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CalRecycle Approves CARE Five-Year Plan

February 21, 2019

Efforts to Increase Carpet Recycling Continue Via Subsidies, Grants, Market Development, Technical Assistance and Outreach

February 21, 2019 – California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Director Scott Smithline yesterday approved the most recent Five-Year Plan submitted by Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE). See the Request for Approval here.

The Plan’s approval means that CARE will continue as the carpet stewardship organization for California and will keep working aggressively to meet the goals of legislation (AB 2398 and AB 1158) to reduce the amount of carpet going to landfill and to create a market for recycled carpet material.

“This is great news,” said CARE Executive Director Robert Peoples. “Plan approval means we can continue to support the carpet recycling industry in California in order to keep more carpet out of California landfills, create jobs and promote more products made with recycled carpet. We look forward to continuing subsidies to carpet recyclers, providing convenient carpet collection sites across the state, and educating retailers, installers, local government, building owners and consumers on the process and benefits of recycling. We are working hard to support recyclers and to ensure that we meet or exceed the 24% carpet recycling rate goal set by the Plan by January 1, 2020.”

“We appreciate the California Carpet Stewardship Advisory Committee and CalRecycle’s feedback and continued cooperation to create a Plan that meets the needs of the state and the industry,” noted Peoples. “CARE is working with stakeholders on exciting developments that are going to change the face of carpet recycling and achieve the ambitious goals set by our new Plan.”

Like many textiles, carpet is made of petroleum-based material. Currently, more than 340 million pounds of used carpet are discarded in California landfills each year. Recovered carpet can be used to manufacture new carpet fiber, building and construction materials and products for the consumer and automotive industries, among other uses. See more on products here. The California Carpet Stewardship Program is funded by an assessment – 35 cents per square yard — on all carpet sold in California.

About CARE

Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the landfill diversion, reuse and recycling of post-consumer carpet through market-based solutions that benefit the economy as well as the environment. Since 2002, CARE has diverted more than 4.6 billion pounds of carpet from landfills in the United States, including over 500 million pounds from California landfills, and promoted the use and development of products containing materials derived from carpet. CARE members include independent carpet recyclers, carpet manufacturers, dealers, retailers, suppliers and non-governmental organizations. Since 2011 the California Carpet Stewardship Program has been engaged with increasing carpet diversion and recycling and supporting new markets for recycled post-consumer carpet products in accordance with state law AB 2398. CARE has been the state’s designated Carpet Stewardship Organization since the law went into effect.

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Recycled Carpet-Derived Product Presentations Available

February 13, 2019

CalRecycle offers a database of recycled products for construction projects.

Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) and CalRecycle’s recycled content construction products market development group are collaborating to give presentations featuring recycled carpet-derived products. These products provide environmental benefits with no sacrifice in quality.

The presentations are appropriate for facility managers, public works departments and design professionals involved in project development and product selection.

Presenters Market Development Consultant Mike Tinney and CalRecycle Integrated Waste Management Specialist Jennifer Caldwell also cover information about available grants.

Email Mike or call 916-849-2114 with questions or to schedule a presentation.

Learn more:

CalRecycle.ca.gov/ConDemo/Products
CarpetRecovery.org/Products

CARE Releases RFP for Carpet Recycling Cost Study

January 25, 2019

CARE is inviting proposals for an economic study to determine the U.S. and California statewide average and range of costs associated with collecting and processing post-consumer carpet (PCC), along with costs. The cost survey includes recycling for collection, processing and manufacturing, along with a regional analysis for rural and non-rural recycling center costs. The proposed plan entails outsourcing the planning, training, fieldwork, and calculation of costs.

Click the link to download the Cost Analysis RFP. The deadline for questions is February 8; proposal submissions are due by 5pm PST on February 20, 2019.

