Carpet America Recovery Effort
Developing Market Based Solutions for the Recycling & Reuse of Post-Consumer Carpet
CARE has produced an updated version of the Carpet-Derived Products Catalog containing California-sourced post-consumer carpet. The catalog was distributed at the CARE booth at the GreenBuild conference in Atlanta in November 2019 and mailed to public procurement officials across the state.
See the catalog here or email CA@CarpetRecovery.org to request a copy.
Stakeholders to Discuss Innovation, Industry Maturity in Portland, OR
Dalton, GA – Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) will hold its 18th Annual Conference on May 12-13, 2020 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Portland, Oregon. The theme of the Conference, “Carpet Recycling Comes of Age,” illustrates an industry that is maturing while making exciting progress in landfill diversion and market development.
“I have been more excited in the last several months than at any time in the last 18 years about the possibilities for our industry,” notes CARE Executive Director Robert Peoples. “Major changes are underway in terms of capacity expansion, two new West Coast processors, renewed interest in reuse, and at least two major new outlets for PET. We are moving from a startup industry to, for the first time, a sophisticated business-driven industry where we have real specifications, real supply chain contracts. CARE and the carpet recycling industry are about to grow up – and that’s very exciting.”
The Conference will feature expert speakers from PLASTICS (the Plastics Industry Association) along with collectors, processors and manufacturers from around the country discussing developments in chemical recycling, EPR, and the circular economy. Participants will interact with long-time recyclers along with entrepreneurs who are pushing the envelope of carpet recycling technology. Sessions will be of interest to equipment suppliers as well as those interested in feedstocks; nylon 6, nylon 66, polypropylene, polyester or Triexta (polytrimethylene terephthalate). There will be ample time for networking along with the traditional awards dinner.
Registration for the Conference is open now; Early Bird rates are in effect through February 28. Register here.
About Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE)
Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) is a voluntary, non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the landfill diversion, reuse, and recycling of waste carpet, through market-based solutions that benefit the economy as well as the environment.
Since 2002, CARE has diverted more than 5 billion pounds of carpet from landfills in the United States and promoted the use and development of products containing materials derived from carpet. CARE members include independent carpet recyclers, carpet manufacturers, dealers, retailers and suppliers, and non-governmental organizations. For more information about CARE, visit www.carpetrecovery.org.
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The presentation below shows the latest quarterly results for the California Carpet Stewardship Program, which show the highest recycled output and recycling rate to date. The recycling rate was 18.4% which continues the steady climb toward our goal of 24%. Recycled output jumped more than 8% over previous high in Q2 2018 to 15.1 million pounds. CARE has delivered steady, continuous and meaningful progress and growth since Q1 of 2016 despite all the challenges faced in the marketplace.
By September 1, 2019*, CARE submitted the following documents per the requirements put forward by CalRecycle as conditions for approval of the California Carpet Stewardship Plan 2018-22.
Please note that these documents are not yet fully formatted for accessibility. CARE is working to further fine tune and convert them for full accessibility compliance.
* September 3rd due to Labor Day holiday
CARE has produced a new video that describes exciting developments in the use of recycled PET carpet. The video, The Sustainable Uses of PET Plastic, focuses on civil engineering applications for recycled PET carpet happening right now in California. The video highlights efforts at LA Fiber, Circular Polymers, and Humboldt State University.
The key to a successful carpet recycling program is creating more products that use these materials along with markets to buy them, thus creating demand. The video will be used as part of CARE’s extensive efforts to promote and encourage new markets and products using recycled carpet material.