But, what to do with the old stuff? Most municipalities have rules and regulations about how to dispose of waste carpeting at the curbside. But, few have any opportunities for its recycling.
Carpet recycling facilities are still in their infancy in the U.S., but generally in larger metro areas there often exists such facilities. Start by inquiring with your city's waste disposal department. You can also inquire with Carpet America Recovery Effort (carpetrecovery.org) which has information on carpet recycling facilities around the U.S.
Why is Carpeting Hard to Recycle
Carpeting has many components, and each of those parts is made of different materials. The face fiber (or the fluffy top we walk on) can be made of fibers like wool, polyester, nylon, or Olefin. And the backing is often made from latex or polyvinylchloride.
These components have to be separated before they can be recycled. And proper identification of all the components is essential. Because the process takes time and skill it's not cheap. That's why many carpet recyclers need to charge a fee when you drop off your carpeting for recycling.
Carpet pad, on the other hand, is much easier to recycle. It's generally one component, so there's no wasted time separating materials. Rebond carpet pad (the kind that looks like a composite material with many colored pieces) is sometimes paid for by carpet recyclers. It's worth asking about.
Other Ways to Recycle Old Carpet
If you're not within reach of a carpet recycling center there are some other options to consider before sending it to the landfill.
- Carpeting that is in "like new" condition is often accepted by building salvage centers, like Habitat for Humanity. The larger the pieces the easier they can find a new home for it.
- Cut it into smaller pieces and use as floor mats in your car, inside your dog kennel or crate, or as a bed liner in your truck.
- Use it in your garden as a weed barrier. Cut holes where the plants will go and cover with mulch to hide it.
- Use it to smother and kill a weedy area of your yard that you intend to reseed with lawn grass or prairie seeds. This usually takes a year before everything underneath is truly dead. Remove the carpeting before planting.
- Use the pieces to cover a cat scratching post or tree.
Increase the Life of Your Carpet
Taking better care of your carpeting, with routine vacuuming and cleaning, will increase the longevity of your product. Even if you can extend the life of your carpet and get another 5 years of wear out of it it will help reduce the overall amount of carpet that goes to our landfills every year.
And buying quality carpeting to begin with will give you a longer-lasting carpet. Cheap carpeting will wear out sooner because of poor quality construction and fibers. It just doesn't hold up over time like good quality carpeting. But, even with cheap carpeting the key to getting the longest life out of it is frequent vacuuming.
Visit CarpetRecovery.org to find out more about carpet recycling efforts in the U.S.
