Circular Economy Circular Economy

Interface to Use Food Waste to Power Dutch Plant

Global carpet-tile manufacturer Interface has announced it will switch to using 100 percent renewable gas at its manufacturing plant in Scherpenzeel, The Netherlands, beginning January 1, 2014. The company has signed a contract with sustainable energy supplier Eneco, which will supply the Interface plant with gas produced using certified 'green' waste from the food industry, provided by fish processor A. van de Groep.

By Jennifer Elks | Published 12 years ago | About a 2 minute read

Interface says it is already using renewable energy across its European manufacturing sites, and the decision to use biogas brings the company closer to its long-term 'Mission Zero' sustainability goal. Through the contract, Interface will receive all of its gas via Eneco, amounting to 2.3 million m3 per year, which is equivalent to the amount of gas used by 750 households annually.

Ton van Keken, SVP of Operations at Interface Europe, said: "The transition to sustainable gas is the next logical step on our journey towards 'Mission Zero' — our goal to become a truly sustainable company and have zero impact on the environment by 2020. By using a combination of green energy and biogas, our European headquarters and our factory in Scherpenzeel will become almost CO2-neutral."

Barth de Klerk, Director at Eneco Business, said: "Interface's 'Mission Zero' goal fits seamlessly with our mission at Eneco, to provide everyone in the Netherlands with sustainably produced energy. By feeding the biogas that is being produced by A. van de Groep to our grid, we can supply Interface with sustainable gas. It is wonderful that through this project all businesses involved can fulfill aspects of their corporate social responsibility."

Interface was one of the first companies to publicly commit to sustainability, when it made its Mission Zero pledge in the mid-nineties to eliminate its impact on the environment by 2020. Interface says it is now more than half way to reaching Mission Zero, thanks in part to continuous innovation and initiatives such as its Net-Works program, which recycles discarded fishing nets into new carpet tiles while delivering socio-economic benefits in the affected poor coastal communities; and its participation in the Healthy Seas Initiative.