The exemption for cork was accomplished through concerted efforts involving a number of groups. The Natural Cork Council worked with the Portuguese Embassy and their economic attaché, and with agencies in Washington including AICEP, the Portuguese Trade and Investment Agency. On the other side of the Atlantic, APCOR, the Portuguese cork association, worked with negotiators from Portugal who were represented at EU headquarters who pushed EU negotiators to add cork to the framework agreement.

Thanks to the recent installation of cork-rubber composite rail pads from Dutch company Alom and Amorim Cork Solutions, vibrations and noise have been considerably reduced for residents.

The manufacturers of natural cork advertise with the image of naturalness. But how natural is it really? And how sustainable is its production? Raffaella Usai asked.

Cork is one of the most versatile and sustainable natural materials on the planet. Pliable, impermeable, durable, and soft to the touch, cork bark and cork skin are used in the manufacture of a bewildering array of items. But apart from wine stoppers, what else is cork used for? 

Browse the gallery and uncork some incredible facts about this amazing product. 

The outsole is made from cork, and the entire shoe is designed to be compostable at the end of its life – returning nutrients to the soil rather than clogging landfills.

• Natural wine corks are compostable after removing any metal foil and other materials.

• To speed up the decomposition process, the corks should be chopped up.

• Corks are brown composting material; add nitrogen-rich green material for balance.