The California Carpet Stewardship Program has achieved an unheard-of carpet recycling rate of 35 percent for 2023. For the second year running, this far exceeds the goal (31 percent) set in the Program’s Five-Year Plan; the California carpet recycling rate is up 84 percent in five years and has more than tripled since 2015. This recycling rate for carpet has not been achieved anywhere else in the world. Since the program started, CARE recyclers have collected more than 650,000 tons (more than a billion pounds) of old carpet.

Retailers play a vital part in charging the correct assessment to customers. The recycling rate and other Program achievements are directly funded by the carpet assessment. Thank you for your work! Please read on for details on assessment compliance and opportunities with CARE and the California Carpet Stewardship Program.

Carpet Assessment Compliance: What to Expect If You’re Inspected

As you know, in 2020 California passed carpet legislation that requires CARE to implement a differential assessment on each square yard of carpet that reflects its cost to recycle. The assessment funds the subsidies for collection, processing and recycling of carpet and carpet tile, along with technical assistance, drop-off site support and education/outreach. 

Current assessment amounts are:

Note: CARE anticipates an assessment increase in 2025. All retailers will be notified by mail and email when the increase amount and active date are confirmed.

CalRecycle May Inspect Your Business

Retailers, wholesalers, and distributors are required by law to:

1. Charge the current carpet assessment to all customers in California, including direct sales, sales online, by phone, by mail or through outlets and catalogs.
2. Purchase carpet from carpet manufacturers in compliance with the carpet stewardship law. Compliant manufacturers are listed on the CalRecycle website at: Calrecycle.CA.gov/Carpet/MfrBrands/. Businesses are required to monitor this website to ensure the manufacturer’s carpet complies with the carpet stewardship law.
3. Add the correct assessment to the purchase price of all carpet sold in or into California. The assessment must be clearly visible on invoices or functionally equivalent billing documents as a separate line item and be accompanied by a CalRecycle approved label. Approved labels are listed on the CalRecycle website at: CalRecycle.CA.gov/Carpet/ApprovLabels/.
4. Retain records for a minimum of three years.

What to Expect During a CalRecycle Inspection

CalRecycle inspects flooring businesses to ensure compliance with the carpet stewardship law. An inspection may be initiated without the business being given prior notice.

Inspectors will request information and records to:

• Verify that the manufacturer(s) of the carpet sold by the business comply with the carpet stewardship law.
• Verify the Business is aware of and monitoring the CalRecycle website that lists compliant carpet manufacturers: CalRecycle.CA.gov/Carpet/MfrBrands
• Check sales invoices to verify the correct carpet assessment appears as a separate line item with a CalRecycle approved label and is not taxed.

If your Business is found to be non-compliant, CalRecycle may issue a notice of violation. CalRecycle also has the authority to issue financial penalties for non-compliance.

For enforcement related information, contact CalRecycle at (916) 341-6078 or CarpetEnforcement@Calrecycle.CA.gov. For additional carpet enforcement details, visit the CalRecycle website at: CalRecycle.CA.gov/Carpet.

Consumer Survey Shows Significant Demand for Carpet

A recent survey of California homeowners conducted by CARE yielded information that could be helpful -– and encouraging – to flooring retailers. The survey shows that a large percentage of homes have wall-to-wall carpet, and over half of them plan to change their flooring in the next year.

The goal of the first California Carpet Survey was to research awareness and attitudes to carpet recycling by California residents and to serve as a baseline for measuring improvement.

Findings show: 

• 70% of 800 California homeowners surveyed had wall-to-wall carpet in their homes; an additional 8% had removed carpet in the last year.
• 71% of those with carpet in their homes today plan to remove it; over half of them will most likely do so in the next year.
• There were many respondents who said that they didn’t know they could recycle carpet before the survey. At the conclusion of the survey, almost two-thirds of homeowners with carpet said they were “extremely likely” to recycle their old carpet in the future. Another 27% said they were “likely” to recycle.
• Among those who said they were “extremely likely” or “likely” to recycle their old carpet, the most common motivations to do so were to help/save the environment, reduce waste and do what is right/proper.
• Environmental benefits would motivate the majority (72%) of homeowners with existing carpet to recycle.

Retailers can use this data in their marketing efforts to spread awareness that carpet can be recycled into useful new products, and that consumers are interested in, and motivated by, this information.

Note: Carpet is the only used flooring that is currently recycled – making it the most sustainable flooring choice.

CARE Offers Opportunities for Retailers

The California Carpet Stewardship Program manages over 150 public drop-off sites for carpet recycling across the state. (See the map of sites here.) Sites can be supply houses, landfills, transfer stations, recycling facilities or retailers.

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.

Contact CA@CarpetRecovery.org if you are interested in becoming a CARE public drop-off site.

Is your store already a drop-off site? Consider applying for a CARE micro grant of up to $15,000 if you need equipment to operate your existing CARE public drop-off site. Contact ABeane@CarpetRecovery.org for details.

Carpet Recycling Questions? We’ve Got Answers!

CARE frequently fields questions from members of the public about what to do with tear-out carpet. We respond promptly with the most complete information possible… every square yard counts! Retailers and members of the public are encouraged to email us at CA@CarpetRecovery.org with questions about carpet recycling in California.

CarpetRecovery.org/CA