Courtesy of Carpet America Recovery Effort
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Disposing of an old carpet can be quite a chore. You may find it difficult to find someone who will recycle your old carpet, and you probably don't want to just chuck it in the landfill. The Carpet America Recovery Effort is a program designed to help consumers, retailers and manufacturers recycle their old carpets.
CARE is a joint effort between the carpet industry and the government. In 2002, members of the government and the carpet industry worked out a ten-year plan to reduce carpet-related landfill waste. 5 billion pounds of carpet were put into landfills in 2003. Their goal is to reuse 40% of this waste by 2012.
The organization started in the Southeast and has moved outwards from there. It has made it's way across the land to the large population hubs of the East and West Coast, the American Southwest and has even managed to infiltrate into the less populated states of the Midwest and the North. CARE has a map on their website that can help you find a Carpet Reclamation Partner near you.
If you are not near one of the CARE carpet-recovery centers, they ask that you check with your local dealer. CARE reminds us that carpet recycling is not free, and there is often a cents-per-pound charge for this service. That's a small price to pay to keep 5 billion pounds of carpet out of the landfill.
The carpets will be used to make all manner of goods: New carpets, air filters and auto parts, etc. The reason carpet recycling is so difficult is because carpets are made up of a variety of different materials. The carpet-recycling charge is, in part, to offset the difficulty in separating the various materials of the carpet.
More on Carpets:
Design Green Home : Green Glossary: Carpet Recovery
Clean Your Carpet Without Chemicals
Recycled Content Carpets : Planet Green Trees
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