California Carpet Stewardship Bill
- California Carpet Stewardship Program
- Annual Reports
- AB 2398, California’s Law for Carpet Stewardship
- Frequently Asked Questions about AB 2398
- How Assessment Monies Are Used
- Non-Compliance Penalties
- AB 2398 For Retailers and Dealers
- AB 2398 For Carpet Mills
- Information for Applicants for AB 2398 Funds
- About CARE Membership
California Carpet Stewardship Program
Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) serves as the stewardship organization administering the California Carpet Stewardship Program. Stewardship organizations (or individual manufacturers that are not represented by a stewardship organization) are responsible for submitting Carpet Stewardship Plans (Plan) to CalRecycle for approval.
Specifics about the program can be found in the statute, regulations, and the California Carpet Stewardship Plan. Links to these documents can be found on CalRecycle’s website.
California Carpet Stewardship Plan 2023-27 (Revised, submitted to CalRecycle January 18, 2023)
California Carpet Stewardship Plan 2018-2022
Convenient Collection for Flooring Professionals Final Report & Implementation Plan (June 2021)
Highest Recyclability Update (June 2021)
Differential Assessment Approach (June 2021)
Analysis of Carpet Discards Formula (June 2021)
Reuse Study Action Plan (June 2021)
Post-Consumer Carpet: Barriers and Opportunities for Reuse (May 2021)
California Carpet Stewardship Program 2021 Annual Report
California Carpet Stewardship Program (AB 2398) 2020 Annual Report
See Previous Annual Reports.
CARE California Carpet Stewardship Program Contingency Plan
CARE California Carpet Stewardship Program Model Team Report (August 2020)
CARE Operational Guidelines for Handling and Processing Post-Consumer Carpet (106 KB)
A guidance document by CARE to provide best management practices and support for the recycling of post-consumer carpet. Actual requirements may vary by jurisdiction; your local code authority will always take precedence over these recommendations.
CARE Storage Guidelines for Post-Consumer Carpet (101 KB)
A guidance document by CARE to provide best case practices and support the recycling of post-consumer carpet with an emphasis on indoor and outdoor storage. Your local code authority will always take precedence over these recommendations.
See additional Research Reports in the Reading Room.
Join our email list to be notified of upcoming webinars and other program updates.
AB 2398, California’s Law for Carpet Stewardship
California’s Law AB 2398, for Carpet Stewardship
AB 2398 is a Carpet Stewardship law, signed by the governor of California, on September 30, 2010. The purpose of the law is to increase the diversion and recycling of carpet in the state of California.
The law generates funding to meet the goals of AB 2398 through an assessment on each square yard of carpet sold in California. Effective January 1, 2019 this assessment is 35 cents per square yard. New assessments took effect on April 1, 2022; see Differential Assessments page for the latest information. Unlike other proposed stewardship legislation that are intended to fund the entire burden of end-of-life management, this law is designed to find ways to incentivize the growth of carpet reclamation and recycling and still allow the market to work.
Manufacturers – either singly or as a group – are required to submit a stewardship plan with the state for implementing AB 2398. Stewardship plans will include consumer education efforts, the assessment of fees, and progress measurement and reporting.
For a copy of AB 2398, and to learn more about the requirements, please click on the following link: AB 2398 – California Carpet Stewardship Bill (70 KB)
AB 2398 designated the Carpet America Recovery Effort, or CARE as its Carpet Stewardship Organization. Carpet manufacturers may participate in the stewardship plan developed by CARE, or a manufacturer may submit its own plan. Stewardship plans must be submitted to the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) by September 30, 2011. All plans must be approved by March 31, 2012 to be in compliance. CARE currently serves as the stewardship organization operating the only approved Carpet Stewardship Plan.
In October 2017, Governor Brown signed AB 1158 into law. AB 1158 is intended to modify the original carpet stewardship bill, AB 2398. The new law’s changes include:
- Requiring a recycling goal of 24% by January 1, 2020
- Requiring the Director of Resources Recycling and Recovery, the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Rules Committee to appoint members to an Advisory Committee for the Program.
