We walk on it, roll on it with friends or pets, put down a blanket and sleep on it, but after 10 years of vacuuming, spotting, cleaning and steaming it is worn and it is time to go out the door.
What we do next is our CHOICE: Dump into a landfill or recycle. Important details:Did you know t there are carpet recycling programs? Manufacturers are interested in the raw materials. It makes financial sense AND it earns them “green” points.
Over 5 Billion pounds of carpets are stripped out of homes and brought to landfill each year. Carpet Padding is also dumped (125 million tons a year). Besides adding to the landfill volume, these are products that are NOT biodegradable! Most carpets made out of polyester and/or nylon which will last forever.
Most carpets are petroleum-based products – oil! CARE (Carpet America Recovery Effort) estimates that 440 million pounds of carpet equates to 39 million gallons of oil. Reversing the supply chain means reusing those carpets, saving oil. Nylon carpets are melted down, spun out as fiber and recycled to manufacture carpet again — there is no waste.
Find carpet reclamation partners in your state right here !!!!
Polyester and polypropylene carpets are oil based plastic and can be sorted out, pelletized and sent on to become part of your auto, your kitchen, your plumbing supplies, or synthetic lumber.
Recycle or dump the old way you’ll pay either way: pay for recycle pickup or tipping fees at the dump — and carpet is heavy. It could cost 5 to 25 cents pound and may be $25 or more to recycle your carpet. Larry Sagarin of Long Island Carpet Recycling will pick up carpet within 50 miles for a $150 flat fee. Follow their slogan :” Rip, Remove, Recycle”.
New product lines such as Everlast contain a material that has remarkable wear-ability and stain resistance using 97% recycled carpet padding. Before disposing of your old carpet consider Milliken Carpet’s Earthsource renewal program: it takes your carpet, super cleans it, retufts, restyles it and returns it to you to for re-installation.
A further note: When you install a new carpet be mindful of Volatile Organic Compounds in the carpet, backing or adhesive. While most consumers know about VOC’s, when it comes to purchase decisions more attention should be paid to it. Some recommend to ask carpet installers to open the carpet and allow those VOC to air out for 2 to 3 days prior to installation. But can you be sure it happens? Better also check into manufacturer’s glues, binders and fibers – it may be important for your health. Many now offer cost-effective low VOC products!