August 2023

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Pounds Collected at CARE Drop-Off Sites to Stay in California

One of the primary goals of CalRecycle’s Carpet Recycling Program is to increase processor capacity within the state of California, and along with it, associated jobs. The carpet recycling industry is being impacted by headwinds from many fronts, including declining sales, depressed resin market prices, insufficient supply of post-consumer carpet (PCC) to support recycling operations and thus profitability, and weakened demand for PCC materials, among others. CARE’s Sustainable Plan Committee has authorized a carefully considered set of initiatives that are consistent with the approved 2023-2027 California Carpet Stewardship Plan and are also a recommendation of the California Carpet Advisory Committee. The initiatives will impact certain supplemental subsidies and drop-off site collections as follows:

Effective October 1, 2023:

1. All Public Drop-Off Site pounds will be restricted to California-based processors.

Effective April 1, 2024: 

1. Out-of-state supplemental processing subsidies (Type 1) will be reduced by 50%.
2. All supplemental collection subsidies will go to zero for any pounds shipped out-of-state.

The above initiatives, which have been reviewed with CalRecycle, will augment other efforts aimed at increasing collections. CARE recognizes that these initiatives will have varying impacts among all recyclers – especially those located out-of-state. At the same time, statutes require the Program to build capacity within the state and to support California’s efforts to build a closed-loop sustainable business model. CARE will continue to closely monitor the situation and consider additional adjustments if necessary.

Micro Grant Awarded for Carpet Drop-Off Area

Pictured: Florin Perkins Disposal Site in Sacramento constructs a clean and dry mattress staging area at its public drop-off site. They plan to construct a similar area for post-consumer carpet collection with help from a CARE micro grant.

The CARE California Carpet Stewardship Program has awarded one of its public drop-off sites, Florin Perkins Disposal Site in Sacramento, a $12,000 micro grant to pave a large area where post-consumer carpet (PCC) can be dropped off and loaded into a trailer for recycling. The grant will help keep PCC clean and dry and therefore avoid the landfilling of PCC during weather-related events. Florin Perkins also offers PCC pickup service and sorts dry PCC out of construction and demolition loads.

CARE continues to accept micro grant applications through its Cycle 5M until the end of 2023. To apply, please visit the CARE grants page. For questions, contact Abbie Beane, CARE grants manager, at ABeane@CarpetRecovery.org.

New Drop-Off Site Welcomed

CARE welcomes another new public drop-off site this month:

• AMS Flooring, San Jose, Santa Clara County

There are currently 135 CARE public drop-off sites servicing 56 California counties.

CARE supports drop-off sites by providing at no cost:

• A container for collection
• Third-party hauling to transport carpet material to recyclers
• Promotional materials for local government and the hosting facility
• Technical assistance from CARE staff
• Ready access to micro grants that support site set-up and collection equipment/infrastructure.

To find the CARE-sponsored drop-off site closest to you, visit the drop-off site map. If there is a location, such as a supply house, landfill, transfer station or recycling facility that you feel would work well as a drop-off site for you and other flooring professionals near you, please email CARE with the facility's name, location and business phone number. A CARE staff person will call you to discuss your volume, learn more about flooring professionals’ needs in your area and work toward finding a solution.

In addition to public drop-off sites, CARE works with the recyclers who operate more than 200 private network collection sites around the state.

Program Highlights Mailed to Retailers and Installers

CARE has distributed a newsletter to retailers and installers that describes the California Carpet Stewardship Program’s programs and remarkable recent progress. Program highlights detailed include CARE’s work with retailers, installers, manufacturers, processors and local government to increase the amount of carpet collected, kept out of landfill and made into useful new products. It describes how recycling rate, recycled-content product development and collection convenience goals have been met and surpassed.

The Program Highlights newsletter is sent every year to California carpet retailers and flooring contractors.

The CARE California Program Highlights can be viewed here.

CARE on the Road:

Partnering with Regional Distribution Centers

Pictured: The CARE outreach team tabling at the Shaw Regional Distribution Center in Cypress, CA

As part of CARE’s efforts to increase carpet recycling in the state, CARE is deepening relationships with carpet Regional Distribution Centers (RDCs) in California. Installers and other flooring contractors come to RDCs, run by major carpet mills, to pick up purchased carpet. Since the contractors often bring back tear-out carpet at the same time, the RDC is an ideal place for a carpet drop-off site and offers efficiency and cost savings for installers. To date three RDCs are hosting CARE drop-off sites where their will-call customers can bring carpet to be recycled for free. The RDC drop-off sites have proved very popular with installers, resulting in a significant increase in carpet collected from nearby areas. In addition to setting up the drop-off sites, CARE provides a free container, technical assistance and outreach.

Tabling at CRRA

The California Carpet Stewardship Program tabled at the recent California Resource Recovery Association Conference in Burlingame, where staff talked with hundreds of local government recycling staff and other waste professionals about the opportunities for recycling carpet.

Save the Date! CARE Annual Conference 2024

CARE’s 2024 Annual Conference will take place May 7-8, 2024 at the Indianapolis Hilton. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for registration details and sponsorship opportunities for this important annual gathering of the carpet recycling industry.

Reminder: Assessment Compliance

Retailers are required by law to charge the current carpet assessment to all customers in the state. CalRecycle is regularly in the field to inspect retailers to check current practices. Failure to comply with the law could result in steep fines. To ensure compliance:

• All invoices must have the assessment clearly and correctly labeled as a separate line item.
• Retailers must purchase carpet from carpet manufacturers in compliance with the carpet stewardship law. See the list on the CalRecycle website here.
• Retailers are required by law to monitor CalRecycle’s website to determine if the sale of a manufacturer’s carpet is in compliance with the carpet stewardship law.
• Retailers must retain records for three years.

For more information see the Assessments page of the CARE website.