Our environmental commitments

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENTS

COUNTER CULTURE

We are committed to making the world a cleaner place that is more respectful of the environment and people. To achieve this, we strive to continuously improve our environmental approach, based on transparency for our clients and end users.

Our solutions can be used in all contexts, from new construction to renovation, and in different types of buildings: commercial, community housing, hospitals and residential buildings.

SMARTER PRODUCTION

The choice of the raw materials used, and the energy consumed, contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally-conscious production. The ISO management systems confirm our concept of continuous improvement.

USING RENEWABLE RESOURCES

All our processes are designed to limit our environmental impact. For example, our HPL and Compact HPL are primarily composed of paper (65%). Our production site is PEFC- and FSC®-certified. Similarly, all our products can be PEFC(PEFC/04-31-1353)- or FSC®-certified on request (FSC® Controlled Wood certified products are only available to FSC® Controlled Wood certified customers; all products are subject to the certification of our suppliers and availability of stock), guaranteeing that the wood and raw materials used come from sustainably and responsibly managed forests.

PRIORITIZING RECYCLABLE PACKAGING

Our wooden pallets are reusable and 95% recyclable! We collect 52% of our pallets from our German customers, and 26% internationally.

USING RECYCLED MATERIALS

In a desire to make our production more responsible, we use 20% post-consumer recycled paper in the composition of our high-pressure laminates.

WASTE RECOVERY

Our measures to reduce our environmental impact affect the entire production cycle of our products and include the recovery of 100% of paper-, cardboard- and plastic waste.

OPTIMIZING OUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION

By installing thermal insulation (pipes, building insulation), LED lighting, dimmers and control systems, we are able to reduce waste and losses. We systematically aim to reduce energy consumption when replacing materials regarding new technologies. In addition, 30% to 50% of our energy is produced by our residual materials recycling plant . With efficient plant occupancy, optimized production processes, a constant reduction of set-up times for machine equipment as well as combination of product lines, we contribute to a more efficient use of energy.

SUSTAINABILITY IN DAILY LIFE

Keenly aware of our daily impact, we take continuous measures at all levels of the company. For example, to keep printing to a minimum, 88% of our customers receive paperless invoices; this represents 85% of all our invoices. 100% of our order confirmations and shipping notifications are sent digitally.

BUILDING ON ISO MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

RESOPAL is certified according to ISO 9001 (quality management system), ISO 14001 (environmental management system) and ISO 50001 (energy management system). These certifications illustrate our commitment to continuous improvement in achieving our goals regarding quality, environment, and energy.

WORKING WITH LOCAL SUPPLIERS

We build local partnerships to reduce our carbon footprint. 100% of the pallets used for transport are supplied by only two partners located less than 70 km from our factory in Groß-Umstadt. RESOPAL fosters relationships with suppliers that aim to reduce the carbon impacts and help us meet our carbon reduction objectives (e.g., by implementing new digital technologies)

LIMITING IMPACT ON LOCAL COMMUNITY AND WILDLIFE

RESOPAL invested €1 million in 2018 to reduce its VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emissions via thermal oxidation. Our machines now use a closed-circuit cooling system, which has allowed us to reduce the amount of water drawn from the surrounding environment. Our target for the end of 2022 is to save an additional 10% of water. We have also invested to reduce noise emissions to by installing soundproof walls (sound barriers) and soundproof chambers.

REDUCTION OF THE CORPORATE CARBON FOOTPRINT

Myclimate is our long-standing partner for the calculation of our corporate carbon footprint. This involves the recording, allocation, and balancing of all CO2 emissions generated in the company and thus is a very important component of corporate climate protection. Through further analysis of our footprint, we can identify and put into place sustainable solutions for CO2 reduction and avoidance.

SMARTER CONSUMPTION

We limit the environmental impact of our products throughout their life cycle and integrate this aspect into their design.

USING CHEMICALLY INERT MATERIALS

We are particularly attentive to the composition of our products. They contain no chemicals from the candidate list of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) in concentrations greater than 0.1% of the entire mass. They comply with the REACH-, BPR- and Cradle-To-Cradle lists of banned substances. This means that our products contain no heavy metals, halogenated products (containing chlorine, fluorine or bromine), nickel, added-urea formaldehyde, solvent-based inks or PAK/PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from wood preservatives).

REINFORCING SURFACE HYGIENE

All RESOPAL’s products are antibacterial using silver phosphate glass incorporated directly into the material. This treatment is acknowledged in the health industry and eliminates over 99.9% of bacteria within 24 hours.

OPTIMIZING INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Improving the health of end users is at the heart of our approach. Our HPL and Compact HPL fulfill ABG/AgBB requirements, guaranteeing compliance with some of highest standards in terms of indoor air emissions of chemicals and particles. Our panels are rated E1* (the highest classification according to the EN 16516 and EN 717-1 standards), which guarantees low formaldehyde emission. Lastly, our products are rated A/A+ (low possible VOC emissions) according to French health labeling.

*Equivalent to the E05 commercial designation.

ASSESSING PRODUCT LIFE CYCLES

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is carried out and validated by an independent authority and used to produce an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for the majority of our products. The aim is to quantify the environmental impact generated at each phase in the product’s life cycle, from production to end of life, and establish a balance sheet

EXTENDING PRODUCT LIFESPAN

The average lifespan of our products is up to 50 years. At the end of their life they can be thermally reused.

PRODUCING PANELS IN LINE WITH BUILDING CERTIFICATIONS

Our products are all tailored to building certifications such as DGNB, LEED, BREEAM, etc. To help guide our clients, we have created Building Environmental Data Sheets specific for DGNB, LEED and BREEAM for new constructions and renovation projects, which summarize the advantages of our products and make it easier to download evidence documents.

POSITIVELY IMPACTING LOCAL EMPLOYMENT

RESOPAL employs 570 people in its plant in Groß-Umstadt and guarantees that most of its products are made in Germany. Some of our products are also made at our sister companies in France and Great Britain, contributing to the employment dynamic in Europe.

TRAVAILLER AVEC DES FOURNISSEURS LOCAUX

CARB compliance indicates that a product meets the organization’s stringent emission standards for formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products. Manufacturers and fabricators of finished goods that use specified materials are required to use composite wood that meets the formaldehyde emission limits in the CWP Regulation.

Wilsonart® Thermally Fused Laminate (TFL) panels are CARB II compliant. For additional information or documentation, please contact a Wilsonart Sales Representative, Customer Service Representative or call the Wilsonart Customer Service Hotline at 800-433-3222.

LIMITER L’IMPACT SUR LES RIVERAINS

SMARTER WASTE MANAGEMENT

Waste management is a core concern that is firmly anchored in a deliberate eco-friendly approach. We are committed to limiting our waste production and taking every possible measure to ensure recycling and energy recovery.

REDUCING WASTE DURING INSTALLATION

The number of offcuts is optimized through panel sizes that are adapted to the final applications of our customers’ projects.

ENCOURAGING MATERIAL RECYCLING

According to the regulations of the European Waste Catalog (EWC), our products are classified under code 200301, corresponding to mixed municipal waste, and can be disposed of as household or commercial waste. Our decorative panels can also be recycled by the chipboard industry.

ENABLING ENERGY RECOVERY

Because of their high calorific value, our products are particularly suitable for thermal recycling (subject to certain conditions). This calorific value is between 18-20 MJ/kg for HPL and Compact HPL, and 17 MJ/kg for Melamine-Faced Board.

WASTE REDUCTION DURING DISASSEMBLY

Our Compact HPL panels are designed to generate minimal additional waste during disassembly, especially when they are mechanically mounted/installed.