Company Receives Award in “Industry Leadership” Category for its Zero Waste to Landfill Achievement
DALTON, Ga. – Dec. 19, 2016 – Architectural Products, a leading trade magazine for commercial architects and designers, has named J+J Flooring Group a recipient of its 2016 Product Innovation Awards. Receiving the award in the Industry Leadership category, judges cited J+J as a floor covering innovator in conservation for its zero waste to landfill (ZWL) achievement.
Now in its sixth year, the awards seek to champion product ingenuity in the built environment. The Industry Leadership award recognizes outstanding leadership in the form of exceptional educational efforts, R+D efforts, sustainability efforts, and/or architectural tools/services.
In 2015, J+J Flooring Group became the first commercial flooring manufacturer to achieve ZWL and go the extra step to have its entire waste diversion efforts audited and verified by a recognized, third-party certifier of environmental claims. Earlier this year, J+J received ZWL recertification from GreenCircle LLC., continuing its industry leading position.
A judge’s comment accompanying a write-up about J+J in the magazine’s November issue, where all 2016 PIA Award winners are featured, stated: “This company puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to waste management and product after-life. I applaud their efforts. Such a program stands as a model for the rest of the products industry.”
“We are honored to be selected for this prestigious award. It’s gratifying to have our ZWL achievement held up as a model for other manufacturers to aspire to and have it recognized by experts in the design industry,” said J+J Flooring Group Director of Environmental Innovation Russ Delozier.
During the 2015-2016 audit time period with GreenCircle, J+J diverted more than 5.2 million pounds of waste from local area landfills. The company achieved this by recycling 3.8 million pounds, reusing 802,000 pounds and sending 605,000 pounds of material waste to Covanta, the country’s largest energy-from-waste operator.
GreenCircle’s certification covers J+J’s waste diversion at its Dalton, Ga., corporate campus, which includes both its manufacturing and administrative offices totaling 950,000 square feet. In addition to industrial and manufacturing waste, the company diverts waste from all bathrooms, break areas, offices, conference rooms and design studios.
According to the magazine, J+J’s entry was evaluated by a panel of qualified jurors who are recognized for their expertise in the design industry. More than 40 industry professionals were recruited for this task.
J+J Flooring Group began landfill reduction efforts nearly 25 years ago. This and other critical sustainability goals are being met through the company’s strategic 20/20 Vision, a roadmap articulating the company’s commitment to corporate responsibility and how key environmental goals will be achieved by 2020.
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