development program, lasting two years, preceded the certificate. Together with the EPEA Institute of Prof. Michael Braungart, founder of the Cradle to Cradle principle, Royal Mosa scanned its entire manufacturing process, raw materials, suppliers and products. Materials that were not sustainable were replaced by materials that are. Mosa adapted their production methods where possible to make high quality tiles which are recyclable. Now Mosa tiles contain 10 to 40 percent recycled material. Tile waste from within the factory was already recycled in a closed cycle, but other tile waste often ends up on dumping-grounds. Therefore the company has started a pilot project in the Netherlands to separate and collect tile waste from construction sites and use it for new tiles. The result of this program is that most Mosa tiles are being classified as ‘to be used in the technical Cradle to Cradle-cycle, but safe for the biological cycle’.

,,Our tile factory exists for over 125 years and we want to continue manufacturing tiles in this place for a long time. Every company who aims for a healthy future has to create sustainable products. That’s the reason we are doing this,” Arthur Thomaes, CEO of Royal Mosa, says.

Mosa received the basic Cradle to Cradle certificate for the collection of unglazed floor tiles and the silver certificate for its collection glossy wall tiles. It’s the beginning of further investments in sustainability.

Royal Mosa is an international design award winning company with 600 employees and a 125 million turn-over in 2008. The company also wants to be a leader in sustainability and started a strategic partnership with EPEA. Mosa is a member of Green Building Councils in several countries.