Carpet America Recovery Effort

Developing Market Based Solutions for the Recycling & Reuse of Post-Consumer Carpet

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California Team Promotes Carpet Recycling at CRRA 2016

The CARE team at CRRA
CARE CA team members Kelsey, Lisa, Abbie and Jared at the booth

The CARE California team presented a session and participated as an exhibitor at this month’s California Resource Recovery Association conference in Sacramento. The Conference draws hundreds of city, county and other government workers along with representatives from businesses and non-profits to network and learn about all aspects of California’s reduce-reuse-recycle-compost economy.

At the booth, the team fielded questions about carpet recycling and diversion from the hundreds of attendees, and encouraged local government agency representatives to spread the word about carpet recycling in their area through the CARE drop-off site map, brochure, the Buy Recycled campaign, and other resources.

On Tuesday, August 9, a session on EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) and carpet included presentations by California Program Manager Brennen Jensen, Market Development Consultant Mike Tinney and Senior Associate Lisa Mekis. Brennen gave an overview of the current state of carpet recycling in California, including some tough macro-economic challenges, such as the recent drop in the price of oil, which have hurt recycling of many materials in California. Mike introduced the first Double Green products, containing both carpet and one other material (such as recycled tires) diverted from the California waste stream. He noted how CARE’s new procurement grant program will support California public agencies and their contractors to purchase products made with post-consumer recycled-carpet content. Lisa addressed how the local government representatives in the audience could increase and improve carpet recycling. She concluded by noting the steps local government recycling coordinators and other public works staff could take to work with CARE:

  • Become a CARE Carpet Recycling Drop-Off Site
  • Promote Existing Drop-Off Sites
  • Inform Retailers, Installers & Consumers
  • Buy Recycled Carpet Content Products
  • Apply for Procurement Grant Opportunities
  • Request Education & Outreach in Their Area

View the presentations:

California Carpet Stewardship Program – Pathway to a New Plan

California Carpet Stewardship Program: Recycled Carpet Products in California

California Carpet Stewardship Program: Local Government Tools

 

Sierra Mat Debuts “Double Green” Product, Containing Recycled Carpet Material

A new era in carpet recycling began this summer at Sierra Mat & Rubber in Modesto, CA, as owner Loren Jessop produced the first commercially-ready products manufactured from two different materials coming out of the California waste stream. Using recycled-tire crumb rubber mixed with post-consumer calcium carbonate from recycled carpet, Sierra Mat is now the first California manufacturer to combine both recycled materials into products combining the best properties of each.

mike sierra IMG_0916
CARE Market Development Consultant Mike Tinney with Sierra Mat & Rubber’s Double Green product.

Inclusion of calcium carbonate with recycled rubber makes the product eligible for state agency SABRC credit in the Recycled Tire category. Earlier this year Sierra Mat & Rubber was awarded a CARE Cycle 1A Capital Improvement grant to purchase equipment necessary to expand new and existing product lines using recycled carpet components.

“This is a truly exciting development for recycling in California. By working with Sierra Mat & Rubber, a well-established recycler in the State, they were able to develop the first of its kind Double Green product,” noted CARE Executive Director Bob Peoples. “This development shows that by breaking down industry barriers, creative opportunities are possible.”

“Sierra Mat & Rubber is excited about discovering new uses for a substance that was thought of as waste,” said company owner Loren Jessop. “Modifying our process by replacing some of the crumb rubber content with post-consumer carpet makes the product heavier and more rigid, and stronger overall.”

Pictured are parking lot wheel stops and a floor mat, both now eligible for the CARE Double Green designation, signifying products containing California post-consumer carpet material and at least one other recycled material, both diverted from California landfills.

To learn more about products using recycled carpet material and the Double Green designation, contact Market Development associate Mike Tinney. Sierra is one of several products eligible for CARE’s Recycled Carpet Procurement Grants – learn more here.

CARE Announces $2.4 Million in Grant Awards for Carpet Recycling

CARE Announces $2.4 Million in Grant Awards for Carpet Recycling

On March 10, 2016, the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) and the California Carpet Stewardship Program approved approximately $2.4 million in grant funding for eight capital improvements and three product testing projects that utilize post-consumer carpet. Of the funds available, 88% or $2.1 million, has been awarded to California based projects. Together, the proposed funding will support millions of pounds of additional recycled carpet output and the creation of dozens of new California jobs.

