Travelers typically pay little attention to the flooring as they pass through airport terminals, with one exception: the carpet at Portland International Airport (PDX) in Oregon.
The 25-year-old teal carpet has gained Internet fame in recent years and is now considered a local icon. Now stained and fraying, PDX has started the year-long process of replacing the carpet.
More than 13 acres of carpet will be removed, but it won’t be headed to a landfill. After receiving many requests for leftover carpet, the airport plans to give away some of the salvageable rug.
Local businesses will be able to apply online to pick up free 1,000-square-yard bundles of carpet pieces in the spring. Other carpet will most likely be cut into doormat-size sections and used in airport promotions, while the rest will be recycled.
Even better, the new broadloom being installed at PDX is made with materials from recycled carpet, soda bottles and plastic jars.
To learn more about the famous carpet, read the complete article in The New York Times.