Mondo, leader in the sports flooring sector, and Nieddittas, a cooperative of fishermen founded in Arborea (OR) in 1967 and today a Sardinian leader in mussel farming and fishing, have joined forces to create a new production chain that recycles mussel shells and promotes environmental sustainability.
Mondo has developed a new blend for athletic tracks that incorporates bivalve mollusk shells, such as mussels and clams, typically found in the Mediterranean Sea. These shells are rich in calcium carbonate, a material frequently used in resilient flooring. Nieddittas produces, cleans, and prepares the shells, which are then ground into powder for use in Mondo’s athletic tracks.
Guided by an innovative and forward-thinking vision, Mondo and Nieddittas have created an eco-sustainable supply chain that transforms waste into a resource. This gives birth to a new generation of resilient and sustainable sports flooring surfaces made with a bio-inspired approach that transfers biological knowledge and principles to flooring design. For example, building an athletics track with biogenic carbonate is like offsetting the emissions of a Euro 4 diesel car traveling 60,000 km. Additionally, it prevents the disposal of tens of tons of waste in landfills.
This shows how recycling mussel shells can help reduce CO2 emissions by avoiding mining and the consequent environmental impacts on local fauna and human health*, thus promoting more sustainable solutions.
This collaboration is the result of three years of research and experimentation in the laboratories of the two companies and represents an innovative synergy between an industrial and international company like Mondo and a traditional but modern company like Nieddittas rooted in its area of origin, the Sardinian Sea.
After the first calcium carbonate samples were provided by Nieddittas in 2021, both the technical feasibility and the necessary treatments before use in Mondo's formulations were evaluated. Business flows have been harmonized with the rhythms of nature, using, for example, the sun drying of mussel shells. Over time, the supply has grown with a constant supply throughout the year.
This collaboration brings significant benefits as it contributes to economic development, the promotion of environmental sustainability, and the creation of shared value. Other local companies manage the technical aspects, making the final product perfectly replaceable with mineral carbonate. This project is not only scientifically suggestive but also a forward-looking example of long-term economic commitment to sustainability and territories, with transparency, responsibility, and a real will to make a difference.
*For more details on the impacts of mining, visit this link.