When St. Scholastica Academy, a private all-girls high school in Covington, Louisiana, moved forward with plans to renovate its outdoor running track, the project also became an opportunity to support a more sustainable future. Behind the scenes, Ecore activated its TRUcircularity program to reclaim and recycle a portion of the existing track material – demonstrating how athletic surface renovations can contribute to a truly circular economy.
Developed by Ecore, a global leader in performance flooring and surfacing solutions, TRUcircularity is a closed-loop reclamation and recycling program designed to divert used rubber flooring, turf and track systems from landfills. Instead of being discarded as waste, eligible materials are recovered, transported, processed and re-engineered into new high-performance surfaces – including underlayments, shock pads and other functional layers used in sports and fitness facilities.
For St. Scholastica Academy, the opportunity to participate in the TRUcircularity program came through an established partnership between Ecore and a trusted regional athletic track contractor. When the school’s running track reached the end of its life, the contractor coordinated with Ecore to reclaim a portion of the existing surface – an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional disposal.
Approximately 30,000 pounds of used track material were reclaimed and shipped to Ecore’s York, Pennsylvania, facility for processing, marking a significant contribution to the circular economy. The project provided a valuable opportunity to refine and advance Ecore’s processes for outdoor track reclamation, helping to establish a scalable model for future initiatives.
“When we learned the old track material would be recycled instead of sent to a landfill, it really resonated with our values as a school,” says Sister Mary Elizabeth, principal of St. Scholastica Academy. “We’re proud to have contributed to a sustainable solution and to provide our students with a beautiful new track that supports both their performance and the planet.”
This track reclamation project reflects Ecore’s growing momentum in transforming waste into performance. As a company, Ecore upcycles millions of pounds of post-consumer rubber – primarily from used truck tires – every year, converting it into resilient flooring products used around the world. TRUcircularity extends that sustainability mission into the built environment, providing schools, universities, gyms and other institutions with a practical way to reduce their environmental impact during renovation and replacement projects.
“St. Scholastica’s project is a great example of how even partial reclamation of track material can have a meaningful impact,” Hayes adds. “Each initiative helps us refine the process, expand our reach and bring us closer to a future where no usable material ends up in a landfill.”
As Ecore continues to develop and expand the TRUcircularity program, the company is actively collaborating with facility owners and contractors across the country to bring more reclaimed materials back into the supply chain. For schools like St. Scholastica Academy, participation offers not only an opportunity to do the right thing for the environment but also a chance to be part of an innovative movement shaping the future of sustainable athletic spaces.
“Our students love the new track,” adds Sister Mary Elizabeth. “Knowing we were part of a program that’s making a real difference gives it even more meaning.”