- Requiring the carpet stewardship organization to submit to the director, in writing, its reasons for rejecting any recommendations made by the Advisory Committee.
- Requiring the Department of General Services (DGS) to ensure that post-consumer carpet removed from state buildings is managed in a manner consistent with carpet stewardship laws and that carpet purchased by a state agency contains a minimum amount of post-consumer content to be determined by DGS by July 1, 2018.
California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle)
CalRecycle is the state’s leading authority on recycling, waste reduction, and product reuse. Officially known as the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, CalRecycle plays an important role in the stewardship of California’s vast resources and promotes innovation in technology to encourage economic and environmental sustainability.
CalRecycle – Carpet Materials Management webpage
For purposes of the CARE Stewardship Plan, definitions included are in the AB 2398 statute, and in the Product Stewardship for Carpet Regulations (November, 2011), with some revisions, which have an asterisk.
CARE Stewardship Plan Definitions (79 KB)
Frequently Asked Questions about AB 2398
Roles and Responsibilities of Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) pursuant to AB 2398 (15 KB)
Products That Are Not Covered by AB 2398
Area rugs and convention carpet are not covered by the carpet stewardship law. CalRecycle provided clarity around the definition of carpet and rugs and determined, “convention carpet is cut into area dimensions and may be temporarily adhered onto the floor but is not typically installed or attached at the wall base. Therefore, convention carpet is not a program product because it is considered a “rug” pursuant to 14 CCR section 18941(i), which is exempt from the definition of “carpet” in PRC section 42971(d). CARE cannot spend assessment funds to manage non-program products.
How Assessment Monies Are Used
The California Carpet Stewardship Program assessment is used to incentivize the development of new and existing uses for recovered carpet in order to increase diversion from landfill. Incentives are paid to processors based on the amount of covered material that is recovered. See current subsidy categories and amount and learn more: Information for Applicants for AB 2398 Funds
Non-Compliance Penalties
The law requires all manufacturers who sell into California, as well as all distributors, wholesalers and retailers, to comply with the law; – there is a penalty for non-compliance. A civil penalty may be imposed by California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) for anyone in violation of AB 2398. AB 2398 was further amended in October 2019 through the enactment of AB 729. Beginning January 1, 2020, AB 729 increased a portion of non-compliance penalties from one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day, to five thousand ($5,000) per day.
- Five thousand dollars ($5,000) per day
- Ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per day if violation is intentional, knowing, or negligent
- Civil penalties may be imposed on any person who violates AB 2398 (i.e. manufacturer, distributor, importer, wholesaler, retailer)
AB 2398 For Retailers and Dealers
Information specifically for carpet retailers and dealers including webinars, marketing educational materials, and documents.
AB 2398 – California Carpet Stewardship Information for Retailers and Dealers
AB 2398 For Carpet Mills
Information specifically for carpet manufacturers including Registration for the CARE Stewardship Plan for California AB 2398, and a list of Manufacturers who have registered with CARE’s Stewardship Plan.
AB 2398 – California Carpet Stewardship Information for Manufacturers
Information for Applicants for AB 2398 Funds
If you process post-consumer carpet diverted from landfills in the state of California, you may be eligible to apply for funds from AB 2398.
AB 2398 – Information for Applicants for AB 2398 Funds
About CARE Membership
If you are either directly involved in, or aligned with, the carpet industry, we ask you to support the efforts of CARE and do your part to make a sustainable difference.
As a member of CARE, you will be part of a nationwide organization that is diverting carpet from the landfill and finding valuable uses for post-consumer carpet.
Membership in CARE is required to be eligible for AB 2398 subsidy funds.
Learn More About the Benefits of Becoming a Member of CARE.
Helpful Links
CARE California Carpet Reclamation Partners
CARE’s Stewardship Planning Committee