1.18.2006 ET

(CSRwire) (LaGrange, Ga.) The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that Interface Flooring Systems is the recipient of the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) "Energy Partner of the Year" award. It is given in recognition of the company's role in identifying an opportunity for the City of LaGrange, Interface and other businesses in the South Georgia community to convert methane from a local landfill into renewable energy. The award was presented at the Ninth Annual LMOP Conference & Project Expo in Baltimore, MD. Accepting on behalf of Interface was David Gustashaw, vice president of engineering for Interface Americas and the person who initiated the project in 2001.

"This project - the first of its kind in our industry and in Georgia -- is a true, triple bottom line success," said David Hobbs, president of Interface Flooring Systems. "By capturing the methane component of the landfill gas (LFG), using it to displace our use of natural gas and converting the excess to carbon dioxide via a flare, the global warming effects of this landfill are greatly reduced. Local businesses, including Interface, have access to a renewable fuel source and the City of LaGrange has realized a new revenue stream through the sale of the LFG. It is a success on every front - economically, environmentally, and socially."

The landfill gas project was initiated in 2001 when Interface approached the City of LaGrange about the possibility of converting yesterday's waste (the contents of the landfill) to tomorrow's fuel. Working in partnership with the EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) and the World Resources Institute (WRI), Interface and the City were able to demonstrate the clear environmental, social and economic benefits.

"We studied the concept with the City of LaGrange for almost two years before the project took its final form in 2003," explains Gustashaw. "This was an excellent team effort resulting in a solution that benefits the greater LaGrange community. In October 2005, the LFG system was commissioned and Interface became the first carpet manufacturer in the U.S. to use LFG for process heat at its facility."

"EPA is proud to recognize Interface for their continued leadership in environmentally sustainable practices. Without Interface, this project would not exist today," said Chris Voell, program manager, EPA Climate Change Division. "Because of their efforts, the local and global environment will benefit from the use of this valuable alternative energy source, helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions while offsetting the nation's reliance on fossil fuels."

Interface Flooring Systems is the flagship company of Atlanta-based Interface, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of floor coverings and other textiles. The landfill gas project in LaGrange is part of a global effort to find renewable sources of energy to power the company's operations and to reduce global warming emissions. Interface leads the industry in the application of renewable energy through on-site solar energy generation, use of biomass fuels and green energy purchases from wind and bio-mass projects. The company is an Energy Partner in EPA's LMOP program and a charter partner in the U.S. EPA Climate Leaders Program, a voluntary partnership challenging businesses to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. It is also a founding member of the Green Power Market Development Group (GPMDG), a partnership of leading multinational corporations and the World Resources Institute. Interface Flooring Systems is one of 20 founding partners in the U.S. EPA's Green Power Partnership, a program aimed at boosting the market for renewable energy alternatives that reduce the environmental and health risks of conventional electricity generation.

For more information on Interface's environmental initiatives, visit www.interfacesustainability.com.

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