Africa

Africa and the developing world are in many ways far ahead of the West when it comes to recycling, this reflection after visiting with a delegation from South Africa to the NEOCon trade show in Chicago. “Recycling is not a matter of policy for many in Africa but a matter of survival – which it is fast becoming for the rest of the world,” said Peter Simon, Managing Director of Albert Carpets in Cape Town. “Repurposing, as you call it, is a practical and essential way of life in cultures where nothing goes to waste, nothing technically is waste.” Albert Carpets is a top installation company for InterfaceFLOR, a world leader in sustainability, which has for many years provided chic, eco-friendly and socially responsible modular flooring to customers throughout Africa such as the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Standard Bank. “Our customers have recognized the environmental impact and value of our sustainable products for years,” said Lesley Fidrmuc, InterfaceFLOR’s General Manager for Africa. “For them, making the decision to go green is nothing new.”