The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) has announced an updated assessment fee of 25 cents per square yard on all carpet sold or shipped in California, effective January 1, 2017. The rate is an increase from the previous assessment of 20 cents per square yard. The assessment is collected by the retailer from the consumer, and is then remitted to CARE by way of the carpet manufacturers. “We are pleased that the California program is seeing a steady increase in recycled pounds this year and expects dramatic growth in incentive payouts beginning in 2017,” notes CARE Executive Director Bob Peoples. “To meet financial obligations to make these payouts, it is necessary to collect additional funds through the assessment.” CARE was pre-approved to implement this increase if deemed necessary, as approved by CalRecycle on January 26, 2016.
CARE employs the assessment funds for the following efforts:
- Ongoing subsidies to carpet recyclers and processors, to support these businesses at a difficult time for the recycling industry in general and the nascent carpet recycling ecosystem in particular. The subsidies help these businesses stay competitive in challenging economic times.
- A newly implemented grants program in 2016. To date, $2 million in grants have been approved to encourage investment in carpet recycling facilities and accelerate the development and marketing of products made from recycled carpet fiber. An additional $500,000 grant program this fall will subsidize the public procurement of products made with post-consumer recycled carpet. One hundred percent of these dollars will remain in the State.
- Expansion of the carpet drop-off site program, with a goal of establishing at least one site in every county in California by July 2017. See an interactive map of drop-off sites here.
- Continuing education/outreach efforts to carpet retailers, installers and consumers to encourage carpet recycling.
Since July 1, 2011, all California carpet manufacturers and retailers have been required under carpet stewardship law AB 2398 to add an assessment fee onto all carpet sold in the state. The law is designed to increase landfill diversion and recycling of post-consumer carpet generated in California. CARE administers the California Carpet Stewardship Program, which is charged with meeting the requirements for carpet recycling set by AB 2398. In 2015 alone, 103 million pounds of carpet was diverted from the California waste stream through the efforts of retailers, installers, manufacturers, recyclers and the California Carpet Stewardship Program.
The CARE website offers free support and resources for retailers, including email notifications and a 30-minute informational webinar on the assessment on Wednesday, November 16, at 10 a.m. PST. For more information, visit https://carpetrecovery.org/california/.