CARE Awards $3.2 Million in Grants to Increase, Improve Carpet Recycling

November 14, 2018

CARE is pleased to announce a total of $3.2 million in proposed Cycle 2 grant awards to 19 public and private entities; 16 of 20 projects are located in California and over 75 percent of grant funds are proposed for California-based projects. Combined, the grant-funded projects represent approximately 80 million new annual of PCC movement in California which includes: recycled output (Type 1 or PC4) and Tier 2 manufacturing pounds. The projects also represent roughly eight million new annual pounds in collected California PCC, along with 133 new California jobs. Grantees are now going through the contracting process before awards are final.

Eight Cycle 2A Capital Improvement grants will support capital investment, infrastructure and/or equipment that will process or manufacture products utilizing California post-consumer carpet. Six Cycle 2B Product Testing and Development grants will support efforts to investigate the use of California PCC to manufacture established products, test or certify new or reformulated products, and/or feasibility studies on potential new uses of post-consumer carpet (PCC) materials. Six Cycle 2M Micro grants will support efforts to establish or improve reuse and collections operations in California. Each proposal was screened, evaluated, and scored by an independent Technical Committee of experts using the criteria set forth in CARE’s grant proposal solicitations under each award category.

For a complete list of awards and grantees, see below.

For more information, contact CARE Grants Manager Abbie Beane. See also the CARE grants page.

Cycle 2A Capital Improvements Awardees

Aquafil, Woodland CA, $250,000 initial and additional $250,000 when operational: The grant recipient proposes to use pelletizing equipment to recycle nylon into new carpet at its new Woodland, CA facility. Polypropylene and PC4 are designated for other Tier 2 products.

ArrowStar, Dalton GA, $194,500: Grant funds would be used to convert PET post-consumer carpet to polyols for use in manufacturing urethanes used in floor underlayment, carpet backing and spray foam insulation.

Circular Polymers, Lincoln CA, $500,000: This project proposes to use grant funds to expand Tier 1 processing capacity of proprietary RIS technology and a conveyance system which would expand product offerings among all fiber types and PC4 for Tier 2 products.

Green Hive Group, Chico CA, $204,234: This company proposes to use grant funds for bagging technology for PC4 material for its spill cleanup project, marketed to small and large retailers and auto shops. Testing is also being done to prove recyclability of the product.

Interface, Phoenix AZ, $160,021: Grant funds would be used to move additional Tier 2 tile processing and reuse capacity to California, creating one new California manufacturer.

LA Fiber, Los Angeles CA, $500,000: Grant funds would be used for further Tier 1 processing capacity to purify PC4 and increase yield over 30 percent. This project would also reduce facility dust.

SaN Pallets, Troy OH, $250,000: The project proposes to manufacture Tier 2 products, end caps and pallets, using PET, polypropylene and PC4 with polymer stamping technology. The manufacturer is exploring setting up a plant in California in 2019.

Visions Environmental, Oroville CA, $260,360: Grant funds would be used to purchase equipment for Tier 2 manufacturing using PC4 in Double Green products. Products include blocks, car stops, fencing and aggregate.

Cycle 2B Product Testing Awardees

3B Protection, Perris CA, $200,000: The project proposes to complete multi-stage testing of ballistic barriers using PC4 in this new Tier 2 application.

CMJ Systems, Phoenix AZ, $198,700: Grant funds would be used to test and certify post-consumer reinforced concrete as an alternative to steel- or sand/gravel-reinforced concrete.

ReFiber, Sacramento CA, $36,600: The grant proposes testing of fiber in water infiltration, septic and road reinforcement applications for use in the City and County of Sacramento.

SwissTrax, Indio CA, $164,750: The project will complete testing and certification of post-consumer carpet in Tier 2 modular flooring tile products.

Verdex Technologies, Richmond VA, $195,000: The project proposes testing and certifying post-consumer carpet PET in spinning nozzle technology to blend micro and large fibers into high margin nonwoven applications such as filters and acoustics.

Visions Environmental, Oroville CA, $50,147: The project proposes to complete quality control and R&D testing of PC4 in stones, concrete and other new products.

Cycle 2M Micro Grant Awardees

City of Berkeley, Berkeley CA, $14,000: The project plans to purchase a weather cover carport to keep PCC clean and dry year-round for a new collection site in Alameda County.