The grant awards will support existing post-consumer carpet processors, new California facilities, and companies experienced in processing other recycled materials. Grant applicants selected for awards are: American Fiber Cushion, Carpet Solutions, GHD, Inc, Landfill Clear, Rethink Green, SafePath Products, Sierra Rubber Company, South Bend Modern Molding, West Coast Rubber Recycling, and XT Green.

In awarding these grants, CARE has selected a diverse range of projects focused on testing and/or producing a number of recycled products from post-consumer carpet including fiber, pellets, carpet derived aggregate, and civil engineering and molded product applications. The range of projects also focuses on recycling various carpet fiber and backing types from both broadloom and carpet tiles, such as nylon 6, nylon 66, polypropylene, calcium carbonate, and polyester.

Each grant application for funding was screened, evaluated and scored by an independent Technical Committee of experts. Funding of proposed projects is contingent upon applicant acceptance and execution of a grant agreement. CARE expects to issue a final “Notice of Proposed Awards” in the coming month, and thanks all the companies that submitted applications in this grant cycle.

CARE Launches California Council on Carpet Recycling

CARE Launches California Council on Carpet Recycling
18-Member Advisory Group to Give Voice to Diverse Stakeholders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2016

CONTACT
Robert Peoples
bpeoples@carpetrecovery.org
706.428.2127

Sacramento, CA--The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) has announced the formation of the California Council on Carpet Recycling (Carpet Council), an 18-member advisory group, selected to provide guidance to CARE on California’s carpet recycling efforts. The Council represents diverse stakeholders from across the state and carpet recycling industry, including carpet retailers and installers; collectors, haulers and processors of recycled carpet; manufacturers of products made from recycled carpet; as well as non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) and local government agencies.

“Carpet recycling, both in California and nationally, is a challenging and complex endeavor that needs the input and feedback from all parties that have a stake in this emerging industry. CARE welcomes the talents, expertise and commitment to our goals that our Council members share and are very much looking forward to working with them,” said CARE’s Executive Director Dr. Robert Peoples.

The principal tasks of the Carpet Council will be to ensure all aspects of the product chain are taken into account as CARE works to increase the amount of carpet diverted from landfill, improve waste prevention and reuse efforts, raise recycling rates, and strengthen the economic viability of recycled carpet products, as required under the California Carpet Stewardship Plan (commonly referred to as AB 2398). In performing this work, the Carpet Council will maximize the collaboration with the existing infrastructure stakeholders, to make the California Carpet Stewardship Program as successful and effective as possible.

Carpet Council member Christine Flowers, Assistant Executive Director at the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC), supports the effort: “CPSC applauds CARE’s initiative to form the Council to assure greater communication among stakeholders resulting in timely program improvements.”

The first meeting of the California Council on Carpet Recycling will take place on Wednesday, February 24th in Sacramento. For more information about the Council and for a full list of Council members, visit: www.carpetrecovery.org/carpetcouncil.

In addition to launching the Council, CARE is inviting feedback from all interested parties at two free public stakeholder workshops, hosted in Southern and Northern California on March 8th and 10th. For details and the register visit https://carpetrecovery.org/2016_workshops/.

Public Workshops: Planning for the Future of Carpet Recycling

On March 8th and 10th, CARE will host two public workshops in California to solicit input and feedback from various stakeholders about the future of carpet recycling. These informational and interactive workshops will provide participants with an overview of the past and current state of carpet recycling in California and the opportunity to contribute ideas, insights, and recommendations on CARE’s planning efforts around carpet stewardship in 2017 and beyond.

It is also an opportunity to meet the CARE California team and the inaugural members of the California Council on Carpet Recycling, as well as network with other industry stakeholders.

The March 8th workshop will be held at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel. 
The March 10th workshop will be held at the Rural County Representatives of California Offices in Sacramento, CA.

The workshops are free of charge and will run from 10:00am-3:30pm on both days. Participants must register by completing the form here.

Who should attend: Carpet Manufacturers, Retailers, Installers, Government Agency representatives in sustainability, waste and procurement, Haulers, NGOs, and Processors of carpet in California.

Why attend?  Your experience and input are essential to ensure that continued meaningful progress is made towards increasing the diversion and recycling of carpet in California. Your expertise, ideas, and participation are greatly appreciated.

Please email California Program Senior Associate Lisa Mekis with questions.

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