Contact: Jeremy Stroop, Carpet America Recovery Effort (706) 428-2127
Clearwater Beach, FL May 6, 2008 – Both Kruse Carpet Recycling and Shaw Industries were recognized last night as Recyclers of the Year by the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) at the organization’s Sixth Annual Conference at the SandPearl Resort in Clearwater Beach, FL.
For the second year in a row, this year’s recycler of the year award was divided into a large company division and a small company division in an effort to better recognize the drivers behind this new industry of post-consumer carpet recycling.
Russ DeLozier, PCC Collection Manager for Shaw Industries, was also honored as this year’s recipient of the prestigious Care Person of the Year at the gala.
Shaw Industries , headquartered in Dalton, Ga., took home the large company category thanks to their Shaw Green Edge initiative, the cornerstone of Shaw’s environmental vision is cradle-to-cradle production, which will allow synthetic products – such as carpet – to be collected and then manufactured into new product repeatedly.
The Shaw Green Edge Program encompasses over 100 environmental initiatives and was introduced following Shaw’s purchase of the Evergreen Recycling facility in Augusta, Ga. .The Evergreen Nylon Recycling is the only facility of its kind in the world. The plant allows Shaw to break down post-consumer carpet containing Nylon 6 fiber into its original material, which then can be remade into new carpet fiber repeatedly.
“We’re very proud of what we have been able to accomplish through the Green Edge Program and the Evergreen facility. Evergreen has provided consumers with the opportunity to return nylon carpet to the same product instead of sending post-consumer carpet to a landfill,” said Steve Bradfield, Shaw’s director of environmental affairs. “As the consuming public grows more aware of the environmental impact of waste, recycling efforts – especially those on a grand scale, such as Evergreen – will attract greater consumer interest and will make a difference in how consumers choose products.”
Joining Shaw Industries on center stage for their recycling efforts was Kruse Carpet Recycling, out of Indianapolis, IN. Kruse Carpet Recycling is the brain child of Richard D. Kruse, who officially opened his operations in 1997 and has been guaranteeing customers that none of their collected carpet will go to the landfill ever since.
Kruse Carpet Recycling is an excellent example of the entrepreneurial spirit that has made this country great.
Honored alongside the recycling giants at last night’s awards banquet was DeLozier, a familiar face in the recycling industry. DeLozier sits on the CARE Board of Directors and has been active in the industry since taking over the Evergreen facility in 2006.
The majority of Russ’ experience has been in startup or operation of various types of plastic plants, including those manufacturing nylons, styrene block copolymers, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. So it was no surprise when Shaw Industries tapped him to revitalize the Evergreen facility once it was brought into the family of Shaw’s operations.
“I’m standing here tonight accepting this award for a lot of people who have put a lot of time and effort into making this facility work. This could not have been possible without Shaw’s dedication and commitment to doing the right thing, and I’m honored to be here before you and honored to part of this great company and facility,” said Delozier in accepting the award.
“Anyone who knows Russ DeLozier knows his he is a tireless in his effort to make this industry of recycling carpet work. He has been a friend to almost every post-consumer carpet collector in attendance tonight and we all join in honoring him with the award,” said Frank Hurd, chairman of the CARE Board.