City of LA, Los Angeles CA, $13,000: Grant funds would be used to lease a truck for 11.5 days to collect curbside PCC as a bulky item material from residential areas. This pilot pick-up service would provide data to inform similar programs.

Global Material Services, Santa Rosa CA, $13,805.76: Grant funds would be used to purchase a weather cover to allow for 12 months of PCC collection, compared to 6 months of collection currently in Santa Rosa.

San Joaquin County, North County Recycling Center and Sanitary Landfill and Lovelace Materials Recovery and Transfer Station, $14,063.98: The project would purchase two weather cover carports for two established CARE drop-off sites in San Joaquin County, allowing for year-round collection.

Zanker Recycling, Florin Perkins, Sacramento CA, $15,000: Grant funds would be used to purchase five lids to retrofit containers used for collection from local retailers in the Sacramento area.

Zanker Recycling, San Jose CA, $15,000: The project proposes to purchase a covered structure and pad for collection and weather protection of a new PCC drop-off site in Santa Clara County.

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How Is the California Carpet Assessment Used?

October 19, 2018

CARE administers the California Carpet Stewardship Program, which is charged with meeting the requirements for carpet recycling set by the California law AB 2398 (modified in 2017 by AB 1158) and managed by CalRecycle.

AB 2398 is designed to find ways to incentivize the growth of carpet reclamation and recycling and still allow the market to work. The law generates funding to meet its stated goals through an assessment of 25 cents per square yard (increasing to 35 cents on January 1, 2019) of carpet sold in California. California consumers pay the assessment when they buy carpet. Those monies then support CARE’s efforts to increase carpet recycling in California.

CARE’s goal is to have convenient sites where carpet is dropped off for recycling across the state.

The California Carpet Stewardship Program is working to comply with all statutory and regulatory requirements, which include:

Payment of subsidies at a level to enable continuous and meaningful improvement in landfill diversion via carpet collections and recycling (recycled output)
Convenient locations for recycling drop off/pick up for all California residents.
Attaining a 24% recycled output rate by January 1, 2020.
Public outreach and education.

Funding Areas

how assessment funding is used pie chart — Over 85% of assessment funds collected support subsidies, grants, outreach and technical assistance.

The funding collected from the assessment is directed to:

Ongoing subsidies to carpet recyclers and processors, in support of the carpet recycling industry and manufacturing of products made from recycled carpet The subsidies help support capital investments in recycling equipment, materials testing and product development — especially in light of the impacts from China’s National Sword on recycling markets overall.
Grant funding — CARE has awarded $2.3 million to date for capital investment, product testing, market development and collection projects to establish and expand recycling of California post-consumer carpet. Approximately 90% of those funds were awarded to California-based projects. An additional $5 million in capital investment, new product testing, and collection projects is slated for 2018-19.
Developing new California-generated post-consumer carpet (PCC) content products, expanding California processing and manufacturing capacity, and encouraging procurement of California PCC-content products by private and government entities.
Expansion of the carpet drop-off site program, with a goal of establishing at least one site in every county in California.
Continuing education/outreach efforts to carpet retailers, installers, manufacturers and consumers to encourage carpet recycling.

In 2017, over 85% of assessment funds went directly to these program efforts, including subsidies, grants, marketing/outreach and the drop-off site program. As CARE’s efforts grow, so does the need for funding.

Market Development Is Key

Developing demand recycled post-consumer carpet is key to increasing the recycling rate. The California Carpet Stewardship Program is working to develop markets for recycled post-consumer carpet via grants, technical assistance and promotion. Post-consumer carpet is recycled into fiber material, plastic pellets and calcium carbonate-based filler, which are used in a broad range of products, including carpet, underlayment, commercial mats, insulation and more.

Products containing California-sourced post-consumer carpet are high quality and competitively priced, and contribute to earning credits on LEED projects, among other environmental credentials. Our product catalog also contains information on other relevant product specifications.