PRESS RELEASE
January 31, 2021
Share of recycled materials in Mosa wall tiles rises to 33%
Mosa is replacing the natural raw material chalk with calcite, a renewable resource, and significantly increasing the proportion of recycled material in all its wall tiles in the process. The considerable proportion of recycled material in Mosa tiles means they now play a role in circular construction.
Mosa obtains calcite, a by-product from the production of drinking water, from local drinking water companies and is the first company in the ceramic industry to use this raw material. By producing with calcite instead of chalk, the proportion of recycled material in all of the approximately 500 tiles in Mosa’s collection has increased from 21 to 33 percent.
‘We are proud of this result, which we could only achieve in synergy with others. Together with WML and AquaMinerals, we are demonstrating that a by-product from the production of drinking water can be used in the ceramic industry and applied in circular construction. By producing wall tiles with calcite, we use less primary raw materials. Alongside being renewable, our calcite is locally sourced. As calcite is chemically identical to chalk, the tiles retain their quality,’ says Mikel Stultiens, Manager of Materials & Technology at Mosa.
Mosa has been working according to the Cradle to Cradle® principles since 2011. This means the tile manufacturer reduces waste, saves energy, and assumes its corporate social responsibility according to five main criteria: clean resources, a large potential for reuse, low energy consumption, eco-friendly water management, and good working conditions. By using calcite, Mosa is taking the next step in making its products more sustainable.
> Read more about Mosa's Sustainability Strategy
Mosa is the first ceramic tile company in the world to have gained Cradle to Cradle® Silver certification for 99% of its entire tile collection, which includes wall tiles, floor tiles, and systems. Thanks to the sustainable nature of the products, the tiles contribute to a healthy indoor environment and are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). As a result, Mosa tiles now play a role in certifications for sustainable buildings such as LEED, WELL, BREEAM, DGNB, and HQE.